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House your sarnies and fizz in one of these practical wicker hampers
Nothing beats a picnic for turning a casual catch-up into a special occasion. It’s the perfect way to mark summer birthdays, while away a lazy weekend and cut the cost when travelling with a family to the beach or an outdoor event.
You could just sling everything in a carrier bag and go, but investing in an attractive picnic hamper makes even a few sarnies feel like a real event.
A wicker basket can include all the essentials you need to enjoy a proper meal outdoors or simply serve as a dedicated container to prevent squashed quiche.
Some are more family-friendly and include plastic plates and glasses, while others are seriously luxurious hampers, too good to save for the occasional day out. All are guaranteed to make your picnic the envy of the park.
We lugged our hampers on days out in the countryside, to the local park and even feasted alfresco in our own back garden to discover the most brilliant basket. We judged each one on its weight, contents and style, plus how much room we had inside for our food and an obligatory bottle of wine.
We considered how easy it was to carry and keep clean, if it kept our food fresh, how family-friendly it was and whether it gave our picnic a little pizazz.
The Tower heritage 6-person wicker picnic hamper is fantastically practical but also feels like a real treat to use. We loved that it packed in enough for six and that there was so much room to include food too. If you want even more space for snacks and bubbly, the Fortnum & Mason hamper tote is easier to carry than any traditional basket but still proves you take a good picnic seriously.
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