This Summer, Picnicking Trends Are All About Glamour and Sustainability

A quick search for “picnic aesthetic” on Pinterest brings up photo after photo of a perfectly curated picnic setup: homemade heart-shaped cakes, bowls of colorful fruits, and bottles of San Pellegrino or pitchers of lemonade spread across airy, white linen blankets, usually accompanied by a bouquet of wildflowers. What you won’t find in these curated picnic pics are styrofoam cups, paper plates, and plastic utensils—and while a big part of that comes from the desire to create a pretty photo op, sustainability also plays a role. 

While seeing these posts might make the endeavor seem intimidating, there are actually only a few main points to remember when planning a luxurious picnic date. The number one trend that Shujan Bertrand, the founder of sustainable culinary design brand Aplat, has seen in the al fresco eating space is a focus on using eco-friendly, reusable materials. 

“Those upscale picnics are important, because you’re not going to do a glamorous picnic with paper boxes and Styrofoam boxes—you’re going to use reusable, because that’s what looks good,” she says. “So to me, luxury is being sustainable because you’re being mindful about that style—you would never style a picnic setting beautifully with all those single-use boxes and lids popping up everywhere.”

The hashtags #picnic and #picnicaesthetic on TikTok have 4.9 billion and nearly 419 million views, respectively. Especially beloved among Gen Z, throwing lavish picnics took off in response to the pandemic—when restaurants closed and cottagecore and breadmaking were everywhere—and the trend hasn’t faded.

Before younger generations got into it, Bertrand saw picnic weddings set the tone for a glamorous take on the outdoor activity. Now, picnics are done on a more casual, everyday basis, while still having upscale qualities—all it takes is a nice cotton blanket (or sheet) and packing your own plates, glasses, and utensils in totes or picnic baskets. Bertrand’s personal picnicking essentials include the Plat Dish Tote, the Vin Two Bottle Tote, and a charcuterie board complete with cheese and wine (of course).

To take it a step further, color coordinate your items, bring pillows or seat cushions, and light some taper candles. Think of the soft spring aesthetic: blush tones, baby’s breath, lace or sheer materials. Anything that gives off an unhurried, breezy energy will fit right in. However, there's no rule saying you can't go the opposite route and do a moody, whimsigoth- or celestial-themed picnic with darker tones and edgier dinnerware—the main element that takes your picnic from standard to luxe is the reusable items.

“I think the most important [aspect] is reducing the single use,” Bertrand says. “More and more people are investing in reusable [products], and there’s just so many out there. So I think that’s definitely a persistent trend that will continue, and hopefully it’ll just lead to more of a behavior change.”