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12 genius picnic hacks you need to know this summer

From no-spill crisp bags to transporting salads, a hacked picnic is a happier picnic; 12 clever ideas
Headshot of The Good Housekeeping Web teamBy The Good Housekeeping Web team
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1

Spill-free bags

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1. Push the bottom of a large chip bag upward inside itself to turn it instantly into the perfect snack bowl.

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2

Avoid soggy blankets

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2. Prevent a soggy blanket situation by placing a shower curtain under your picnic blanket.

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3

Sandwich saviours

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3. Tie up baguettes with some newspaper to make sure the filling stays in.

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4

Clever caps

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4. Put cupcake cases over your drinks to keep the bugs at bay.

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5

Salad on the go

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5. Layer salads in mason jars instead of Tupperware to keep everything fresh. Putting dressing at bottom = soggy salads SOLVED.

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6

Party time

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6. Amp up your picnic playlist. Putting your phone in a glass will make the perfect portable speaker. Just make sure it's empty first!

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7

Tic Tac tips

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7. Put herbs and seasoning in Tic Tac boxes for easy portability.

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8

Stay chilled

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8. Freeze some bottled water — it'll keep things cool, and be cold and refreshing to drink once it's defrosted.

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9

Crafty cutlery

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9. Get crafty with your disposable forks and knives by fastening them to clothespins to keep food bags shut.

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10

No drips

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10. Cupcake cases will prevent you from becoming a sticky mess with an ice lolly.

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11

Fruity trick

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11. Hold sliced apples together with a rubber band to prevent them yellowing or drying out when you're on the way to the picnic.

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12

Straw solution

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12. Prevent your straw from floating up and out of your canned drink with this clever tab trick.

This article by Gem Royston-Claire originally appeared in Cosmopolitan.co.uk

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