I admit to being a minor fanatic when it comes to picnics. Whether it's elaborately planned or impromptu, the simple act of packing a meal and eating it somewhere else, from the beach to the backyard, makes the food taste better and the occasion feel more special.

Plus, you get the pleasure of feeding your friends without having to clean your home.

I own not one but three picnic carrying devices: a traditional flat-top basket, a fancy backpack with service for four (including a corkscrew and little plastic wine glasses) and a soft-sided cooler with a shoulder strap -- perfect for feeding the masses. All come in handy, all summer long -- rain or shine.

I've served several of my most recent picnics at the house my carpenter-boyfriend is renovating. (How else is a guy covered in drywall dust going to eat?)

The way I see it, if you've packed food for more than one person and plan to eat it somewhere other than the office break room or a moving vehicle, you're on a picnic -- no ants required.

PICNIC WINES

Picnics are times for inexpensive wines, pulled dripping from ice-filled coolers. Here are some good ones. (Prices are for 1.5-liter magnums.)

• 2006 Woodbridge Chardonnay, California: soft and ripe with pineapple flavors; $13.49.

• 2007 Beringer White Zinfandel, California: crisp and dry, with tart strawberry flavors; $11.19.

• 2006 Bolla Pinot Grigio delle Venezie, Italy: light and crisp with lemony flavors; $14.99.

• 2006 Cavit Merlot, Trentino, Italy: lean, dry and light-bodied with cherry flavors; $12.99.

• 2006 Black Swan Shiraz, Australia: soft, ripe and sweet with black plum flavors; $10.99.

• 2007 Lindeman's Cabernet Sauvignon, Australia: ripe black cherry flavors, medium tannin; $11.99.

-- FRED TASKER

A SOPHISTICATED REPAST

These dishes are elegant, yet easy to tote:

• Tomatoes Stuffed With Avocado and Smoked Salmon

• Mediterranean Couscous

• Turkey, ham and/or roast-beef roll-ups (roll up thick-cut slices of gourmet-quality deli meat and tie with strands of chives or green onion)

• Parkerhouse rolls

• Hazelnut-Milk Chocolate Chunk Cookies

GEARING UP

Give your next picnic a dash of panache with ''table'' ware that's anything but basic.

Picnic plates have moved beyond paper and Styrofoam; fresh, lightweight and reusable melamine plates are the new essential. Round red plates, $1.25-$2 each, from Pier 1 Imports. Bongenre's vibrant ''Anya Susani'' melamine plates are dishwasher-safe; $11 each at bongenre.com.

We also love simple wooden utensils, which come 10 per pack. Spoons, forks and knives sold separately. $2 per pack, at Pier 1 Imports. Also, the Light My Fire spork, a spoon-fork-knife combo (one fork tine has a serrated cutting edge), is made of dishwasher-safe polycarbonate. Available in yellow, red, blue and green, they're $9.99 a four-pack at campmor.com.

On the luxury front, Toss Designs' moc-croc wine carrier, comes with two wine glasses, a corkscrew, a wine bottle stopper and two cloth napkins. The adjustable strap lets you carry it as a tote or shoulder bag. It's $64 at tossdesigns.com.

The economical Steady Stick wine bottle holder is $11.95 at Crate and Barrel. The matching wine-glass holder is $9.95.

-- MCT NEWS SERVICE

PACKING TIPS

• If you want tomatoes or other items on your sandwich that make bread soggy, pack them separately and add at mealtime.

• Skip messy foods like Buffalo chicken wings, meatball subs and, of course, ice cream.

• If you won't be eating right away, keep perishables chilled with cold gel packs or frozen water bottles.

• Scientifically proven fact: Sandwiches taste better if they're cut into little triangles.

-- MCT NEWS SERVICE

KID-FRIENDLY FARE

If you think South Florida summers are too hot and muggy for picnics, you haven't tried supper on the beach. By 5 or 6 p.m., the sun has dipped, the crowds have thinned and -- barring rain -- the dining is divine. Here are a few fun menu ideas:

• Baked empanadas (pictured at right): Buy and thaw disks of frozen empanada dough, fill them with browned ground beef you've flavored with taco seasoning mix (follow package directions) and bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes, until lightly browned.

• Super sandwiches: Split a loaf of Cuban or French bread lengthwise, spread it with mustard, mayo, etc., layer it with sliced meats and cheeses, close it up and slide it back into the bread bag. Slice and serve at the beach.

• Pigs in a blanket: Divide 12 to 14 ounces of refrigerated or frozen (thawed) pizza dough into 6 portions. Roll each into a 3-by-4-inch rectangle. Spread on a little mustard and/or ketchup. Roll up a hot dog in each piece, sealing ends and seam. Bake 12-14 minutes at 425 degrees, until golden brown. (Adapted from wholefoodsmarket.com.)

-- KATHY MARTIN

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