DIY Picnic Basket

A few weeks ago I wrote a post about how we designed our dining room to be the best spot for Don to eat. Ever since he transitioned from a high chair, we’ve struggled with convincing him that he needs to eat. Sigh!

As a mom with an interior design background, I turn to good design for the solution to some of my troubles. The next thing I decided to try- new dishes. Here’s what I figure, maybe a set that is designed just for him would help him enjoy meal time a little more.

dishes designed for kids

The tableware I decided to go with is Munchkin’s Color me Hungry set. It comes in four colors (green, blue, pink, and purple) so I could get a color Don loves. They are the perfect size for toddlers and come with a grippy undersize so they stay on the table. Which is perfect since Don feeds himself.

The set comes in a really cute box that doubles as a fun coloring activity. When we got ours in the mail the box made Don so excited to open it up! He immediately felt like this was just for him.

The set includes a flat and divided plate and a bowl. They are super thick and look like they’ll be really durable. They are deep too which helps kids easily scoop up food without it landing on the table. I really love the divided plates since they keep food separated with the deep sloping sides.

Another thing I love is the training cup with lid. It’s exactly designed like the water bottles my husband and I use so he feels grown up using it! The press-fit lid reduces messes while teaching him to use a big kid cup. Such a win win!

Lastly, the set includes a toddler utensil set. I love these because they look like what an adult would have with the stainless steel tops. Plus they’re designed to fit little mouths and hands. The handles are easy to grip and safe for kids to cut with.

We’ve loved having this set in our home! It is hands down, Don’s favorite. And it’ll make a great gift too if you have any little kids in your life. This tableware set is top rated on Amazon and I can see why- it’s perfectly designed for kids!

how to make a DIY picnic basket

I thought it’d be fun to make a little picnic basket that hold’s the Munchkin Color me Hungry dish set! You can customize it for adults too.

Let’s start with the video tutorial so you get an overview on what I did. Then, I’ll dive in with more details below:

If the video doesn’t work here, you can watch it on YouTube here. P.s. I’m trying to build that page up, so if you’d subscribe, I’d really appreciate that!

SUPPLIES

Munchkin Color me Hungry dish set
Basket
1/4 yard fabric of choice
Tab closure with buckle
Swivel Snap Hook (for handle)
Empty Cereal Box (any cardboard will do)
1/4″ Braided Elastic
1″ Woven Strap Tape
Hot glue gun
Needle and thread
Scissors

step 1

Start by making the handle. For this, I sewed woven strap tape onto two swivel snap hooks. Then I simply attached the snap hooks onto the basket. I just opened them up and connected them to the fibers of the basket.

step 2

Next, I hot glued the tab closure onto the basket. If you want, you can go back with needle and thread to further secure.

step 3

And now, it’s time to create the liner. For this step, I cut a used cereal box to fit in the top and the bottom of the basket.

Then I used my fabric and wrapped it over the cardboard and hot glued it onto the cardboard. I used dinosaur fabric because I am making a mini basket for my son, but classic gingham would be adorable!

step 4

Finally, it’s time to add on the elastic for this DIY picnic basket! To do that, I cut my elastic to size and then glued it onto the liner. Again, you can reinforce with needle and string, but just the glue has held up great fo me. I put my Munchkin Color me Hungry dish set in the bottom of the basket so I could put napkins and food on top of it. Plus, this felt a little more secure.

after

And now you have your very own DIY picnic basket! This easy craft is great for a gift, or for enjoying with kids. I made mine a smaller size just for my son, but you could go bigger and do an adult version too.

I surprised Don with his new basket with a little picnic in our yard. He loved it! Honestly, we both did. Is there anything better than a summer picnic?!

Thanks for reading along! If you have any questions on the basket or the Munchkin Color me Hungry dish set, just ask in the comments!

This post is sponsored by Munchkin– all opinions are mine own. This post contains some affiliate links for your convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.