There is something wonderfully simple about eating outdoors in the summer. A few sandwiches in the park, a colourful salad in the garden, a beach day with the family, or a relaxed BBQ with friends can feel like a proper occasion with the right picnicware packed and ready to go.
At Lawsons, we know that outdoor dining should be easy, practical and enjoyable. The best picnicware is lightweight enough to carry, sturdy enough for family use, and good-looking enough to make even a quick lunch outside feel special.
From reusable plates and bowls to cool bags, picnic blankets, enamel mugs and colourful serving pieces, a few well-chosen essentials can make all the difference.
Here is our guide to the picnicware you will love this summer, whether you are planning a countryside picnic, a garden lunch, a camping trip, a BBQ or a day at the beach.
Good picnic plates and bowls are the foundation of any outdoor meal. They need to be easy to pack, comfortable to use and far more practical than your everyday ceramic dinnerware when you are sitting on a blanket or carrying food through the garden.
Melamine picnicware is a popular choice for summer because it is:
For a beautifully coordinated summer look, the Guzzini Blues range is a lovely option. The collection features vivid blue tones and flowing patterns, perfect for bringing a fresh Mediterranean feel to your outdoor table.
TheGuzzini Blues Dessert Plate is ideal for cake, fruit, sandwiches and smaller picnic bites, while the Guzzini Blues Salad Bowl gives you plenty of space for pasta salads, leafy greens, sharing crisps or chopped fruit. Both are made from durable heavyweight melamine, are lightweight for outdoor use and are dishwasher safe.
A good picnic is rarely just one thing. It is usually a mix of sandwiches, salads, crisps, dips, fruit, cakes and treats, all needing somewhere to go. That is where serving bowls and salad servers come in.
Instead of balancing everything in tubs or wrappers, a proper serving bowl helps your food look more inviting and makes sharing much easier.
Serving bowls and salad servers are especially useful for:
The Guzzini Blues Salad Server Set is a lovely choice if you want to create a coordinated summer look, especially when paired with matching pieces from the Guzzini Blues range, such as the salad bowl and dessert plates. With its bright blue tones and lightweight melamine design, it is ideal for colourful picnics, garden lunches and relaxed outdoor entertaining.
For a more natural, rustic feel, the Dexham Sintra Mango Wood Salad Servers offer another beautiful option. Their warm mango wood finish pairs perfectly with the matching Dexham Sintra Spotted Mango Wood Salad Bowls,making them a great choice for serving salads, pasta dishes and BBQ sides in the garden or at the picnic table.
For a simple picnic setup, try packing one large serving bowl, one pair of servers, a few reusable plates and some tumblers. It keeps things organised without overloading the picnic bag.
If you prefer a timeless picnic look, enamelware is hard to beat. It has that classic camping and countryside feel, but it is just as useful for garden dining, BBQs and casual lunches at home.
The Falcon Enamel range is a great choice for anyone who wants picnicware that feels traditional, practical and long-lasting. The Falcon Enamel Dinner Plate 20cm is made from steel and double coated with porcelain enamel. It is highly durable, resistant to stains and scratches, and suitable for both indoor and outdoor dining.
It is a particularly good choice if you want picnicware that can be used for more than just summer days out. Falcon enamelware can work well for:
For drinks, the Falcon Enamel Mug White brings a little nostalgic charm to camping trips and days out. With its white finish and blue rim, it is a familiar outdoor classic, ideal for tea, coffee, hot chocolate or even soup around the camp table.
Enamelware is also useful if you like picnic pieces that can work at home as well as outdoors. Use it in the garden during summer, then bring it back into the kitchen for everyday meals, baking prep or casual suppers.
A cool bag is one of the most important picnic essentials, especially when the weather warms up. It helps keep drinks chilled, protects food from the heat and makes it easier to enjoy fresh salads, sandwiches, dips, yoghurts and snacks when you are away from the fridge.
A cool bag is especially useful for keeping chilled foods fresh, including:
For bigger family days out or BBQs, the Redwood 48 Can Cool Bag is a useful option. It has a generous 24L capacity, an insulated design to keep food and drinks cool, a shoulder strap, carry handles, a zipped front pocket and an easy-wipe interior. It is also lightweight, portable and collapsible for easy storage when not in use.
For something bright and summery, the Zento Sunburst Coolbag has a 30L capacity and space for up to 36 cans. It is designed to keep contents cool for up to 10 hours, making it a practical choice for warm days, beach trips, picnics and family outings.
A handy tip is to place ice packs throughout your cool bag rather than keeping them all at the bottom. Try to keep the bag closed as much as possible too, so everything stays cooler for longer.
A picnic blanket turns any patch of grass, sand or garden lawn into a comfortable place to sit, eat and relax. It is one of those simple items that makes a picnic feel properly planned, especially when you have children, drinks, plates and bags to organise.
The Fusion Carlson Stripe Picnic Blanket is a colourful choice for summer days out. It measures 135 x 150cm, has a soft-touch polyester top and a waterproof backing, helping to protect you from damp grass or sandy ground.
It also rolls up neatly with a carry handle, making it easy to take with you for:
A good picnic blanket is not just for picnics either. Keep one in the car during summer and you will always be ready for an impromptu lunch outdoors.
Picnicware is not just for picnics. It is also perfect for BBQs, where sturdy plates, serving bowls, tumblers and utensils make outdoor hosting much easier.
For a BBQ setup, you may want:
Melamine plates and bowls are particularly useful for BBQs because they are light, colourful and easy to carry from kitchen to garden. Enamel plates and mugs work well too, especially if you like a more rustic outdoor look.
It is also sensible to keep separate plates and utensils for raw and cooked foods when barbecuing. This helps make outdoor cooking safer and keeps everything more organised when people are helping themselves.
One of the easiest ways to make summer picnics feel more considered is to choose reusable picnicware where possible. Reusable plates, bowls, cups and cutlery can help cut down on throwaway items, and they often make the whole meal feel nicer too.
This does not mean your picnic needs to be complicated. A few reusable basics can go a long way:
Reusable picnicware also tends to be more pleasant to use. A colourful plate, a proper bowl and a comfortable tumbler can make even a simple sandwich lunch feel more relaxed and enjoyable. Take a look at our Outdoor Living collection to find everything you will need.
Once you have your picnicware, cool bag and blanket sorted, it is worth thinking about the smaller extras that can make your day run more smoothly. These are the things that are easy to forget, but very useful once you are out and about.
Before you leave, consider packing:
For family days out, it is also worth packing a few spare snacks and drinks. Picnics always seem to make everyone hungrier, especially after a walk, a swim or a few games in the sunshine.
Summer is the perfect time to take meals outside, whether you are planning a full family picnic, a sunny garden lunch, a BBQ with friends or a relaxed day at the beach. With the right picnicware, outdoor eating becomes easier, tidier and far more enjoyable.
From colourful Guzzini picnicware and classic Falcon enamelware to practical cool bags, picnic blankets and reusable outdoor dining essentials, Lawsons has plenty of options to help you pack beautifully and eat comfortably wherever summer takes you.
Explore our full Picnicware collection online and get ready for a season of alfresco lunches, park picnics, garden gatherings and sunny days out.
