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A whicker picnic basket containing red and which check napkins, bread and wine, is sat on a table. The table is also covered in a red and white check table cloth with items of cured meat, glasses of rosé wine, grapes and tomatoes. The background is o
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Friday 16th August 2024

Five of the best picnic hampers

August brings park life, client entertaining and team building. All you need is food... 

The Fortnum & Mason Piccadilly Summer Picnic for 2

Fortnum & Mason is synonymous with picnic hampers and this tucker-laden treasure chest from the upmarket grocers will bring a touch of Piccadilly poshness to any client get-together. Expect smoked trout croquettes, chicken terrine with cornichons, pickled crudites and a fancy-pants cheeseboard. There’s a bottle of English rosé while the hardware is every bit as top-shelf as the food: two Govino wine glasses, picnic plates, a Halen Mon Pinch Me salt tin, Waiter’s Friend corkscrew and a bamboo cutlery set. Probably not one to take to a drizzly rendezvous in a car park. 
Price: £150
Discover the Piccadilly Summer Picnic for 2 hamper from Fortnum & Mason

A selection of sweet and savoury food on plates, bowls and cheeseboards, with a bottle of rosé wine on a table in front of teal Fortnum and Mason picnic hamper. It is surrounded by flowers and shrubs

The Hawkstone Luxury Beer Hamper

A glass of beer, a brown bottle of Hawkstone Lager, bowls of nuts and crips and a white bag of crisps

Jeremy Clarkson is now in the picnic hamper trade. Don’t let that put you off. His Hawkstone beer range has been acclaimed for its taste (Elon Musk’s verdict? “As beer goes, that’s great”. Again, don’t let that you put you off). This hamper features four Hawkstone beers: a premium lager, IPA, pilsner and session beer while there are also savoury treats which pair alongside Clarkson’s brewskis, including truffle-infused ‘snacking cheese’ and olives. As with most hampers, the margins are high (£45 seems a little pricy for four bottles of beer and some snacks) so picnickers may be forgiven for substituting it with a few cans and a packet of crisps from the local off-licence instead.  
Price: £46
Find out more about the Hawkstone Luxury Beer Hamper

Wimbledon at Home Vegan Afternoon Tea by British Fine Foods

A selection of sweet and savoury picnic items on a table. An unidentified person is placing strawberries and cream on the table. There are lilac flowers in the background

The grass-side picnics are as big a part of the Wimbledon experience as the tennis. Should you want to recreate a Centre Court vibe for your next team shindig, then this vegan offering is the next best thing. The double-cream is plant-based, the fruit scones is devoid of gluten, while the clotted cream is dairy-free. It would be heresy not to include strawberries, of course and the Wimbledon at Home’s strawberries are worthy to grace any Grand Slam winner’s punnet, having been sourced from Hugh Lowe Farms in Kent. There’s also a black pepper-encrusted “not cheese” log, tomato & chilli jam, red pesto pâté and a lemon posset too. No Pimm’s though.
Price: £69
Find out more about the Wimbledon at Home Vegan Picnic

Alcohol Free Afternoon Tea by Appleyard Flowers

A selection of sweet and savoury foods places around a bottle, white teapot and cup and saucer, and a large Appleyard London material bag

This summer no-lo drinks have truly taken off. Sales of alcohol-free/low-alcohol booze have soared this year; ubiquitous at both garden barbecues and Euro 2024 pub parties. Appleyard Flowers’ afternoon tea hamper has plenty to sate drinkers and non-drinkers alike, with its Good & Proper tea and refreshing pear juice from orchards in the Malvern Hills. Alongside the thirst-quenchers, there’s Ameretti (not related to Amaretto!) soft almond biscuits, Guylian chocolates, a Seggiano chocolate and orange cantuccini (biscotti), pitta chips, cheddar cheese crackers and Firetree Vanutau chocolate. 
Price: £56.99
Discover Appleyard Flowers’ Alcohol Free Afternoon Tea

Charcuterie Summer Picnic Hamper by Imp and Maker

A bird's eye view of a selection of charcuterie foods include cured meats, cheeses, a tin of olives, salad and a bottle of wine

If £179 seems a little steep for a hamper, consider the quality and sheer size of this Spanish-flavoured selection. There’s Ibérico de Bellota sliced chorizo, salchichón and hand-carved jamon, along with premium cheeses (Lincolnshire Vintage Poacher, gorgonzola and brie). Imp and Maker also throw in a bottle of Rioja alongside a bounty of snacks including onion marmalade, semidried tomatoes, a jar of pickled onions, some balsamic vinegar and focaccia. ¡Salud!
Price: £179
Find out about the Charcuterie Summer Picnic Hamper

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