Why a coastal picnic is different

Sea air does something strange to appetite. A brisk walk along a shingle beach or a couple of hours at the tiller and even a modest sandwich tastes like a feast. But coastal picnics are not the same as a sunny afternoon in a park. Wind, salt spray, damp sand and the motion of a boat all conspire against delicate food. Anything that blows away, crumbles into dust, or needs two hands and a flat surface is a liability. On cool days, the priority shifts further: you want food that warms you from the inside, holds together in a rucksack, and can be eaten with cold fingers while you keep one hand free for a rail, a tiller or a dog lead. The answer is not complicated. A vacuum flask, a crusty roll, a piece of fruit and a flask of tea will beat a soggy ciabatta every time.

Start with a flask of something hot

A good vacuum flask is the heart of a cool-weather coastal picnic. Fill it with soup, stew or chilli and you have a hot meal without a stove. Preheat the flask with boiling water for five minutes, empty it, then fill to the brim and seal straight away. A wide-mouth flask is easier for soup; a narrow one is fine for tea. Thick soups travel best — lentil and bacon, potato and leek, or a spiced tomato and red pepper. Thin broths slosh and cool quickly. If you are taking tea, make it strong and take milk separately in a small screw-top bottle. Sugar cubes survive better than loose sugar. On a boat, keep the flask upright in a bucket or dry bag. Wrap it in a tea towel for extra insulation and to stop it rattling.

• Lentil and bacon soup
• Potato and leek soup
• Spiced tomato and red pepper soup
• Beef stew or chilli (thick, not watery)
• Strong tea or coffee, milk separate

Bread, pastry and sturdy savouries

Crusty rolls are ideal, but only if you pack them properly. A roll filled hours in advance will steam itself into a soggy mess. Instead, take the rolls whole and pack the fillings separately: a block of cheese, some sliced ham, a small jar of pickle, and a little butter. Assemble on the beach or on the pontoon. If you want something ready to eat, choose pasties, sausage rolls, pork pie or scotch eggs. These are designed to be eaten cold, hold their shape, and taste good with wind-blown hair and sandy fingers. Oatcakes with a sharp cheddar are another reliable option. Hard-boiled eggs travel well if you peel them at home and keep them cool. Avoid anything with a lot of mayonnaise on a mild day, and avoid fiddly wrappers that will be snatched by the wind. Cut pastries into manageable pieces before you leave.

• Crusty rolls or baguette, fillings packed separately
• Cornish pasties or sausage rolls
• Pork pie or scotch eggs
• Oatcakes and hard cheese
• Hard-boiled eggs

Fruit and sweet things that survive a rucksack

Fruit is essential, but not all fruit is equal. Apples, oranges and slightly underripe pears are robust. Grapes travel well in a small tub. Bananas bruise easily, so either eat them first or pack them in a rigid tin. Dried fruit and nuts are light and forgiving. For something sweet, think fruit cake, flapjack, parkin, shortbread or ginger biscuits. Ginger is particularly welcome if anyone is feeling queasy from the swell. Chocolate is a poor choice on a boat or a beach: it melts, smears and attracts sand. Cream cakes and anything with fresh cream are best left at home. A small tin of fruit salad in juice can be a treat, but remember to pack a spoon and take the tin home.

• Apples, oranges, pears
• Grapes in a tub
• Dried fruit and nuts
• Fruit cake, flapjack, parkin
• Ginger biscuits or shortbread

Packing and eating on the move

Pack for the conditions, not for the photograph. A cool bag keeps things fresh; a dry bag keeps things dry. Leave glass at home. Reusable plastic cups or enamel mugs are safer on a boat. If you are sailing, pre-cut everything into one-handed portions. You will not have a spare hand for a knife and fork when the boat heels. Wedge your food box in the cockpit locker or under a seat. On the beach, find a spot out of the wind, spread a blanket, and weigh the corners down with bags or stones. Keep napkins under a plate. Take a small bag for rubbish and carry it home — gulls are bold and rubbish is not a good look on a beautiful coast. Finally, remember that salt air makes you thirsty. Take water as well as tea.

A simple coastal picnic plan

For a cool day out on the coast or a short sail, this plan works well. It serves two to four people and fits in one cool bag and one flask.

• Vacuum flask of lentil and bacon soup
• Crusty rolls, butter, cheese and pickle
• Two sausage rolls or a small pork pie
• Apples and oranges
• A slice of fruit cake or flapjack
• Ginger biscuits
• Vacuum flask of strong tea, milk in a separate bottle

Wrap the rolls in greaseproof paper, the cake in foil, and the fruit in a cloth. Pack a small knife, a spoon for the soup, and a bag for rubbish. If the weather turns, you can eat in the car, in a shelter, or under a tarpaulin. The food will still taste good. That is the whole point: a coastal picnic is not about perfection. It is about a hot mug of soup, a crusty roll, and the sound of the sea.