Picnic Time

The weather is getting cooler around here, which for me means that we can finally get outside a bit more to get the much needed fresh air and enjoy the outdoors before winter gets here. Whenever I think of going outside and spending some time, I think “PICNIC.” Picnics are a great chance to save money and enjoy the scenery in the Low Country while not breaking the bank. There are some great offerings for picnic ideas at the local grocery stores this week whether you want to do a dinner picnic at the beach or head to the Beaufort Water front with a blanket for a great water view lunch.


Obviously sandwiches are a great lunch choice, I have found that Food Lion normally has the best deals on lunch meat, but I am not a huge fan of their customer service. Publix has a Serrano Ham in the deli that is always $2.99 per pound, where you only need about a ½ pound for a few sandwiches. This week there is a Land O’lakes coupon at Coupons.com for $1.00 off deli cheese, so if you need some cheese for your sandwiches, this is a great savings. If you want to pump it up a notch, head to the bakery and grab some good sub rolls that are normally about $2.00 or so, or throw it on your bread from home for free – Your Choice. For some healthy side items, Crunch Pak Apple slices are $2.50, Pears are .99 per pound, and the Eat Smart Veggies are $1.67 each. Grab some cookies or cream cake to satisfy your sweet tooth and you can easily feed your gang for less than $10.00.

For a picnic dinner, Publix has a meal deal where you can get fried chicken, 2 sides, and bread for normally around $10.99, I think. This goes on sale from time to time as well. This is not the healthiest option, but it’s such a good choice when you want to splurge on calories because their fried chicken is yummy! We normally grab a container of potato salad and macaroni salad, with the sweet rolls for a treat on the beach. They have the napkins and utensils and the bag to boot, so toss it all in and you have an indulgent treat at a cost saving price.