The word picnic is said to come from the French piquer — to pick or peck — coupled with nique, meaning a trifle.
Originally picnic referred to a meal that we would probably call a potluck, where every guest brought a different dish. Some items to keep stocked in the hamper in case of a sudden need to picnic:
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Utensils, forks, knives, spoons, plates.
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Non-perishable foods, such as dried fruit, peanut butter, crackers, nuts, etc.
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Beverages — bottled water, juice boxes, etc.
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Corkscrew and can opener or multi-tooled Swiss Army knife.
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Salt and pepper
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Small packets of condiments such as mustard, ketchup and mayonnaise.
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Napkin, paper towels.
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Matches, candles.
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Garbage bags for cleanup.
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A small self-sealing plastic bag containing sunscreen, lip balm, insect repellent, Band-Aids, wet naps.
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A tablecloth or a blanket.
