Even though we eat al fresco nowadays more than we ever did when we were children, I still get excited when I'm preparing a picnic for a day at the seaside, or for a country jaunt. Perhaps it's because the fresh air adds such flavour to the food.

However, a bit of planning is important for any picnic. Don't do my trick of packing a flask of nicely brewed tea, but neglecting to bring the milk and sugar.

Because everything must be carried to the picnic site, it's best to keep it simple. Paper plates and plastic cutlery are light to carry. For a seaside picnic, think about food that can be easily packaged and eaten with minimal exposure to the elements. Individually wrapped sandwiches, for example, will reduce the chances of sand getting into the food.

Chilled coolbags will help keep everything nice and fresh -- keep any foods that contain mayonnaise in a chilled cooler. Chill any drinks the night before, and wrap in towels if cooler bags are not available. Pack plenty of water, especially for the younger people. On the other hand, if there is any chance of a cool wind, why not pack a flask of your favourite hot soup, which is especially welcome after a swim? Also, include lots of fresh fruit such as apples, oranges, grapes or kiwis -- with teaspoons to scoop out the flesh like a boiled egg. They make a wonderfully healthy snack to include in your picnic.

Don't forget a bag for the rubbish and a packet of wipes to freshen the hands afterwards. And why not a bring an umbrella or two, just in case?

Pictured, from left: medley of egg sandwiches, sausage rolls with mustard and herbs, pan bagna, carrot muffins and chocolate caramel squares

MEDLEY OF EGG SANDWICHES

Delightful in its simplicity: a little mayonnaise to moisten the mashed egg, with black pepper and salt for flavouring. There are many simple variations listed below, so choose your favourite.

You will need:

2 large eggs, hard boiled

2-3 tablespoons of mayonnaise

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

6 rounds of sliced bread, white or wholemeal, buttered

As soon as the eggs are hard boiled -- approximately 12 minutes -- remove their shells under cold running water, then put the eggs on a plate and chop them roughly. If they're left to cool slowly in their shells, a dark line can develop around the yolk, which, though not harmful, is not pleasant to look at.

When they're cold, mash the eggs with a fork, adding enough mayonnaise to moisten, and season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper. Spread the egg mixture over three of the buttered slices of bread and cover with the remaining slices. Press firmly together and cut in half or quarters. Wrap the sandwiches in clingfilm or foil, and store in a cool place.

Variations: 1. Egg and watercress sandwiches

Add two to three tablespoons of chopped, washed watercress to the mashed egg mixture.

2. Egg and spring onion or egg and chive sandwiches

Add two tablespoons of finely chopped spring onions -- or chives, if you prefer -- through the mashed egg mixture.

3. Egg and tapenade sandwiches

Spread a thin layer of tapenade on one of the buttered slices of each sandwich. Then add the mashed egg. To make some delicious, salty tapenade yourself, put the following ingredients into a food processor and buzz together. It will keep, covered, in the fridge for about two weeks.

For the tapenade, you will need:

175g (6oz) black olives, pitted

50g (2oz) tin of anchovy fillets, drained

50-75ml (2-3fl oz) olive oil

4. Egg and tomato sandwiches

Put a layer of thinly sliced, ripe tomatoes over the layer of mashed egg in each sandwich, seasoning with a little extra freshly ground black pepper and salt. This is particularly nice if you use home-made, wholemeal bread.

'PAN BAGNA'

A classic Provencal sandwich. Make it a number of hours before serving to allow all the flavours to mellow. Serves 3-4.

You will need:

1 large, fat French baguette

3-6 tablespoons olive oil

1-2 crushed cloves garlic

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

½ cucumber, sliced

6 tomatoes, sliced

4-6 artichoke hearts, in brine or oil, drained and sliced

1 red onion, thinly sliced

8 black olives, pitted and chopped

6 radishes, sliced optional

2 teaspoons capers, optional

8 anchovy fillets, drained, or small tin of tuna fish, optional

110-150g (4-5oz) feta cheese, crumbled

Slit the French baguette in two. Pull away some of the internal white bread -- you can use this some other time as breadcrumbs. Mix the olive oil with the crushed garlic cloves and spread generously over the cut halves of the bread. Season with a little salt and freshly ground pepper. Arrange the slices of cucumber, tomato, artichoke hearts, red onion and the chopped olives in layers on one half of the cut bread, intermingling them as you go. If you wish, you can also add some sliced radish, some capers, some anchovy fillets or tuna, if you prefer. Add in what suits your own tastes. Crumble some feta over the whole lot and, if necessary, season lightly. Then cover with the other half of the bread. Wrap tightly in clingfilm and put in the fridge with weights on top. Serve after a few hours, or the next day.

