15 Things Families Kept in the Picnic Basket in the '70s

The 1970s family picnic mixed homemade comfort, practical packing, and the growing convenience of products. Baskets carried foods that traveled well, from sandwiches and fried chicken to potato salad, pickles, fruit, and brownies. Cold drinks in thermoses or soda cans kept the family picnic refreshed, while chips added a snack between games for family picnic. Paper plates, napkins, and plastic utensils made serving and cleanup easier when family picnics spent afternoons in parks, at beaches, or beside the road. Together, these familiar objects reflected an era when family picnics remained social occasions built around portable food, fresh air, and time spent together away from home.

1. Sandwiches Wrapped in Wax Paper

In the 1970s, a picnic rarely felt complete without a stack of sandwiches wrapped in wax paper or tucked into plastic bags. Families made them before leaving home, often using sandwich bread with ham, bologna, cheese, tuna salad, or peanut butter and jelly. The sandwiches traveled well, required no utensils, and kept children satisfied between games and swimming. Some mothers cut them into triangles while others packed whole sandwiches into reusable plastic containers. At parks, beaches, and roadside picnic tables, opening that simple bundle signaled that lunch had officially begun. Few picnic foods were easier, cheaper, or more familiar.

2. An Insulated Thermos

A sturdy thermos often sat upright beside the food, ready to pour something warm when the family settled down. Popular vacuum bottles from brands such as Thermos and Aladdin were household gear during the decade. Parents filled them with tea, lemonade, coffee, or another favorite drink before leaving home. The insulated bottle helped beverages retain their temperature during car rides and sunny afternoons without quickly losing it. Its screw-on lid often doubled as a drinking cup, which made serving outdoors easier. When someone twisted off the stopper and poured the cup, the familiar thermos became part of the picnic ritual.

3. Hard-Boiled Eggs

Hard‑boiled eggs were a food for a picnic because they could be made the night before, left in the fridge, and carried with very little trouble. Many families put hard‑boiled eggs in a container while the shells were still on. They would peel them at the picnic table when lunch started. A small shaker of salt would sometimes sit beside hard‑boiled eggs for taste. Hard‑boiled eggs gave a filling feel to a meal without the need to cook at the park. They matched well with sandwiches, potato salad, or fresh vegetables. Little ones could hold a hard‑boiled egg in a napkin. Eat it between trips to the playground. Simple, cheap, and easy to carry, hard‑boiled eggs earned a spot in picnic baskets.

4. Homemade Potato Salad

A plastic container of potato salad often arrived after the sandwiches. Families made their versions with boiled potatoes, mayonnaise, chopped celery, onion, mustard, and hard-boiled eggs. Recipes varied from house to house, giving the dish a homemade feel. Mothers usually put it in the fridge before the trip. Packed it carefully in a cooler or insulated basket when they could. At the picnic table, a big serving spoon moved from one person to another as paper plates got filled. Potato salad was always there next to fried chicken, cold cuts, and other favorite foods for events. Its creamy, comforting taste made it a reliable part of summer get-togethers.

5. Fried Chicken

Fried chicken moved easily from the family kitchen to picnic tables. Home cooks would. Fry the chicken pieces until golden and crisp, then let them cool before packing them into containers lined with paper towels. Unlike hot meals, fried chicken stayed delicious even when it reached room temperature. This made it perfect for parks and day trips. Drumsticks were especially helpful because kids could eat them by hand. Families also began picking up buckets from Kentucky Fried Chicken. As the restaurant chain grew, takeout became more common throughout the decade. Once the lid was lifted, the crispy chicken in the basket vanished fast.

6. Potato Chips

Potato chips in a bag or container gave a crunch to the picnic meal. Families bought brands such as Lay’s, Wise, or Ruffles and packed potato chips without any preparation beyond keeping the bag from getting crushed. Potato chips naturally went with sandwiches and cold drinks, while children could grab handfuls before running to play. Plain salted potato chips remained dependable, although flavored potato chips gave shoppers options. Sometimes potato chips were poured into a bowl at the picnic table, and sometimes everyone reached straight into the bag of potato chips. Potato chips’ flavor, low effort, and shareable nature made them a practical basket favorite throughout the decade.

7. Fresh Fruits

Fresh fruits gave the picnic basket something that did not need baking or hard work. Families packed apples, oranges, grapes, peaches, or other seasonal choices that could survive a trip outdoors. Grapes were especially easy to share because children could pull them from the bunch one at a time. Apples needed protection and left almost no cleanup, beyond the core. Watermelon also appeared at outings, although watermelon size usually kept watermelon outside the basket until serving time. After chips, sandwiches, and fried foods, fruits offered a refreshing change. Its bright colors also made an ordinary picnic spread look more inviting.

