Perfect Picnic Menu
The Easter holidays are fast approaching, and picnics will be the attention of all. What makes the perfect picnic menu? Prepare and pack up these delicious appetizers, side salads, sandwiches, drinks, and desserts for any outdoor occasion.
Picnic Appetisers
The best appetiser recipes to bring to a picnic are those that you can easily make ahead, like dips, spreads, and finger foods.
1. Fresh Avocado Dip – You can dip tortilla chips for a Mexican flair, or try dipping fresh-cut veggies for that fresh-from-the-garden taste. Our Fresh Avocado Dip is perfect for anytime-snacking.
What you’ll need:
* 3 ripe avocados, peeled and pitted (see Note)
* 1 garlic clove, chopped
* 1/2 cup salsa
* 2 teaspoons lemon juice
* 1/4 cup chopped fresh or 4 teaspoons dried cilantro
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
* 1 medium-sized ripe tomato, chopped
What to Do:
Place all ingredients except the tomato in a medium bowl; mash with a potato masher or fork until chunky. Stir gently until well combined.
Transfer to a 9-inch pie plate or shallow serving bowl and top with the chopped tomato

Cheesy Beer Dip – This one’s for adults only, so mix up a batch, put your feet up, and relax. We all deserve a little quiet time and there’s no better way to enjoy it than with this spicy Cheesy Beer Dip.

What you’ll need:
* 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Mexican cheese blend
* 1/2 cup thick and chunky salsa
* 1/4 cup beer
What to Do:
1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine all ingredients; cook 3 to 5 minutes or until smooth and the cheese is melted, stirring frequently. Serve immediately.

Picnic Sandwiches
No picnic menu is complete without sandwiches! Picnic sandwiches are a cinch to make at home and travel easily, making them the perfect pack-along meal. Whether you prefer fancy wraps or classic sandwiches, you’ll love tasty picnic sandwich recipes!

Croissant Club Sandwiches
There is something fun about taking an old standby recipe and and spicing it it up a bit. Here we took our favourite club sandwich and team it with a French croissant. Voila!
What you’ll need:
* 1 cup mayonnaise
* 2 tablespoons real bacon bits
* 8 large croissants, split
* 8 romaine lettuce leaves
* 1 pound thinly sliced deli turkey
* 1 large tomato, cut into 8 slices (see Notes)

What to Do:
1. In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise and bacon bits; mix well and spread equally over the croissant halves.

2. Layer the lettuce, turkey, and tomato equally over the bottom croissant halves; replace the tops of the croissants and serve.

Layered Sandwiches
No more hearing, “I want this!” or, “No, I want that!” Serve everybody a slice of this combo sandwich and they’ll have a chance to sample everything!

What you’ll need:
* 1 (1 pound) loaf bakery white bread, unsliced
* 1 (6-ounce) can tuna fish, drained
* 3/4 cup mayonnaise, divided
* 1/2 teaspoon dried dillweed
* 4 ounces (1/2 of an 8-ounce package) cream cheese
* 1/4 cup chopped green olives with pimientos
* 4 chopped hard boiled eggs
* 3 tablespoons sliced black olives, drained (about 1/2 of a 2.25-ounce can)
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/8 teaspoon black pepper

What to Do:
1. Turn bread on its side lengthwise. Slice a 3/4-inch slice from bottom. Repeat 2 times more so that bread is in 4 equal long pieces; set aside.

2. In a small bowl, combine tuna, 1/2 cup mayonnaise, and dillweed. In another small bowl, combine cream cheese and green olives. In another small bowl, mix together eggs, remaining mayonnaise, black olives, salt, and pepper.

3. Spread each of 3 fillings evenly on a layer of bread, then stack layers on top of one another.

4. Cover layers with top of loaf. Slice loaf into 3/4-inch thick slices as you would a loaf of bread, and serve.

Picnic Drinks
You can’t plan a picnic menu without packing beverages! Cool picnic drinks are just the thing to enjoy when you’re dining outside. From homemade lemonade to a refreshing summer punch, these picnic drinks really hit the spot.