SAUSAGE ROLLS WITH MUSTARD AND HERBS

Spread the pastry thinly with mustard and scatter with chopped fresh herbs, then roll up round your favourite sausages. The flavour is very good.

You will need:

Approximately 350g (12oz) ready-rolled puff pastry

Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs of your choice -- parsley, chives, basilor thyme

10-12 sausages

Beaten egg for glazing

Roll out the puff pastry into a rectangle. Spread the pastry very thinly with the mustard -- if possible, do this only where the sausages will be, rather than spreading the mustard all over.

Then, scatter the chopped fresh herbs of your choice over the mustard.

Cut pastry to a size that will fit each sausage, then place the sausage on the pastry and roll up.

Brush the tops of the sausage rolls with beaten egg and snip through the top of the pastry with a scissors, or prick with a fork. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet and bake in a preheated oven -- 200°C, 400°F, Gas 6 -- for about 30 minutes until golden and cooked through. If necessary, cut one sausage roll in two to check that the centre is fully cooked. Serve hot, or allow to cool completely on a wire tray before packing in foil or in a plastic container.

CHOCOLATE CARAMEL SQUARES

These shortbread, caramel and chocolate treats are wickedly delicious.

For the shortbread, you will need:

225g (8oz) butter, cut into lumps

110g (4oz) caster sugar

275g (10oz) flour, not self-raising

For the caramel, you will need:

225g (8oz) butter

1 tin (400g/14oz) sweetened condensed milk

225g (8oz) caster sugar

4 tablespoons golden brown sugar

For the topping, you will need:

About 200g (7oz) of dark or milk chocolate

Lightly grease a shallow baking tin, measuring 32cm x 23cm (13in x 9in), with butter. To make the shortbread, rub the butter into the caster sugar and flour until it resembles breadcrumbs -- a food processor will do this in seconds. Spread this mixture evenly into the prepared tin and press down firmly. Bake for about 20 minutes, until golden brown.

To make the caramel, put the butter, the sweetened condensed milk, the caster sugar and the golden brown sugar into a saucepan and stir over a moderate heat until the sugar melts. Then, bring to the boil and boil for 5-7 minutes, stirring all the time. Cool a little and pour over the shortbread base. Leave to set. Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water, and spread over the top. When set, cut into squares.

Carrot Muffins

If you wish to be more calorie conscious, try these tasty muffins. Because of the grated carrots, they are rich in fibre.

Use a standard bun tray for these, rather than a larger muffin tray.

Try to work swiftly so the melted butter remains soft and easy to mix -- you'll find that when it cools too much, it stiffens up.

You will need:

75g (3oz) butter or margarine

110g (4oz) brown or white sugar

110g (4oz) grated carrot

1 large egg

175g (6oz) self-raising flour

1 carton mixed peel or sultanas

50g (2oz) chopped walnuts

½ teaspoon each of cinnamon and nutmeg

Put paper cases into the bun tray and preheat the oven to 190°C, 375°F, Gas 5.

Melt the butter, then take off the heat and add the brown sugar, or white sugar, if using, and the grated carrot. Allow to cool a little -- not too much or it will set. Then add the egg and mix thoroughly. In a separate bowl, mix together the self-raising flour, mixed peel, or sultanas if using, chopped walnuts and cinnamon and nutmeg.

Add the butter mixture and mix to make a soft dough. Spoon the dough into paper cases. Bake until cooked through -- this should take about 25-35 minutes.

Cool the buns on a wire tray and pack them in a plastic container.

L

- Brenda Costigan