Head outside with American Legend for your next meal

Instead of heading out to a restaurant for lunch or dinner, head for your spacious American Legend outdoor living space! Summer is right around the corner and what better way to kick off the new season than a backyard picnic! Planning a backyard picnic doesn’t have to be difficult. It can be as simple or elaborate as you want. Here are a few ideas from American Legend Homes to “pack” into your next picnic!

Plan a menu. Food is key to your picnic and the “backyard grilling” picnic is what comes to mind when most of us think of a backyard picnic. But here are a few more fun suggestions: Do a “pack-your-own” picnic where everyone heads to the kitchen to pack up a few of their favorite snacks and beverages. This is a great idea to get the entire family involved. There’s also the “quick-stop” picnic where you can grab a few ready-made meals from the grocery store then head home to enjoy the weather. Another favorite is the “appetizer” picnic where you have a meal full of fun appetizers. (Who doesn’t love that?!) 

Plan some activities. After you decide on food, you’ll need some entertainment. No picnic or outdoor event would be complete without a series of fun, entertaining picnic games and activities to enjoy. It can be as simple as tossing around a football or perhaps your family is more competitive and would enjoy a three-legged race! Lawn games like bocce ball, corn hole, or ladder ball are always crowd-pleasers. 

Pick your seating and setting. If you don’t already have outdoor seating, don’t worry! What’s great about picnics is that you don’t need much.  Lawn chairs are great or simply grab a few blankets and pillows and enjoy! Want a larger “palette” for your picnic? Choose the open green spaces that are part of all of our communities, like Exploration Park at Union Park, by the pond at M3 Ranch or under the picnic pavilion at Star Trail.

Don’t forget the essentials. In your excitement, it might be easy to forget a few things but that’s why we’re here! Don’t forget plates, napkins, forks, spoons or whatever you may need to eat your delicious food. Looking for the perfect adult beverage to complement the meal? Try Worth the Pour, an upscale spirits store in the Castle Hills community. And don’t forget to protect yourself and your family from the sun and heat so water and sunscreen are must-haves.  

Grab your food, spread a blanket on your beautifully manicured American Legend Homes lawn or spread out in the community’s green space, drag out a cooler full of iced drinks, and arrange a few beach chairs or blankets for your impromptu family feast. Whatever you choose to do, remember there’s no wrong way to picnic.