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There’s no better way to celebrate a beautiful spring or summer day than with a picnic. A good picnic basket offers much more than aesthetics: it provides a smart way to secure and transport food, drinks, and cutlery to and from your outdoor destination. That means your next outdoor meal doesn’t have to be limited to peanut butter and jellies—with the right picnic basket, you can snack on cold salads, fruit, chilled drinks, and more.
The latest models of picnic baskets are packed with smart features including insulation, loads of pockets, and even full dining sets. They’re also comfortable to carry when heavy, and look pretty cute to boot. From backpack coolers to hampers, these are our favorite picnic baskets for park days, beach trips, hiking excursions, and more.
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This picnic basket is full of extra features like a cutlery set, a detachable wine cooler, and backpack straps.
Our top pick is a picnic basket, cooler, wine holder, and backpack all in one. At 18 inches tall and 14 inches wide, it’s large enough to fit food for a party of four, making it a great option for families and friend groups. It also includes four sets of utensils, plates, wine glasses, and napkins, so you don’t have to worry about packing (or breaking) your own.Â
Other goodies you’ll find inside include a bamboo cutting board and even a picnic blanket. All of these additions are stored in a separate compartment of the bag as well, which keeps them protected from accidental spills. The food compartment is also leakproof and easy to wipe down if messes do happen. Backpack straps make it easy to transport your feast and since it weighs just under six pounds, you can take full advantage of the space inside.
The Details: 7 x 14 x 18 inches | 5.94 pounds | Polyester | Insulated | Waterproof
If you care just as much about the aesthetics of a picnic basket as you do its functionality, this one is the perfect fit. The beautiful wicker design looks like it belongs in a rom-com, with dual-entry lids and a removable white liner with a lace trim. The natural wicker is lightweight, but sturdy, and offers a lovely old-school look with its woven composition.
There aren’t any pockets or compartments inside, which could be a pro or a con depending on how you want to organize your things. And it should also be noted that this basket doesn’t offer any insulation, so be sure not to leave it out in direct sun for too long. When you’re done carrying it, the handles fold down for easier storage.Â
The Details: 15.4 x 11.4 x 7.1 inches | 1.3 pounds | Wicker
Sunny days are perfect for picnics, but they can make it harder to keep food chilled for your safety and enjoyment. This picnic basket has a double-insulated interior that can keep food cold or hot for hours, with a reinforced zipper that further helps to moderate the internal temperature. The lining is also easy to clean.Â
Although this is a soft cooler basket, it has enough structure to avoid collapsing while in use, but it can also fold down for easily storage if needed. Sturdy aluminum handles make this simple to carry while a soft rubber grip improves comfort. And considering it can perform double-duty as a cooler for grocery shopping, we think this basket is worth the reasonable price.
The Details: 15 x 9.8 x 9.5 inches | 1.54 pounds | 1680D Nylon | Insulated | Waterproof
While several baskets on this list come with plates and cutlery, none is as equipped as this set from Williams Sonoma. You’ll find everything you need for a complete meal for two, including porcelain plates, wine glasses, silverware sets, napkins, a cheese knife, a cutting board, a corkscrew, and a set of salt and pepper shakers. If that’s not enough to tempt you, the set also comes with an insulated wine bag, an insulated cooler (which fits nicely in the basket), two food containers, and a fleece blanket.
Everything can be stored inside the hefty wooden basket, which is a bit heavy, but adds a nice old-school touch to your outdoor meal. This option is a bit of an investment piece, but it also comes with the most high-quality accessories, so we think it’s well-worth the cost.Â
The Details: 19 x 17 x 13 inches | 12 pounds | Wicker | Insulated
If you’re going out in a large group, you’ll need a picnic basket that can hold a lot of food. This option has a 35-liter capacity and more than enough space inside to pack a feast (although you’ll probably have to bring any flatware and cutlery separately). The inside is one large compartment, so while it’s lacking in organizational features, it does allow you to make the most of the space. The insulated interior will keep food hot or cold for hours and features a waterproof lining that can be removed for easy cleaning. It also has a sturdy aluminum handle for easy carrying and the entire back collapses for storage between uses.
The Details: 17 x 11 x 10.5 inches | 1.5 pounds | Aluminum Oxford cloth | Insulated
While wicker picnic baskets certainly have their charm, they can be difficult to carry when heavy. This insulated tote is a great alternative, making it easy to throw over your shoulder on the walk to the park or beach. It’s not as large as some of the other options on this list, but offers enough room for a decent lunch or drinks for two.
The bag is fully insulated and has a zippered top to keep items cool longer. It also works great as a grocery bag between picnics. You can get this tote bag in seven different colorways, from solid picks to a retro striped option. The outside of each bag also has a small pocket for essentials like a phone or keys.
