Summer temperatures in Ontario have settled into the balmy twenty-degree sweet spot as the season prepares for its final act — but don’t be so fast to get into an autumnal state of mind.
This is the ideal weather for park visits and impromptu beach picnics with friends, so spread out a blanket and enjoy the sunshine while it lasts! Summer adventures still await at every corner. Luckily, there’s usually a Farm Boy right at the turn, and all locations get new shipments of fresh, premium-quality staples on the daily.
Picnics aren’t just about what looks good on a checkered blanket (although that’s definitely a factor). The key components of a scrumptious spread are diversity and freshness. You’ll want a basket filled with goodies that appeal to the palate of all your pals, whether they’re vegan, vegetarian or meat-loving. Everyone at the picnic table deserves equal levels of yum.
Here are a few delightfully convenient and deliciously fresh products you’ll want to add to your basket at Farm Boy.
Salty snacks & munchables
Salty snacks are the foundation to any picnic. Cover your bases with elevated staples like kettle-cooked crinkle-cut chips, natural tortilla chips, and pre-popped popcorn.
Or, if you’re feeling creative, you can double down on the value you’re getting by repurposing half a bag of sea salt Fattoush chips into a crouton replacement. These authentic pita bits will add a certain je-ne-sais-crunch to any salad. (Farm Boy has a bunch of chef-prepared salads ready to go.)
Chef-prepared soups & spicy spreads
What’s a chip without its dip? Farm Boy’s got your go-to chip companions like fresh mild salsa and organic hummus, but you’ll also find some unexpected treasures if you wander the store aisles. Chat with a Farm Boy employee for some hidden-gem suggestions or let your gut guide you.
Anyone who likes it hot would be well advised to try the Eda-Yummy Spicy Kale Edamame Dip. Not only has this aptly named edamame-jalapeño blend got all the qualities of a hero dip (creamy, spicy and green), but it can also act as a spread on your sandwich.
Give your mouth a cool down with blow-your-mind garlic Toum to follow. Go on, get lost in the sauce.
Liquid sunshine
Chips and dip alone do not make a picnic.
Drinks are an often underrated player in the picnic game, but you’d be remiss to overlook the exciting oasis of options that lies beyond the default water bottle. Gut-friendly organic Canadian berry kombucha, sparkling flavoured waters, and refreshing lemonade are ideal between-chip sips.
Or, for that ice-cold-beer, Jays-game vibes, lay a blanket by your local baseball diamond and crack open a park-friendly IPA from Farm Boy — it’s got all the hops without the alcohol. (They also have a non-alcoholic Pale Ale, if that’s more your speed.)
Grillables for days
Everybody has a friend with a portable grill. You may not know you have that friend, but you do — just ask around. If you yourself are that friend: congratulations! You must be very popular this time of year. Grills are the ultimate upgrade to any picnic.
The sizzle of burgers on the BBQ is, some might argue, the official sound of summer. Add marinated shrimp kebabs and an array of artisan sausages to the mix and you’ve got yourself a multi-sensory picnic party.
Invite all of your besties, grab a variety of sauce options from Farm Boy, find a nice, shady spot, and make sure someone is in charge of bringing the potato buns to hold everything together.
Tasty dressings to spruce up your salad bar
A pop-up salad bar in the park is less elaborate than one would think. Actually, it’s a total breeze. Treat Farm Boy like your own personal vegetable garden: pick out fresh, local fruit and veg of your choice, and then hit whatever aisle has all the salad dressings. You’ll find a cornucopia of flavour that’ll instantly turn any given pile of greens into a masterpiece.
Beach picnics call for a Mediterranean-style bowl, whereas a sunset date by the river might lend itself more to a red wine vinaigrette. Read the vibes of your picnic venue, or choose chaos and pluck a few bottles off the shelf at random.
Farm Boy desserts for every sweet tooth
It’s the cardinal rule: every meal should end with something sweet (bonus points if your dessert incorporates seasonal flavours and ingredients).
Zest things up a little with tart Lemon Curd Cruffies, baked fresh in-store at Farm Boy. Or keep it old school with a shareable pack of plant-based chocolate-chip cookies for the whole gang.
Lakeside luncheons call for one of Farm Boy’s loaf cakes, ranging in flavours from classic carrot to vegan lemon blueberry. Plus, you can now indulge in their seasonal pumpkin spice — because, no, it’s never too early for the heavenly taste of fall. These can easily be divvied up, just remember to always pack reusable cutlery. (That’s the other cardinal rule.)
Ice, ice, baby
Sunny afternoons and ice cream: it’s a love affair as old as time. But who says you need to sit around waiting for the ice cream man to come around? You create your own destiny.
If you’ve got a cooler, bring it with you to Farm Boy. If you don’t, you’ll want to get one if only to raid the freezer aisle. Grab a few boxes of premade ice cream sandwiches — chocolate chip or fudge, dealer’s choice — or craft your own using a pint of fresh gelato (made with 100% Canadian milk) and some rainbow cookies from the Farm Boy Bake Shop.
Vegan options include the small-batch, dairy-free sorbet (the mango and watermelon flavours scream summer) and Farm Boy’s Oat-Rageous line.
The dog days of summer may be in your rearview mirror, but the top’s still down and the radio’s still blasting summer anthems (to keep with the car metaphor). Why not pull over and make a meal of it?
Stop by Farm Boy and grab everything you’ll need for your planned or impromptu potluck and haul baskets to a lake or lawn near you.
To find out more about picnic essentials available at Farm Boy, visit their websiteand follow them on Instagram, TikTokand Facebook.