One of the easiest ways to organise a picnic while travelling is to buy what you need locally. A bakery, food market or small grocery shop can provide almost everything for lunch without spending the morning preparing food.

A bakery is often a good first stop. Fresh bread, croissants, savoury pastries or a simple filled baguette travel easily and can be eaten without much tableware. If you are leaving early for the beach, breakfast can even become the first part of the picnic.

Markets add plenty of choice. Tomatoes, peaches, melon, grapes and other seasonal produce need little preparation, while local cheeses, olives, cured meats and spreads can turn a loaf of bread into a complete lunch.

You do not need to buy something from every stall. A few things that work well together are usually enough. Bread with cheese and tomatoes, fruit for later and something sweet from the bakery can make a picnic without requiring a long shopping list.

Local delicatessens are useful when you want something already prepared. Salads, vegetable dishes, quiches and sandwiches are easy to take away and give you the chance to try food from the region without booking a restaurant for every meal.

A basket or reusable shopping bag makes it easy to collect everything along the way. Keep anything that needs refrigeration in a separate cool bag and pack a knife, napkins and a few reusable plates if the food requires them.

Shopping locally also means the picnic changes with the destination. A lunch bought in Provence will naturally look different from one put together in Greece, Italy or Spain because the bread, cheeses, fruit and prepared dishes available are different.

That is part of what makes a simple picnic interesting while travelling. Instead of planning the same lunch every time, you can see what is available that morning and take it with you to the beach or next stop on the road.

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