The Details: 21 x 13 x 8.7 inches | 1.15 pounds | Polyester | Insulated
This picnic basket has everything you need for a romantic meal with a loved one. Inside the pretty wicker basket, you’ll find porcelain plates, wine glasses, and stainless steel flatware, as well as napkins, salt and pepper shakers, and even a corkscrew. The basket also comes with a wine bag and waterproof blanket, making it a great wicker option that is also insulated. This basket has a padded leather strap that can be worn as a crossbody for easy transportation, or you can use the small handle to carry it by hand.
The Details: 15.8 x 11.8 x 7 inches | 4.6 pounds | Wicker | Insulated liner
Some of the best picnic spots require a hike to get there, but that’s no problem with this picnic backpack. Padded straps and a compact size make this comfortable to carry even when packed full, although the smaller size does mean you’ll be somewhat limited on how much food you can bring. It also comes with a lot of useful additions, including plates, flatware, napkins, wine glasses, and more (although the wine glasses have detachable stems that are prone to snapping.) Multiple pockets and straps mean everything has its place, and the padded liner is easy to clean. It also has a basic design that’s pretty stylish and versatile for a backpack cooler.Â
The Details: 21 x 15.5 x 6.5 inches | 5 pounds | Polyester | Insulated
This personalized basket would make a great gift for any outdoor lover, since you can add a laser-enraved monogram to the included cutting board. Personalization aside, this organized picnic basket is perfect for anyone who wants to keep their outdoor dining experience tidy, with designated compartments and pockets to fit all your picnic must-haves.
The insulated cooler pocket keeps food and drinks cold for hours while the various straps and holders secure cups, utensils, and other goodies. Made from woven plastic rattan, this basket is both stylish, sturdy, and easy to clean.
The Details: 19 x 13 x 10 inches | Plastic rattan | Insulated
It’s no surprise that outdoor retailer REI knows how to make a great hiking cooler. This 31.5-liter pack is comfortable and supportive enough to wear during long hikes, thanks to padded shoulder straps and an adjustable chest strap. Its standout feature is the removable cooler insert, which can keep up to 12 cans chilled for an impressive 40 hours.
There’s also plenty of storage space as well: the top compartment has ample room to stow your hiking essentials, while the main compartment, with the dedicated cooler section, can accommodate additional gear when the cooler is removed. While it’s designed with hikers in mind, you could bring this on any active picnic excursion.Â
The Details: 22 x 12.5 x 8.5 inches | 2.5 pounds | Recycled ripstop nylon and recycled polyester | Insulated cooler
Tips for Buying a Picnic Basket
Think about your needs
When deciding what picnic basket to purchase, think about how and where you’ll be using it most frequently. If you tend to go out in large groups, you’ll want a basket that can fit enough food and drinks for everyone involved. If you live in a warm climate (or prefer to keep drinks ice-cold), you’ll want to prioritize insulation features.
You should also think about what accessories you need when buying a picnic basket. Many baskets come with flatware, cutlery, and other features, but some you will need to purchase accessories separately.
Prioritize portability
With the exception of a living room picnic (which certainly has its place), most excursions are going to take place somewhere outside, which means you’ll need to transport all your food, flatware, and other essentials safely. It may be fine to prioritize aesthetics in a basket if you’ll only be walking from your car to a grassy spot a short distance away, but longer treks will be uncomfortable if your basket isn’t designed with portability in mind. Features like padded straps and handles can make your picnic basket much easier to carry for moderate distances.Â
Consider your group size
If you prefer solo picnics or like to go out with only one person, a smaller basket or bag will do just fine. But if you’re traveling with more people, you’ll need a bigger basket to accommodate the food, drinks, flatware, and cutlery needed for every member of your party. Larger baskets can often fit enough for up to four people, so you may need multiple baskets if your group is larger than that.Â
Frequently Asked Questions
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What are the different types of picnic baskets?
Picnic baskets come in all shapes and sizes. Traditional baskets, called hampers, are typically made from wicker and come in a large, rectangular shape with a top that folds open. Other picnic baskets resemble soft coolers with plush, insulated interiors that can keep food and beverages cold for hours at a time.
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How can I pack a picnic basket?
You’re free to pack a picnic basket however you want, but there are a few ways you can keep yourself organized and avoid spills during transportation. Try to keep your food items as neatly stacked as possible, with heavy, stable items in the bottom and lighter items on top. Put things that might spill in tightly sealed containers, and consider wrapping them in plastic wrap or a reusable wax wrap for added protection. If you want to keep items cold, be sure to stack ice or ice packs on the bottom and top of your food or drinks inside the insulated portion of your picnic basket.
Why Trust Travel + Leisure
Anne Taylor is an updates writer at T+L where she focuses on content that makes travel-related activities easier. As an outdoor enthusiast, she knows exactly what to look for when selecting the perfect picnic basket for a day out, whether it’s on a hike, beach trip, or walk to the park. For this article, Anne researched the best picnic baskets and used her own insights to compile her top options.
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