Riley Brandt

During our fleeting frost-free months, Calgarians like to take their meals outdoors whenever possible, as evidenced by brimming patios on sunny days. But instead of jockeying for position on a patio, go find yourself a patch of grass — picnics are making a comeback.

Of course, you'll need something to eat. There's always the option to stop for a roasted chicken and any number of prefab salads at a grocery store — Safeway, Superstore, Save-On and Sobey’s all have them — or order sushi to pick up en route to the park (bonus: napkins and chopsticks are provided). But if you want to go that extra mile for something special or different, here are some ideas that will help you think outside the picnic basket.

AIDA’S (2208 4 St. S.W.)

Yes, they let you take out. Call ahead and pick up kabobs or sandwiches (my favourite is the grilled cheese — majdool and feta with tomato and olives, broiled in a pita), an order of mouhammara, hummus or baba ghannouj, maybe some fatayer — pita pastry triangles stuffed with spinach — all perfect for eating on the grass.

L'ÉPICERIE (1325 1 St. S.E.)

At the new(ish) French deli between Bernard Callebaut and Manuel Latruwe you can pick up sandwiches on chewy baguettes; their signature filling consists of duck leg rillettes, cornichons and grainy mustard. Or pick up some soup, a just-broiled croque monsieur, or traditional niçoise salad. There are French macaroons and tarts for dessert, or head next door to Manuel Latruwe for an even wider selection of treats.

FORAGE FOODS (3508 19 St. S.W.)

Forage is the place to pick up perfectly roasted organic chicken, which they serve throughout the summer with potato salad. You can also grab cucumbers, baby carrots, a jar of their house-made salsa and a bag of Tres Marias corn chips. For dessert, chocolate chip cookies, rickety uncles (chewy, buttery, oaty, caramelly goodness) and toffee bars.

JIMMY’S A&A DELI (1401 20 Ave. N.W. and 213 6 Ave. S.E.)

Really, their shawarmas are drippy enough to demand being eaten outside, in flip-flops, anyway; a medium is enormous and enough for two if you’re with someone who doesn’t mind sharing. To round out your meal there are tabbouleh salads, olives and 10 types of baklava to choose from.

CROSSROADS MARKET (1235 26 Ave. S.E.)

At Calgary’s largest indoor-outdoor market you can pick up an assortment of cheeses, crackers, perhaps a jar of olives and a roll of Hob-Nobs from Say Cheese Fromagerie, a few small pies from Simple Simon or some sausage sticks from Regina’s, and a bag of whatever is in season from any of the produce stands.

VALTA BISON (703 23 Ave. S.E.)

From the deli counter, Montreal smoked bison sandwiches and honey-garlic bison sticks; from the produce cooler, bags of wee rainbow carrots from Hotchkiss farms and chunks of Sylvan Star Gouda.

LINA’S (2211 Centre St. N.) or

CALGARY ITALIAN SUPERMARKET (265 20 Ave. N.E.)

Within blocks of each other, both Lina’s and the Calgary Italian Supermarket have takeout items as well as extensive delis where you can pick up Italian meats and cheeses (think sopressata, prosciutto, bresola, serrano ham, provolone, bocconcini, feta), as well as things like roasted peppers, olives, artichokes and fresh Italian loaves for do-it-yourself sandwiches. On Saturdays (only until 4 p.m.), the Italian Supermarket at the corner of Edmonton Trail and 20th Avenue N.E. makes wood-fired pizzas on chewy, bulbous crusts, with real Italian toppings and cheeses you choose. After a short stint in the oven you can eat it there, or have them slide it into a box to take to the park.

PACK YOUR OWN PICNIC

The primary concerns when packing a picnic are temperature and portability — that is, does it need to be kept cold, will it taste good at neutral temperature, and will it get soggy/shatter/melt en route? Keep these things in mind when planning your menu.

Legume-based dips (hummus or white bean dip, for example) travel well with baby carrots and pitas for dipping. If you love sandwiches, use sturdier crusty breads or buns — regular sandwich bread tends to have a high sog factor. Grainy and bean salads tend to be more wilt-proof than leafy ones; with fresh greens, bring the dressing along separately in a jar.

If you’re a regular picnicker, stash a blanket in the trunk and pick up some cheap cutlery from Value Village — most plastic cutlery can’t be recycled. If anything is freezable (i.e. drinks, baked goods), freeze it — they will keep the rest of the picnic cool but thaw by the time you’re ready to eat.