Picnic supplies in carry-on luggage

I think you would be able to acquire all those items at a grocery store/delicatessen
in country. Look at it as items you will use and throw away at the end of your trip.

A lot of us bring basic picnic/take out supplies. I bring sugar, salt and pepper packets, tea bags, a cork screw, bottle opener, plastic cups, plastic silverware, a lunch size cooler bag, a few napkins, paper towels and paper plates. I have a little water heater (its a coil that goes directly in mug) from Amazon. I like to bring single serve lemonade packets. I usually like to pick up a decorative dish towel from the country I'm visiting to use as a table cloth.

Be aware that metal table knives are not TSA approved, and will likely be taken away. You can bring cheese knives if you check a bag.

There have been at least a few posts on this topic if you want to do some searching. One was more along the lines of basic food items/utensils for eating in a hotel room.

Carry on, don’t bring a substantial metal knife. We have a couple bamboo knives, part of a picnic set that includes fork and spoon, which can work on cheese and even salami, but they’re not ideal. Slicing bread needs a decent knife, or you’re stuck with tearing off chunks. We’ve bought decent metal knives before a couple of times in Europe - still have the one from Spain, but brought it home in checked luggage.

If you bring a cutting board, don’t make it a big one. We’ve usually just winged it, using a book or other firm object with a towel over it, or cut things without a board. Tote - yes. A nylon bag that stuffs into a compact ball is great, and will be needed at a market. Maybe have a second tote bag.

Get enough paper towels over there. Several Ziplocs are helpful, although you can buy them in Europe - often the zipper isn’t as secure as actual SC Johnson Ziploc bags from home. For 6 weeks, have at least 4 gallon bags and 6-8 quarts. If you have something with liquid, like a container of olives in vinegar, or honey, or jam, a baggie will help to contain leaks and spills that would otherwise make a huge mess.

Cyn, The table knife I had confiscated in carry on bag had a blade less than 7 inches. The officer actually checked with the supervisor.

When I suggested paper towels, I meant about 10. Similar with paper plates, just a few. I would hate to buy a huge roll of paper towels and napkins when we really only needed a few. Likewise with ziplocks. What has happened to us a few times at the start of a trip, we were able to pick up food supplies but lacked a few things that would have made our impromptu picnic easier. Also, for a while I was leaving cups at home and then we were finding ourselves having to drink directly from a wine bottle. After a few trips now, I have everything we need already assembled. I tend to avoid throwaway items as much as possible.

I carry:

--small plastic plate (can be used as a cutting board as well.)
--Lexan cutlery ( strong plastic. Mine came from REI.)
--immersion heater
--heavy duty plastic mug for hot drinks
--tea bags
--individual salt and pepper packs
--ziploc bags
--coffee filters
-ground coffee (I buy it there.)
--coffee measuring spoon

I keep it all in a Tom Bihn Stuff Sack except for the plate, coffee filters, coffee and ziploc bags.

Depending on what you are going to cut you might consider a flexible plastic cutting board that you can cut down a bit. All of the flexible ones I've got are big but I've easily cut them in half. For myself, I often take a plastic lid from a big can of coffee for both a plate and a cutting board. Mine is from Folgers (and I wound up throwing the coffee away as it tasted terrible to me,lol).

I have the plastic lid, a bandana square, some salt/pepper packets picked up at fast food places, a spork (which I hate but it works kind of). I always have a Chico fold up shopping bag in my purse for anything I pick up when I am out and about.

I also take ziplocks from home. I like the freezer ones as they reuse pretty easily unless something is really messy.

Rick Steves used to sell a utensil kit that goes through security. Two heavy duty forks, spoons and knives and a small corkscrew all in a hard shell. it might still be for sale; haven't checked recently. It made it through security, but then the corkscrew broke the first time we tried to use it in France -- oh well. We still have the other utensils.

Thank you! I appreciate these lists and tips.

I bring a couple of Ziploc bags in each size - snack-to-gallon size and one plastic fork, spoon & knife. All of it goes into the largest Ziploc bag.

I also really like my silicone collapsible cups for anything liquid, even coffee, if you’re careful holding it. I also use them in the hotel bathrooms instead of the hotel cups.

They’re on Amazon: Silicone Collapsible Travel Cup - Silicone Folding Camping Cup with Lids - Expandable Drinking Cup Set - Portable, Graduated [9.22oz]

Dollar or Euro stores in Europe have everything you will need.
I’ve bought cutting boards, cutlery, can openers, wine openers, plates, paper towels, ziploc bags….the list goes on.

Just donate it to your last accommodation when you leave at the end of your trip.
No need to take up valuable carryon space!

I've often taken the plastic utensils from the inflight meal with me to use if needed.

We buy those souvenir plastic placemats of the places we visit. They work as a cutting surface and then they’re easy to bring home and use with sloppy eaters.

