You Need To Know The Secret To Packing Food For Diner En Blanc
Hey Cuties,
It is the end of August here in the DMV area, and that means it is time for Diner En Blanc (DEB). DEB is always the third Saturday in the month of August for us. It is usually our big date night before school is back in session. It is one of our favorite events of the year, no two DEBs are the same. Yes, the premise and the concept is the same but each experience is a different one which is part of why we love it so much.
Our meet up spot was at the City Center in Washington, DC. For the first time ever this was a location that ONLY required us to walk, no mass transit. While walking in quite convienient it took some of the fun chaos and adventure out of getting to the meetup spot. We ended up a few steps away from the White House (rolls eyes) on Pennsylvania Avenue at Freedom Plaza. This is our second time literally being in the streets of DC.
The Look:
I am always concentrated on what I’m going to wear, all the other details come secondary to that. I shop for the perfect DEB look all year long because white is tricky. This year I auditioned a few looks but I wasn’t feeling them for one reason or another. I settled out on something I already owned that was both comfy and cute and easy to move around in. The ease of movement is a vital part because you must tote your things. If that skirt looks familiar, it should it is the skirt I got married in. I know you didn’t think it was just going to sit in my closet for years to come. Lies you tell! My ruffle t-shirt was an old purchase from H&M for $2, and my sneakers are my pearl embellished bridal sneakers.
Every year I try to get friends to join us, and every year they don’t. *Kanye shrug* Babe and I always have a great time, but it would be even more fun to have some friends join us. In the planning phase, you have to make sure everyone can get together in the same group and table area so you sit side by side. People always say they want to go AFTER they see our pictures. The great part is we usually end up with cool tablemates.
The Menu:
Food is an important part of the Diner En Blanc experience. You have to transport your food, it is not going to be hot by the time you arrive at your destination. It was several hours from the time I packed out food up at home to the time we sat at ate. Keeping that in mind I plan accordingly. This year I took a lazier approach because life was crazy busy leading up to DEB. I pretty much got our meal from Costco. They have a croissant sandwich and Cesar salad combo that I got for us. I also grabbed some of their Cilantro shrimp to go on top of our salad. I want something that is delicious, filling and taste good cold, or at room temperature. The empanada on the side was given to us by our tablemate, it had salmon in it and it was quite yummy. She said it was so good we had to try it and it did not disappoint.
Food Packing Hack:
I’ve shared what we ate, now let me hip you to some game. This is how I packaged everything up and made it easy for transport. Every year I use the kid’s insulated lunch bags to store our food. On the right, I put the shrimp in a small stackable lunch container, below it is two sandwich containers that hold our sandwiches. On the backside of the shrimp, I used two smaller stackable containers to hold our salad dressing and mayo/mustard for our sandwiches. All of these containers belong to the children. The very bottom container is a Rubbermaid container holding our salad.
The picture of the left shows our stackable containers with icepacks in between them. This year the weather was perfectly cool. It years past it has been sweltering so ice packs were very necessary. The entire stack fits inside the lunch box nicely and then I zip it up. I also put ice in insulated containers that will keep it frozen for 12hrs.
Every year this is the money shot. The sparklers never get old.
Because I’m a kid I love writing with chalk.
If you like it then you betta put your name on it.
This shot is so dope!!!
Diner En Blanc owes us nothing, we will be back in 2020!
Other Diner En Blanc Tips:
What to pack and buy for a carefree experience. + Tech tips, what gadgets will you need to capture your evening.
You can find ALL of your DEB needs in my Amazon Shop! I made it super easy for you.
Have you been? Would you go? Chat with me in the comments below or FB, IG, and Twitter.
Your photos and coverage of DEB is always top notch. My sister attends the one in DC every year too.
But DEB just sounds like so much work!
Transportation, attire, transporting your own food!
I’d rather dress up and go to a restaurant.
My sister keeps begging me to come to DC for it every summer; I don’t think I ever will.
Try it at least once. I had to talk my husband into it the first time. He was kicking and screaming the entire way. He just couldn’t grasp why people would do all of this. Then he got there and he felt the experience. He isn’t someone easy to change but I damn sure hit him with the I TOLD YOU SO SIR!! lol
The photos always look great, but I personally can’t get with lugging all of that stuff. I’m probably lazy. I have a few friends that have done and it loved it just as much as you.
It sounds crazy Kim, I get it. Try it once, and I bet you will be changed. There is something so magical about the experience.
I have yet to do a Diner En Blanc. One of these days I will get to experience it but I love your recaps every year!
You will love it, have someone sponsor you.
OMG what a fun way to spend an evening! You’re loving these white parties. They have this here in Toronto but I have never been, but am so making it a point to attend in 2020.
You should go, they are a lot of fun.
I’ve never done a DEB but it looks like such a good time! I love your outfit and the fact that you and your boo go with or without friends joining you. Great tips on how to pack food! I hope I can go one day
Thanks, its an annual day date for us and we always have a great time.