By MELINA BOURDEAU
Staff Writer
Nothing feels better on a humid day than going down to a river or lake to enjoy whatever small breeze comes off the water. Better still, walking down to a river with my girlfriend and a wooden basket containing bowls, utensils, napkins and, most importantly, food we spent an hour making the prior night.
It wasn’t so much that it was our favorite meal, but it was our first time cooking a meal together, and we were about to enjoy the fruits of our labor — literally.
Going for a picnic was a task, but one that paid off in moments with my partner without a buzzing cell phone, eating fresh food and relishing in conversation and laughter at my apparent inability to eat a strawberry without making a mess.
There is a lot to consider when going on a picnic — where to go, what to eat and what else to do. Franklin County offers a variety of options of places to hike, walk or sit and enjoy nature.
It can be stressful to try to plan an outing with family, a partner or a group, but the goal is to, like registered dietitian Lois Levin says, “Keep it simple.”
Not only do picnics provide an opportunity to go to a new place, but it’s an opportunity to connect with loved ones through the process of cooking or even the trek through miles of trails to find a spot to eat.
What to eat
Picnics aren’t limited to finger sandwiches, and one of the advantages of summer is the ability to buy local, fresh fruit and vegetables.
There are a few things to consider when planning a picnic, such as how many people are going (and if any of them are children), how long it’s going to take to get to the picnic destination and how the food will be transported.
According to Levin of Greenfield, one of the first things to consider is the food safety and location.
“Other pieces include how much food you’re going to be carrying and how long you’re going to be carrying it,” Levin said. “Whether there is going to be cooking equipment there or not. Can you do without a cooler while going on a hike?”
Especially in the summer, Levin said it’s important to keep in mind that temperature makes a difference for meats, which can spoil quickly — especially if the meat is raw.
“One of the first things to consider is vegetables and fruit. They’re naturally OK at room temperature; as long as they aren’t in direct heat, they’ll be OK,” Levin said. “Personally, I recommend avoiding mayonnaise. In my experience, mayonnaise goes bad sooner. Make salads that are olive-oil-based.”
Some options include bringing a cooler with ice, then creating the meal at the picnic site or making a meal at home and heating it up if there if a grill available.
“If you’re grilling, try to grill asparagus, add dressing, have a marinated salad or slaw with arugula,” Levin said. “If there is a grill, skewers of vegetables and chicken can be wrapped in tin foil.”
For those looking to cook at the picnic site without a grill, there are fun, healthy options.
Vegetable sushi rolls, for example, can be prepped ahead of time, and put together at a table, Levin said.
“There are also sauces or dips to bring in a container and eat with vegetables or fruit. While taking vegetables, and ice packs, think about dips like hummus, yogurt, feta cheese or beet dip,” she said.
However, for those who are planning on hiking or walking longer distances, Levin recommends bringing a trail mix.
“It’s called trail mix for a reason!” Levin said. “It will give you that quick energy. Keep it in a knapsack with an ice pack. If you’re looking for proteins, hard-boiled eggs are always a good option.”
A family affair
For families looking to go on a picnic, Levin and registered dietitian Fatemeh Giahi of Hadley’s Valley Nutrition Counseling said that if it’s not possible to get creative, quick meal ideas can be healthy as well.
“Try to have whole grains for a sandwich and some plant-based proteins, beans for example,” Giahi said. “There’s nothing wrong with a sandwich for kids, but use whole grains.”
Levin said finger food is best for children, and vegetables can easily be packaged and eaten alone.
“I totally recommend giving them vegetables — tomatoes or grape tomatoes, green beans, snap peas,” Levin said. “You want children to have fun being outside, eating vegetables. Keep it at a minimum for yourself and for your children. Don’t add much to the food. Have them get used to food for exactly what it is.”
Giahi said the idea is trying to think in terms of avoiding grabbing a bag of chips and being more mindful.
“Maybe try a peanut butter sandwich — but add banana slices instead of jelly — on whole grain bread,” Giahi said. “Take fruits and vegetables and cut them at the picnic. Try to infuse water with ginger, lemon, cucumber or mint, which will be really refreshing in the summer.”
