Summer Picnics With A Mountain Views

I have been itching to do a summer picnic, and it doesn’t get better than a summer picnic in the mountains. After several hours on the road with nothing but semi-healthy processed junk food in our bellies, we needed some wholesome food to re-energize us for our mountain adventure. As soon as we arrived in Crested Butte we ran to the locally owned organic grocery store Mountain Earth Whole Foods. A little shop with local produce, bulk foods, and organic and natural food brands that you typically find at Whole Foods or Natural Grocers.

Packing Healthy Eats In My Basket

If you don’t know me very well, I am a health freak. Actually, I think the people who do know me don’t fully understand how much of a health freak I am. I like my food to be wholesome and nutritious. I always opt to buy organic when I can. But my health obsession goes beyond that. My produce has to be as fresh as possible. Like just picked off the tree fresh. That way I am reviving my body with as many nutrients as possible. I am fully on board with the farm-to-table movement. When I eat out and when I am at home. I shop at specific grocery stores based on how fresh the produce tastes to me. And I eat my fruits and vegetables seasonally. This time of year I am buying the majority of my food at the farmers market. Plus I avoid most processed foods by doing a lot of my grocery shopping in the bulk food section.

Farmers Markets Have The Best Locally Made Picnic Eats

See I am a freak, but in this post, I am sharing what I packed for my healthy picnic for a summer fresh lunch filled with locally grown produce so you can get inspired to eat fresh on your summer picnic. In the summertime, I am a salad girl. It is my go-to for an easy dinner that is packed with all the healthy foods my body needs for well-rounded nutrition. I typically throw together a Greek-style salad, that is my favorite. But depending on what looks good at the farmer’s market I will end up throwing anything in my salad. A salad is an easy thing to throw together for a picnic too.

Here is what I packed in my basket:

For the salad, I picked up locally grown greens, cucumber, cocktail tomatoes, and fresh oregano. I topped the salad with organic avocado from the store and a squeeze of organic lemon as the dressing. A refreshing light lunch that will surely get you through the afternoon. I also topped it with some locally made chipotle goat cheese that I found at Mountain Earth which made it extra delicious. Plus we snacked on locally grown cherries, the tastiest and juiciest cherries I have ever had and some local apricots and organic blueberries. Simple, healthy, and wholesome.

What You Need For A Succesful Picnic

The utensils you will need to pack for a successful summer picnic are, first and foremost, a picnic basket. You can find new ones equipped with all of the utensils you will need, there are some great options below. I picked my unique picnic basket from a vintage shop on Etsy. They have so many cute vintage baskets on there, I wanted to buy them all. Then you will need a picnic blanket, I was lucky to have this perfect mountain blanket from my parents. I always use it to keep warm on camping trips but it also makes the perfect picnic blanket. Here is an identical one here. 

Once You Have Everything, Find The Perfect View

Next, I went shopping for a cheeseboard, the perfect surface for cutting up produce and displaying the spread of food. Then I packed a couple of colorful bowls and floral plates. I found the napkins and cheese knives at a couple of local shops. The cheese knives were the perfect knives to pack for cutting everything up. I carried all my fruit in little ceramic fruit cartons and a couple of floral glass containers, they were a perfect size and came with a lid. These helped me carry all the loose produce items after I transferred them from my reusable produce bags.

The next thing you need is a scenic view to enjoy. I got lucky with this one. We stumbled upon this perfect setting driving through the neighborhood. This picture-perfect place is called Rainbow Park in Crested Butte. It was the perfect way to spend a summer afternoon in a new town. I wish I could go back and spend every afternoon in this spot…????????