A new kind of pastime

We love picnics, and we have for a long time. Whilst eating outside has been a natural phenomenon since mankind has existed, picnics are a more recent, fashionable affair. Picnics as we know them started to really take off in the 18th century, as a pastime loved by the French aristocracy. Appearing slightly before the first restaurants, picnics were a fun twist to the rules and tradition of dining, bringing what had always been indoors, outdoors. 

Soon after, the British took a liking to the art of picnicking, with Victorians using it as a way to escape from the restraints of their society so preoccupied with formalities, and to connect with nature. One of the most famous artistic depictions from this era is Édouard Manet’s “Le Déjeuner sur l’herbe” from 1863, beautifully illustrating the decadence associated with this activity. After the French revolution, the event’s core egalitarianism even trickled down to picnics, with lower-class people also starting to participate in this movement.

With the increase in modes of transportation in the 20th century, such as trains and cars, a much larger amount of people were able to travel to the country and seaside, opening up a whole new world of leisure. 

Suddenly, there was a need for specific food items that were practical and easy to transport, and ideally, survived the journey in the first place. Soon, sandwiches became a picnic favourite, and synonymous with summertime, days out at the beach or lazy afternoons in the park. 

The best picnic sandwiches

To help you enjoy your own picnics this summer, we thought we’d share a few delicious, practical sandwich ideas with you.  If you’re looking for a tasty veggie sandwich, try a grilled halloumi sandwich with our Granary® bread. Full of taste and texture, this sandwich is a great way to spice up your basics. 

Another tasty option is a prawn, avocado and chilli sandwich on Hovis® Seeded Batch bread. Bursting with freshness, this one screams to be eaten when basking in the sunshine.

For a slightly indulgent option, you could make an avocado, tomato, basil & burrata sandwich with the Hovis® Rustic Seeded Bloomer® loaf, which is baked and topped with sunflower seeds, linseed, poppy, millet and golden linseed for a deliciously rich, nutty finish.

Our final suggestion can help you make use of any roast chicken leftovers, with a chicken Waldorf sandwich on Hovis^®Soft White Medium Sliced. This one will be sure to leave no crumbs.