When hiking or walking longer distances, Levin maintained the “keep it simple” model.
“Bring sprigs of parsley or mint to chew on, (and) stay away from extra amounts of sugar,” she said. “Associate the fresh food with a good time.”
As per Levin and Giahi’s recommendations, and searching on Pinterest, my girlfriend, Ashley, and I made an olive-oil-based pasta salad with penne, halved grape tomatoes, mozzarella cheese pearls, chopped basil leaves, parsley, chopped red onion and balsamic vinegar.
We boiled water for the pasta while washing and prepping the vegetables. Once the pasta was cooked, all of the ingredients were combined in a plastic container, then placed in the fridge. In all, it only took about a half-hour to make, a very simple recipe.
For dessert, we made red, white and blue cheesecake strawberries, but a simple cheesecake dip could also be used with a variety of berries.
The hardest part of making the strawberries was filling the halved berries with the cheesecake dip and placing blueberries in the dip. But the payoff was worth every minute. They were delicious, and I fully intend on making them for the next family barbeque.
Where to eat it
Although being a western Massachusetts native, I would often spend my time going to the Quabbin Reservoir, walking across the Windsor Dam or finding a trail down by the water to explore.
I have a particular interest in going by lakes, ponds and other bodies of water because there is plenty of wildlife to watch.
I am new to Franklin County, so I reached out to a few local residents about potential places to have a picnic.
Orange Highway, Parks and Cemetery Department Superintendent Colin Killay said there are many places to go in Franklin County.
“I grew up in Athol and I live in Warwick,” Killay said. “I’ve seen more and more people outdoors. It’s nice to find somewhere to go unwind. This is a beautiful area; we’re fortunate to live here and not have to travel a lot to find somewhere to go.”
Heading toward Montague, Parks and Recreation Director Jon Dobosz recommends Norma Park in Lake Pleasant on Lake Pleasant Road, Montague Center Park on School Street, Highland Park on Lyman Street and Unity Park in Turner’s Falls.
For people with children, there is a playground in Unity Park. Larger groups are recommended to reserve tables at Unity Park through the Montague Parks and Recreation Department.
Montague Parks and Recreation Department Clerk Jennifer Peterson said there is also the bike path, which has an access point on 11th Street in Turners Falls. She said she also recommends Gate 40 of the North Quabbin area in Petersham, which has a mile and a half walk to see the remains of the town of Dana.
“It’s a nice walk and there are different things to look at, like plaques and information about the town of Dana,” Peterson said.
My partner and I went to Barton Cove picnic area off of Route 2 in Gill, which was another one of Peterson’s recommendations. Not only are there shaded picnic tables and small grills, but there is a boat ramp to launch kayaks as well.
As I continue to learn my way around Franklin County, I look forward to finding other, lesser-known locations to stop for a bite to eat.
In the North Quabbin area
Erving
Laurel Lake on Laurel Lake Road
New Salem
Bear’s Den on Neilson Road
Quabbin Overlook on South Main Street
Orange
Butterfield Park on East River Street
Riverfront Park on East River Street
Lake Mattawa on Lake Mattawa Road or Holtshire Road
Warwick
Mount Grace State Forest on Winchester Road
Warwick State Forest off of Route 78 and Athol Road
Other spots in Franklin County
Ashfield
Ashfield Lake on Buckland Road
Highland Lakes on Moore Hill Road
Chapel Brook on Williamsburg Road
Conway
South River State Forest on Shelburne Falls and Bardwells Ferry roads
Conway State Forest on Cricket Hill Road
Montague
Norma’s Park on Lake Pleasant Road in Lake Pleasant
Montague Center Park on School Street in Montague Center
Highland Park on Lyman Street in Millers Falls
Unity Park on 1st Street in Turners Falls
Northfield
Northfield State Forest on Orange Road
Pauchaug Brook Falls on Wanamaker Road
Shelburne
High Ledges Wildlife Sanctuary on Patten Road ($3 admission fee)