From champagne to easy-to-make picnic recipes, discover the secret to hosting a Valentine’s Day picnic like no other.
Valentine’s Day Picnic Essentials
Before we dive into a list of picnic nibbles, there are a few essential items you need to ensure your Valentine’s Day picnic is an unmitigated success.
The Picnic Essentials:
- Picnic Basket
- Picnic Blanket
- Unbreakable glassware
- Cheese Boards and Knives
- Picnic mini table
- Fresh flowers
Picnic Basket
First things first: you need a sturdy yet stylish picnic hamper to carry all your goodies in. The Sand Picnic Basket from Country Road makes a compelling case for practical yet impossibly chic picnic hampers.
Picnic-Proof Glassware
A picnic calls for sturdy, unbreakable glassware that will keep your beverage safe and looking good. Avoid Valentine’s Day picnic mishaps with a matching set of Stemm + Unbreakable Wine Glasses from Porter Green. Dishwasher-safe and made from FDA-approved food-grade silicone, the sunset colour palette will look good with any beverage.
Cheeseboard and Knife
If you can’t imagine having a Valentine’s Day picnic without cheese, then a David Jones Byron Cheese Board And Knife Set is a must. From brie to blue, cheddar and camembert, this cheese platter will surely find a home in your picnic hamper.
Mini Picnic Table
Last but not least, why not add a little sophistication to a romantic picnic by bringing along your own mini picnic table?Look no further than the mini picnic table from Business & Pleasure Co. The Teak Picnic Table is made using the same teak wood and features folding legs and a carry strap for extra storage. This table also features four wine glass holders, which perfectly fit the picnic-proof glassware from Porter Green, and room to hold up a beach umbrella if your picnic is beachside.
Discover the secret to a swoon-worthy table with Jessica Nguyen’s guide: How to Style a Valentine’s Day Tablescape.
The Best Food to Take on a Valentine’s Day Picnic: Indulgent Treats & Nibbles
Now that you’ve wrapped up the essentials, it’s time to lean into the romance. A Valentine’s Day picnic is the perfect excuse to indulge in a little culinary opulence.
Chocolates & Sweets
It wouldn’t be a romantic affair without the gift-ready Holdsworth Marc De Champagne and Popping Candy Truffles. Effortlessly luxurious and sumptuously addictive, these tasty treats are a must for any Valentine’s Day picnic.
A luxurious blend of smooth milk chocolate, buttery caramel and sea salt, all wrapped up in a heart-shaped box. What more could you wish for? Whether you’re a caramel lover or just in need of a decadent chocolate or two, this Love Cocoa Milk Chocolate With Salted Caramel will always be a delight.
Sweet Treats
Not a chocolate lover? Meet the cutest biscuit collection that’s perfect for that special someone with a sweet tooth; Fortnum & Mason’s Fortnum’s Rose Biscuits. This sweet, buttery biscuit collection is studded with almonds and scattered with French crystallized rose petals, for a very delicate rose flavour that never overpowers.
Caviar
A stunning picnic calls for a luxury treat: Black Pearl Oscietra Gold from the caviar experts, Black Pearl. Harvested from Russian Sturgeon that grow and develop in the crystal clear waters if the Thousand Island Lake, Qiando, China, this particular Oscietra has a distinctive olive/gold colour, a delicate flavour and is often considered as the ultimate caviar. Don’t forget to pack a Caviar Key to share the grandeur.
Chocolate-Coated Strawberries
Hand-dipped daily, David Jones Chocolate-coated Strawberries are a delight. Choose your pick from classic milk and dark chocolate, dark chocolate with freeze-dried passion fruit crisps, white chocolate with ruby chocolate piping, and dark chocolate with cocoa nibs. Available for purchase instore at our Bondi Store or Elizabeth St Store only.
Your Favourite Bubbles
A Valentine’s Day picnic wouldn’t be complete without a bottle to pop! Pop a bottle of genuine champagne from Moet & Chandon for a picnic like no other. The effervescent, ever-wonderful Brut Imperial Non-Vintage makes the perfect accompaniment to any nibbles and conversation.
If you’re more inclined to enjoy rosé in the sun, then a bottle of the highly-coveted Perrier-Jouët Belle Epoque Rosé is yours to enjoy.
Non-Alcoholic Bubbles
For those preferring non-alcoholic beverages, reach for a bottle of your favourite alcohol-free bubbles from French Bloom. The Organic Alcohol-free French Sparkling Le Rosé offers a well-balanced complexity of minerality and freshness with a few notes of rose petals and freshly picked berry aromas.
Master the art of matching your drink to your snack with our guide: Food and Drink Pairings That Are Perfect for Any Occasion.
Easy-To-Make Valentine’s Day Picnic Snacks
Why not wow them completely by throwing together a picnic-perfect feast to enjoy? When searching for picnic food recipes, lean into recipes that can be served cold or at room temperature with minimal fuss.
The Best Valentine’s Day Picnic Food Recipe
Trust us when we say that this Charry Crostini recipe by Into The Sauce is the perfect Valentine’s Day delight. These Crostinis are incredibly easy to make, yet taste like you have your own personal chef. Swoon over the Fresh Mozzarella, Prosciutto, Fig Jam, and Rocket. Yum!
Easy-to-make Homemade Cocktails
Show off your cocktail-making skills with these Afternoon Summer Cocktail Recipes. Who wouldn’t love sipping on a homemade cocktail for Valentine’s Day? Rather than trying to mix and blend these cocktails while you’re lounging on a rug, premake these cocktails the morning of the picnic.
Keep them stored safely in a travel beverage vessel, preferably one that can keep them cool. Remember to give them a shake when you’re ready to pour.
Building the Perfect Valentine’s Day Picnic Charcuterie
It’s time for the star of the picnic (other than your significant other, of course), the charcuterie board. The name “charcuterie” refers to cold-cured, cooked, or smoked meats, but the modern charcuterie board covers more than just meats. Fruits, olives, cheeses, pâtés—the world is your oyster. For an even spread, balance each meat with at least one cracker or slice of bread.
To Build the perfect charcuterie board, we suggest beginning with:
- Freshly sliced crusty bread/crackers
- A selection of meats
- Cured fish
- Pâté
- Olives, or olive oil
- Fruits, such as grapes, Maggie Beer Burnt Fig Jam, or dried apricots
The Best Charcuterie Meats
Begin your charcuterie board with a fine selection of meats of different cuts.
Can’t decide which smoked meat is your favourite? Why not try a variation of them? We love a collection of delicacies from our Simon Johnson. Available online, and our Bondi Store or Elizabeth St Store. From cured meats to pickled wonders, there’s something for every romantic picnic.
Olives
No charcuterie or cheese board would be complete without pickles, chutney, and, the hero delicacy, olives. Collect a jar of Ogilvie & Ogilvie & Co’s Antipasto Olives, a blend of whole green, kalamata and stuffed olives infused in a garlic and herb oil. Try serving warmed with some fresh sourdough as a simple starter, or use as part of an antipasto platter.
Terrine
Indulge in a little terrine this Valentine’s day. We love this beautiful rabbit terrine, hand-made by the team at Victor Churchill. A firm textured terrine that uses fresh soft herbs to accentuate the delicate flavour of the rabbit. Set to perfection under a delicate layer of savoury jelly, this terrine is best served with some crunchy toasted bread, cornichons and French Dijon. Available for purchase instore at our Bondi Store or Elizabeth St Store only.