Calgary has so many wonderful parks, playgrounds and green spaces that can be enjoyed all year long. Every quadrant of this City has your family covered for outdoor fun. Spring comes to life at the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary, hot summer afternoons are best spent cooling off at Prairie Winds Spray Park, and it’s easy to be mesmerized by the beautiful fall colors while walking the trails in Fish Creek Park. And don’t forget the winter fun to be had with the sledding hills and cross-country skiing trails in Confederation Park.
\n \nNo afternoon of outdoor fun is complete without a picnic! Here are a few local joints that are perfect for picking up your picnic lunch to go!
\nPiknic Sandwich Cafe
\nLocated in Brentwood, this Korean-influenced cafe is the perfect spot to pick up picnic items such as their Seoulful Bulgogi Sandwich (one of the more popular sandwiches), their beautiful financiers and cookies (the Lotus Cookie is a personal favorite), and their amazing lattes. The Peanut Cream Latte with its peanut butter cream topping is dessert in and of itself!
\nThey also offer up a variety of soups, sandwiches, smoothies, and signature canned juices. Piknic Sandwich Cafe is less than ten minutes away from Confederation Park, so don’t forget to pack your picnic basket to this picnic party!
\nThe Lazy Loaf & Kettle
\nLocally owned and operated since 1994, this bakery/cafe has everything you need for the perfect picnic. All of their bread is made in-house, and they have fresh homemade soups, cinnamon buns, and bakery items daily. You can even get a sandwich made to your liking with their “Build Your Own Sandwich” board, which has at least six options of homemade breads, seven types of meat/protein fillings, five different kinds of cheeses, and a variety of condiments and veggies (including artichokes!). They make ordering ahead for your family outing easy, as you can phone in your order ahead of time or email them to
Fraser & Fig
\nGetting small children to take a break to eat when at a playground can be difficult. What’s the solution? Picnic charcuterie! Fraser & Fig can whip up the perfect picnic box for you and your family. They even have one called “The Perfect Picnic Graze” (what could be more appropriate?)! Their boxes/boards are curated on a monthly basis, and come with delicious cheeses, scrumptious meats, local and seasonal produce, nuts, olives, pickles & carrots, and local jams and mustard (most of which are made in-house). You need to order ahead (they only ask for a minimum of one hour’s notice), but ordering on their website (fraserandfig.com) is super easy, and there are a few options to customize your box, such as substituting out blue cheese or indicating whether your picnic graze needs to be nut-free. Being located in Marda Loop, Fraser & Fig is less than ten minutes away from Sandy Beach, which features picnic areas and shelters, fire pits (in case you need to add some s’mores for dessert!), and even an inclusive playground. Don’t forget to pick up the crackers!
\nEating outdoors is such a healthy and beneficial way to spend time with our families and friends. Being in nature helps us relax and slow down, and teaches us to be mindful while eating. We disconnect, and it keeps the kiddos away from the television and computers. Not to mention it should aid in a good night’s sleep for all!
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Jennifer is a local foodie with a passion for food writing. Find more of her food writing on her Facebook page: For The Love of Food YYC.
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