Pack a shopping carry-all for plastic bag-free towns and farmers' markets.iStockIt started with a loaf of bread,a hunk of cheese and an anthill. The first two were basics for a successful picnic. The third was not. Within minutes of picking up the bread (The Sir George,Jugiong,NSW) and cheese (at the nearby Long Track Pantry),lunch seemed ready to roll.
But pretty soon it became apparent that the best spot for an al fresco feast was shared by ants,and we were ill-prepared. And without a knife,we were reduced to standing under a tree and breaking up our bread and cheese by hand.
Hence the following list of things,which now live in the car for every road trip,and keep a hungry traveller ready for everything from a farmers'market visit to an impromptu picnic or a last-minute holiday rental where the kitchen is poorly provisioned and the local shop keeps eccentric,extremely limited hours.
What stays in the car
Photo:iStock- A collapsible cooler bag Takes up no space when empty and flattened,but will expand to take two dozen oysters and a whole flathead as required.
- An ice pack Slip it into a freezer each night you're on road so it's ready for the next day. Leave a reminder note on the dashboard or doorway so you don't forget it when leaving. It can simply be a frozen water bottle – as it thaws,the water comes in handy for washing picnic dishes. A ziplock bag can stand ready to hold ice or leftovers.
- A good small knife Bread can be torn apart but cheese,tomatoes and salami are trickier. So,too,spreading peanut butter.
- Plates,cups and cutlery Great for on-the-road food prep and sandwich assembly. A couple of all-purpose cups,forks and spoons means you don't have to drink that wine you bought from the bottle.
- Wet wipesFor doing the dishes,and wiping hands that have pulled apart supermarket roast chooks,a go-to road dinner.
- A picnic rug,ideally with a waterproof sideNot just for picnics on riverbanks,but for laying across park benches or tables where seagulls have preceded you.
- A shopping carry-allFor plastic bag-free towns,of which there are now many,including Aireys Inlet,Victoria.
- Matches For holiday rental barbecues,open fires,mosquito coils and candles.
- A corkscrew/bottle openerJust in case you forget to check whether the great reds you bought while walking the Coonawarrawine trail had corks or screwtops.
- And insect repellent and sunscreen Because it's'Straya.
Lemon and a couple of garlic cloves are useful ingredients to have on hand when you're on the road.iStock