Fresh Lemonade
There’s something about our fresh lemonade that is just so refreshing, you’ll want to have a pitcher of it on hand at all times!
What You Need:
* 1 1/2 cups sugar
* 1/2 cup boiling water
* 1 1/2 cups fresh lemon juice
* Grated peel of 1 lemon
* 5 cups cold water
* 2 cups ice
What to Do:
1. In a large pitcher, dissolve the sugar in the boiling water, stirring until dissolved. Add the lemon juice and lemon peel; mix well.

2. Add the cold water and ice, stirring until well blended.
Flavour Options:
* Pineapple-Mint Lemonade: Stir 3 cups pineapple juice and 1/4 cup mint leaves into the lemonade before adding the ice cubes, and serve.

* Watermelon Lemonade: Puree 2 cups seedless watermelon chunks; stir into the lemonade before adding the ice cubes, and serve.

* Berry Berry Lemonade: Thaw and puree a 10-ounce package of frozen mixed berries with 1/4 cup honey; stir into the lemonade before adding the ice cubes and serve.

Tropical Summer Punch

What You Need:
* 1 (20-ounce) pineapple chunks
* 1 (12-ounce) can orange juice
* 1 (6-ounce) can limeade
* 1 quart ginger ale, chilled
* 1 quart cranberry juice, chilled
* 2 cups (16 ounces) apple juice, chilled
* 1 (10-ounce) package frozen strawberries
* 1 lemon, thinly sliced

What to Do:
1. Combine pineapple chunks and the orange juice and limeade in a punch bowl. Add 2 orange juice cans of water. Pour in ginger ale, cranberry juice, and apple juice.

2. Float frozen strawberries and lemon slices on top, and serve immediately.

Makes 4-1/2 quarts punch.

Easter Craft Activities for Children
Easter Bunny Sock Puppet

Making an Easter Bunny Sock Puppet with simple craft materials

You Need:
* Sock
* Felt or foam for Nose
* Buttons, wiggly eyes or felt for Eyes
* Needle and Thread
* Scissors
* Glue

What to Do:
1. Lay sock on table with heel facing up. Make a cut from the toe of the sock, all the way to the beginning of the heel. Make sure you cut right through the center of the foot section, so that you will have two equal ears.
2. Turn the sock inside out and then, using a whip stitch, stitch each ear together.
3. Turn sock right side out and then cut nose and glue on with white or tacky glue. You can also use sticky-back foam and just press into place.
4. If using felt or wiggly eyes, glue into place and let dry. If using buttons, stitch into place. We used a small black button on top of a white button for each eye.

Homemade Easter Bunny Basket
Making a cute bunny basket is perfect for Easter candy and goodies.

You Need:
* Recycled container for basket – this is a frosting tub
* White cardstock paper
* Cotton ball
* Scissors, markers
* Glue – glue dots work great

What to Do:
1. Measure your white paper around your container. With your scissors, cut the paper to fit the length around the whole container. Leave a few inches of the paper extra-long for the bunny’s ears to point out long.
2. Using glue, attach the paper around the container.
3. Colour a bunny face with your markers or crayons.
4. Attach a cotton ball with glue to the back of the container as bunny tail.
5. Fill with fun Easter goodies!

Easter Egg Shell Art
Making an Easter egg shell art project for craft time with your kids

You Need:
* Coloured egg shells
* Pencil
* Glue
* Heavy cardstock paper
* Tray

What to do:
1. Colour dye some hard-boiled eggs. You’ll get six or seven good pictures with fifteen eggs. You could even leave the egg shells white if you wanted to, for a bunny or a lamb.
2. Let the eggs dry, then crack them open and save all the shell pieces. You’ll need to let all the shell pieces dry again for a little while as they are wet from the inside egg. (While the eggs dry, make one of these egg dishes for lunch!) Then place the egg shells in a plastic baggie and crush them to small bits.
3. Get some paper and place it on a tray or newspaper. With your pencil, draw an image of Easter eggs, a bunny an Easter basket, or anything else you can think of.
4. Sprinkle your egg shells over the glue. Shake off the extra, putting the extra back into the bag.
5. Let the images dry for a bit, then you can display them in a frame or give as an Easter card.