8. Cans of Soda

Cans of soda stayed next to the food until everyone found a spot to sit. Coca-Cola, Pepsi, 7UP, and other common soft drinks gave families choices that needed only to be chilled beforehand. Pull‑tab cans were common in the 1970s, so opening a drink made a metallic snap that many picnic-goers heard right away. Adults sometimes packed bottles instead when returning empties for deposits was still part of local shopping habits. Soda went well with sandwiches, chips, and fried chicken. We liked how the soda felt cool on our hands when we opened it. On an afternoon, the hiss of a newly opened can promised a cold, fizzy break from running around.

9. Paper Napkins

Paper napkins were not exciting. Families quickly appreciated them once lunch became messy. A small stack usually slipped into the basket beside plates, cups, and utensils, taking up no room. They wiped mustard from their fingers, caught crumbs, cleaned up spilled soda, and wrapped cans when condensation started dripping. Fried chicken made them particularly useful because greasy hands rarely stayed clean for long. Printed napkins sometimes added color to birthdays, reunions, or holiday picnics while plain white ones handled outings just as well. Before anyone packed up to go home, the remaining napkins often helped wipe the table and gather bits of food.

10. Paper Plates

Disposable paper plates make it simple to serve a picnic lunch. Families stack paper plates flat inside the basket, then hand one disposable paper plate to each person when the food appears. One disposable paper plate can hold fried chicken, potato salad, fruit, chips, and a sandwich. There is no need to bring heavy kitchen dishes outdoors. Brands such as Dixie already-made disposable paper products are familiar in homes, and convenience matters when a family plans to spend the afternoon away. After eating, used disposable paper plates can be gathered with the trash instead of being carried home for washing. These simple supplies turn a patch of grass into a dining room.

11. Plastic Utensils

Plastic utensils usually traveled in a bundle near the paper plates. Forks handled potato salad and other side dishes, while spoons helped with desserts, fruit cups, or anything messy for fingers. Knives spread condiments. Cut food when needed, although many picnic meals were deliberately chosen to avoid much cutting. Disposable utensils saved families from having to carry metal flatware from home and from worrying about losing pieces in the grass. They also made cleanup faster after children had wandered away from the table. By the 1970s, lightweight disposable tableware fit the growing appetite for convenience. A few simple utensils kept meals surprisingly organized.

12. Yellow Mustard

A bottle or jar of mustard was often in the basket when sandwiches, hot dogs, or cold meats were on the menu. French’s yellow mustard was already a known item in American homes, and its bright color caught the eye right away on a picnic table. Families. Brought the original container or poured a smaller amount into a portable jar. Mustard gave a taste without needing any work at the picnic area. It also went well with foods that were simple to bring and serve outside. Someone always passed it around the table after the meal had started. That small container of sauce made plain bread, meat, and cheese taste much more interesting.

13. Dill Pickles

Pickles added a tangy bite that balanced richer picnic foods. Families packed dill pickles, spears or slices, in tightly sealed jars or smaller containers so the brine would not leak over everything else. Brands such as Vlasic were widely recognized, although homemade pickles also came from family kitchens and garden harvests. Pickles required no cooking at the picnic site. Paired naturally with sandwiches, fried chicken, and cold meats. Children sometimes grabbed pickles and ate them like snacks while adults tucked slices beside the main meal. The pickles’ unmistakable crunch and sour flavor gave the basket plenty of personality.

14. Brownies

Brownies traveled well, so brownies became a homemade dessert for family picnics. If a pan of baked brownies was made the evening before, brownies could be cut into squares, stacked in a tin or plastic container, and carried without the handling required by frosted cake. Recipes made from scratch remained common while boxed mixes from brands such as Betty Crocker and Duncan Hines offered households an easier route. Children usually noticed the dessert container before lunch ended. People remember how the smell of brownies filled the air. Brownies could be eaten by hand, produced fewer crumbs compared with many cakes, and tasted fine without refrigeration for a short outing. Brownies’ chocolate richness gave the picnic a finish.

15. A Checkered Tablecloth

A checkered tablecloth sat folded beneath the food until the family found the right picnic table or patch of grass. Red-and-white checks became a visual shorthand for casual outdoor meals, although families used many patterns and colors in real life. The cloth-covered wooden tables created a cleaner eating surface and gave plates and containers a defined place. On the ground, it became a dining area where everyone could gather. Parents sometimes weighted the corners with baskets or food containers when the wind picked up. Once spread out, the tablecloth transformed a park stop into something that felt planned and welcoming.