We have lost 2 supposedly “TSA approved” corkscrews lately, most recently at the Santa Rosa airport (in California wine country). So we won’t be taking those in our carry-on again.

This is the type of corkscrew we have always traveled with. Not the greatest for its purpose but fine.

https://www.amazon.com/Pocket-Corkscrew-MBW-NW-Brands/dp/B01C856CXS/ref=sr_1_9?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.T383kb0ToR3DwbPftPUVb5sv-ttA9SAND6vyzAO-S2j71BR0wJQCtcycZPAqmxMEsqBgZWNuocSTCIN9BwA8ua1G4YWA0_U5V1D09vjsVaKGbaB4FGkXt_llc8PRk7ijP3Hq_qV18flymhyMLIcQHNmuZ5_Wc7SIrgEUx71PIh46lp_mFnaLLL_-lDm21RVik_wOG5PvgcLVjN-yGWOZsPnB-1hdHQV36nZaxDe4ZvL7J-CkxbGyapfPkSTWfwF0HYcPHmRc4pMKh8fWNLeY9X7sjrDXjDlEWuh2yDSEHwM.R5B_NmBcPLsbVYmDZ0gpEgYwrCganCywfOlBFcKdh2M&dib_tag=se&keywords=corkscrew+tsa+approved&qid=1716057303&sr=8-9

Once, in France we saw a lovely corkscrew at a winery. Wood and felt great in the hand, inexpensive. We purchased it for the trip and brought it home in a checked bag. We typically check a bag on the way home and carry on at the beginning of a trip.

I agree with @S.J., make a stop at a local store, and you can get make a quick picnic kit, buying a few utensils, plates, etc.

You don't say where here you will be, but for example Carrefour in Spain has an offer:

https://www.carrefour.es/cesta-de-picnic-juego-para-4-personas-de-21-pzas-benetton-rainbow/VC4A-27187894/p?ic_source=portal-y-corporativo&ic_medium=search-empathy&ic_content=ns

Rick Steves used to sell a utensil kit that goes through security.

Still sells it, we have a set. Heavy duty plastic silverware for two that comes in its own little tube. They claim the knife will cut through baguette, etc, but we never tried that. We left the corkscrew at home thinking it could get confiscated by TSA and we aren’t wine drinkers anyway.

To clarify, at least for me, my "picnic kit" fits into a zipper bag about the size of a pen/pencil pouch. This is something that can be slipped out on a train, or carried during a sightseeing day. We do have a child's lunch box insulated bag that we sometimes use for meat and cheese, and I have a tote bag that folds into a very small pocket that also fits into the zipper bag. The cooler bag is just as handy for the flight if we want to bring snacks that fare better if kept cold. I just like to have these small items handy because I'm more likely to pick up provisions at a cheese store or a bakery, than a big grocery store.

We've never done anything for a cutting board but I love the idea of the small flexible sheets. I very much appreciate this post because I just received some awesome collapsible cups from Amazon. I can see these as being incredibly handy. Because they have a lid, they could serve as a container. @Jean, your recommendation of these cups is much appreciated! These cups are relatively sturdy and collapse very small.

I save the take away utensil packs that are sealed in plastic. They usually have a fork, knife, napkin and salt & pepper. I bring a few on the trip. I have a small flexible cutting board that takes up no space. Always bring a fold up grocery bag. I bring several ziplocks, both gallon & qt size. I’ve read about people bringing Turkish towels because they’re so lightweight and multi purpose. Haven’t tried them yet.

Can I add one more thing?

I started taking a plastic bag with me to Paris to use either on a wet bench or one covered with bird poo. I have some holiday ones from Trader Joes that are heavier plastic as well as one from TJ Maxx. We also had a thread where we discussed taking a piece of pretty oilcloth to sit on.

One of the things I use almost daily when traveling is a reusable shopping bag for trips to the market. I love this small one from Marimekko. It folds into a pouch and is very lightweight. I keep it in my purse.

https://www.marimekko.com/us_en/bags/shopping-bags/smartbag-unikko-bag-white-black-091492-190

For those of you who like coffee first thing in the morning but can't stand instant--I'm talking about me--I have found three ways to get this:

This is what I have been using up to this point:

Hanging Coffee Filters

They're good but you can only get them online.

I have used the following two as well and will start bringing one on my travels:

Silicone Collapsible Filter

You do need to buy a paper filter but they are available everyhwere.

GSI Java Drip

This one weighs less than an ounce, folds up flat, and doesn't need any paper filters although you can use one if you like. I use them because I find the coffee tastes better and clean up is easy. These are the same filters used in the previous example and found everywhere.

In general, I find many items designed for backpacking work for light travel as well

I use the collapsible silicone pour over described by Frank for camping. It does pack up very thin. Come to think of it, why am I not taking it to Europe? I refuse to drink those packets of freeze dried poison.