Best picnic gadgets

Best lunchbox

Sistema Chill it to Go lunchbox, £8.99

This BPA-free box comes complete with a removable ice pack that sits tidily on top of your picnic salad, keeping it cool for several hours. The ice pack is neatly designed with a hole for a sauce pot, and it comes with its own set of cutlery. Even if you don't fancy a swish cooled lunchbox, you should invest in a good ice pack anyway - keeping food at the right temperature is the cornerstone of any successful (and safe) picnic. Buy from Ocado.

Best picnic bag

Joules picnic backpack, £59.95

We came across plenty of cool boxes and bags during our research, including vintage-style metal boxes, traditional plastic trunks and fabric bags, but our favourite was this extremely nifty and compact rucksack. The front compartment contains strong cutlery and plastic plates, an all-important bottle opener, and those likely-to-forget items like a salt shaker and chopping board. The main section is insulated, as is the side compartment for a bottle. It also fits comfortably on your back thanks to the thick straps, making it a great hands-free option if you're faced with a long trek to your picnic spot. Buy from Joules.
 

Best eco choice

Reusable sandwich wrap, £8.99

We’re huge fans of sandwiches, but cling film – less so. We think it’s worth investing in one of these reusable snack wraps. The wipe-clean sheet can be folded around a sandwich-sized snack then securely fastened with Velcro. It then opens up as a mini tablemat to collect any crumbs. Comes in various fun, colourful designs. Buy from Eco Snack Wrap.
 

Best picnic plates

Green Tulip bamboo picnic collection, from £1.75 

These ethical plates are far more attractive and eco-friendly than traditional plastic versions. Made from organic bamboo, they’re designed to be single-use, but if used for dry foods they can be wiped clean and used again and again. They’re completely biodegradable and come in various sizes, with matching cutlery to boot. The design is clean and rustic, but not to the detriment of function – thankfully, the plates can handle a mountainous pile of food. Buy from Green Tulip.

Best blanket

Speaker blanket, £34.99

There's a whole world of picnic blankets just waiting to be discovered, from beautiful, woolen numbers that roll up into a leather harness, to wipe-clean, family blankets and foldable fleece sheets. But despite all that, and for pure novelty factor, we decided to feature this blanket with a built-in speaker. Don’t go expecting a rave – the volume doesn’t hit ear-bleeding levels, no doubt to the relief of neighbouring picknickers. The fleece fabric is comfy and the rug rolls up neatly, but it should be said the connector for your phone or music player is a little delicate. However, there’s a handy pouch to protect your phone from damage. Buy from I Want One Of Those.

Picnic recipes and tips... 

How to pack the perfect picnic
Our best picnic recipes
Vegetarian picnic inspiration
Family-friendly picnic recipes

This review was last updated in June 2017. If you have any questions, suggestions for future reviews or spot anything that has changed in price or availability please get in touch at goodfoodwebsite@bbc.com.

Do you have a picnic gadget you can't live without? We'd like to hear your product suggestions.