AT A PICNIC: Everyday Etiquette

Do ask the picnic organizer what you can bring. Try to arrive a little early to set up and stay until the end to clean up.

Don’t poach the ribs or Aunt Gertie’s famous Upside-Down Pineapple Cake. Take only one serving and wait until everyone is served before going back for seconds.

Do bring enough for your family and other folks as well. If you have a family of eight, a bag of Doritos and a smile isn’t going to cut it. If you are a vegetarian, remember to bring enough black bean burgers and tofu hot dogs for others to sample and enjoy. Picnics are about sharing food.

Don’t give your cousins the stink-eye for bringing a jumbo edible from Sam’s Club. Sure, you may have spent five hours whipping up the Jell-O mold that folds out into a likeness of Lady Gaga. That doesn’t mean your food is better than theirs.