Even though the holiday season abroad has taken a big hit due to you know what, that doesn’t mean you can’t create some magical summertime memories closer to home.

We’re lucky in Sutton and Cheam in that we have access to some beautiful parks and outdoor spaces.

These are perfect for picnics.

Who doesn’t enjoy an outdoor feast with friends and family (following the safety guidelines of course).

We’ve looked up ways to create a picnic to remember and thanks to these tips from the BBC’s Good Food website, we have seven super ideas to share with you for snacking success.

• Be prepared. Take time to plan what equipment you need to bring. Cool boxes, ice packs, cutlery, napkins, waste bags and particularly important now – hand sanitisers and wipes.
• Plastic fantastic. Plastic gets a bad rap, but it can be a godsend when picnicking with younger children. Reusable plastic beakers are much more practical than glasses.
• Think about food safety. You don’t want your day spoiled by a night with a poorly tummy. So, ensure any meat, dairy or fish dishes aren’t laid out for too long before you start tucking in, especially when it’s sweltering. Oh, and remember to use those hand wipes we mentioned earlier.
• The soggy sarnie secrets. No one likes soggy sandwiches. The good news is there’s an easy trick to make that problem a thing of the past. Store any dressings and fillings in separate well-sealed containers (ideally chilled) and your sandwiches will be sensational.
• Go big or go home. If you are picnicking with several others, it’s worth preparing a main dish which can be easily divided and shared when you are outside. Pies and tarts are particularly good main courses due to their ease of shareability.
• Salads and small snacks. A good picnic is also a feast for the eyes when done well. The different colours of vegetables making up a healthy salad not only look good but do you good. And of course, no picnic is complete without smaller bite-sized snacks like sausage rolls, veggie pasties and mini pork pies or salad wraps.
• Treat yourselves. At the end of every great picnic, there should be a sweet option to complement all that savoury fare. Delicious cookies, brownies and shortbread are easy to share and even easier to eat.

So, armed with that information, where will you be having a picnic before autumn arrives?

We’d love to know where you think the best picnic spot in SM2 is.

Thank you for reading and enjoy summer while it lasts.