Celebrate the Light with a Daylight Savings Time Picnic

We all get the doldrums when the days are short. It seems its dark when we get up and dark when we get home from work. During the winter, we barely get the chance to enjoy the sun, especially if we’re cooped up in an office or busy at home, rarely venturing outside during the daylight hours. So, when it’s time to “spring ahead” one hour, we rejoice at the opportunity to grab some extra minutes of light which – undoubtedly – helps us shed the winter blahs.

Spring Ahead Picnic Party

When daylight savings time arrives, there’s more than reason to celebrate! Some particularly festive types mark its arrival with a party. And why not? A get-together is a great way to mark the coming of spring and the joy that extra daylight brings, and if the weather permits, why not make it a “Spring Ahead Picnic Party”?

For those who really enjoy being outside, a picnic is the ideal way for marking the return of longer days. So, gather your like-minded friends and pack a special meal that pays homage to the extended daylight. How about stocking your picnic basket with items related to the sun or those that are sun-colored? You can include items such as:

Oranges, clementines, or tangerines

Orange juice or lemonade

Sunflower seeds

Round cookies with sunshine-colored frosting (orange or yellow)

Circle-shaped orange cheese sandwiches

Mini lemon tarts

Cantaloupe wrapped in prosciutto

Simple grilled chicken topped with mango salsa

Carrots with your favorite dip

Dried apricots

And any other orange or yellow foods!

One particularly healthy orange food is sweet potatoes and, if you have time to prepare ahead, there are many ways you can serve them at your picnic. Of course, traditional potato salads are a picnic favorite. Here’s one that uses these vitamin-packed sun-colored tubers and another sunny fruit as well!

Sweet Potato Salad

6 med. sweet potatoes, peeled

1 (8 oz.) can pineapple chunks, drained

1/2 c. sliced celery

1/2 c. chopped pecans

1 c. mayonnaise, low fat

1/4 c. sour cream, low fat

In a large pot, cook sweet potatoes in boiling water for about 30 minutes or until fork tender. Let the potatoes cool and then cut into ½-inch cubes. In a large bowl, combine sweet potatoes, pineapple, celery, and pecans. Combine the mayo and sour cream and fold into the other ingredients. Chill and place in an insulated container for transporting to the picnic. Serves 8-10.

Springing Ahead to Festive Days in The Sun

Sunday, March 10th is the 2013 date we get to “spring forward” and 10 short days later on the 20th is the spring equinox, the official beginning of spring. Make an excuse to get away, out of the office and into the sunshine for a Daylight Savings Time Picnic!