There’s no better, easier or cheaper way to simultaneously celebrate our short window of beautiful spring weather and escape the bubble of Northwestern than going on a picnic. It’s May, and in the time leading up to the ultimate celebration of spring, Dillo Day, the Lakefill is just begging to be relaxed upon, basket of snacks in hand. A quick walk, bike ride or shuttle ride away, having a meal in the Lakefill’s open air in the spring is not only nicer but much easier to fit into your schedule than riding the El somewhere downtown. And of course, everyone knows that food just tastes better when eaten al fresco. But putting together the ideal picnic takes a bit of planning. Not everything delicious is portable, so you’ll have to figure out options that are both tasty and Tupperware-ready. Thankfully, there are tons of cheap, delicious and packable foods to choose from that are sure to please even the pickiest of picnickers. Picnic Basket Ideas 1 Eat as the Europeans do and bring an array of your favorite cheeses as well as some more interesting choices. Try goat cheese for a refreshing spread on crackers or sandwiches. Combine goat cheese with low-fat sour cream, chopped green onions, fresh parsley, chopped basil, one or two garlic cloves, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper and pulse in a blender until well combined. This creates a low-fat, refreshingly tangy and creamy dip that you can pack in a plastic container. Or for a healthy dessert, try goat cheese with fruit like grapes or figs and walnuts, and drizzle with honey. 2 Bread is an easy picnic staple that is great on its own or topped with meats, cheeses or spreads. A crusty baguette is a traditional and fail-proof choice, but try Ciabatta for softer and more sandwich-friendly slices. Or, forgo slicing and use cubes of day-old crusty bread to make a panzanella salad by combining the cubes with chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions and fresh basil. Whip up a dressing of olive oil, red wine vinegar, capers, salt and pepper to pack separately for the perfect salty-sweet summer dish. 3 Another staple of the European-style picnic is a smorgasbord of thinly sliced local meats to be eaten plain, with cheese or on bread. Make it interesting by combining this picnic must-have with another, fruit. Wrap wedges of melon in thin slices of prosciutto, stack in a container, and sprinkle with a little olive oil and black pepper. Serve under romaine lettuce for a bite-sized breadless sandwich.