Top 10 - Cooler/Backpack Picnic Essentials

Since it is the last couple of days of the month (payday is Tuesday!) and we are e-con-o-miz-ing to make it on the fumes in our checking account (kind of like Dale Earnhardt, Jr in that race at Michigan), we opted for a wonderful picnic lunch yesterday on our go-karting research adventure. We discovered High Falls State Park off I-75, near Barnesville, which is a lovely place for a picnic and miniature golf (not so much for cooling off and swimming, though, as the river is all off limits).

This brought to mind Cooler/Backpack Picnic Essentials, which might be kind of random and obsessive, but still helpful, especially with everyone setting out on various vacations and road trips in the coming weeks. These are my essentials, and I try to K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple Stupid -- or Silly -- or whatever). If you've got anything to add, please do!:-)

Top 10 Cooler/Backpack Picnic Essentials:

1. Sharpie Pen - to label sandwich bags, for all the finicky eaters who have to have their sandwiches just so, and more importantly, to label water bottles -- I am over swapping bottles and sharing spit/backwash with my children. Also makes garbage/recycling accountable, which is a nice side benefit.
   (Remember to re-use & re-fill as much as possible.)
2. Bag Clips - one, big bag (chips, cookies, etc.) is less expensive than the single-serving bags, just keep bag clips in the picnic basket to keep things closed & fresh.
3. Sandwich Bags - for all the little leftovers they want to keep, and also to make those single-serving snack bags (see above). Also great treasure keepers (rocks, shells, bugs, etc.).
4. Napkins/Utensils - of course! I keep some of those take-out utensil packets from restaurants in the picnic basket, sometimes they even have salt & pepper.
5. Travel Wipies - the travel-size hardcover Huggies® container is the most convenient thing in the world for clean-up and emergencies. We don't have anyone in diapers anymore, but we still have Huggies travel-size cases all over the house, in the car and in the picnic basket/cooler.
6. Paper Towels - maybe redundant, but you can never have too many absorbent items when kids are around. Also make great place mats or paper 'plates' for those less-than-clean picnic tables and in the car.
7. Garbage Bag - this is the one I always forget, which is why it's on the list, even though it should be a "no, duh" item. Use grocery shopping bags.
8. Beach towels or a blanket - comfy butts at the picnic table, or in case there are no tables to be found...
9. Sunscreen/Bug Spray - everywhere I go, with back-ups kept in the car.
10. Food & Drink, of course!
11. BONUS - Plastic Cups - I know I said Top 10 Essentials, but I have to fit in the Great Miracle Toy/sand digger/tadpole catcher/snack holder...gotta have the cups!