This comes from a booklet put out by Thermos (the company) in 1928. It’s one of those advertising booklets that companies put out to showcase their products and how useful they are; this one is focused on picnics, specifically “motor picnics” which is when you take your car out somewhere and have a picnic. Obviously it showcases many (probably useful) Thermos products and their prices, but it ALSO has some interesting non-Thermos bits, including the stuff that’s in this post: a selection of picnic menus!
I find menus very useful, actually, because while I can make a meal or two on my own I struggle with putting together multi-dish meals (why? idk). So whenever I find a vintage menu, I perk up!
All these menus are variations on a theme, and the theme is “things you can put in a Thermos and carry with you.” I did like how there’s different options for multiple party sizes, and how the picnic food actually does look easy to put together.
I’ve also included a page called “Motor Rules” which is basically a plea for people to act right when they drive around. Enjoy!
👉 Related: “When We Eat Out of Doors” (1929) plus Broiled Hamburg Steak Recipe
🌟 More Outdoors / All Vintage Recipes / More 1920s
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Picnic Menus for 5 People
Menu No. 1
- 1 cold chicken (carved and each part wrapped in wax paper)
- 10 slices whole-wheat buttered bread, in sandwiches
- 5 small tomatoes
- 1 head celery, cleaned and cut into pieces for each person
- 5 cucumber sandwiches
- 5 olive sandwiches
- 5 pears
- 5 small cakes
- Tea, lemonade, coffee or milk, carried in two quart Thermos bottles
Menu No. 2
- Strained tomato soup kept hot in Thermos Bottle or Thermos Jar
- 5 molds jellied meat
- 5 Devilled eggs
- 10 slices buttered whole-wheat bread sandwiches
- 1 large head of celery, nicely prepared
- 1 bottle sweet pickle
- 5 cheese sandwiches
- 5 tomato sandwiches
- 1 pie, cut into five
- Two Quart Thermos Bottles of tea, lemonade, or milk
Menu No. 3
Salad
- Shredded head lettuce
- ½ grapefruit
- 2 apples, grated onion
- Chopped walnut meats
- Salad dressing
The rest
- 10 whole wheat bread and butter sandwiches
- 10 chopped ham and nut sandwiches
- 10 Olive Butter sandwiches
- 1 head celery, prepared
- 1 cucumber cut into fingers
- 1 plain cake
- 5 peaches
- Tea, lemonade or milk, kept either hot or cold in Thermos Bottles
Picnic Menus for 4 People
Menu No. 1
- Chicken salad
- 8 slices whole wheat bread
- 4 tomatoes
- 4 jelly sandwiches
- 4 cheese sandwiches
- 4 cookies
- 8 stuffed dates
- 2 quart size Thermos bottles of tea, coffee or milk
Menu No. 2
- 4 molds jellied salmon
- 8 whole wheat and white bread and butter sandwiches
- 1 cucumber cut lengthwise and halved
- 4 cheese and olive sandwiches
- 4 shredded lettuce sandwiches
- 4 pieces plain cake
- 4 bananas
- Tea, lemonade or milk in two quart Thermos bottles
Picnic Menus for 3 People
Menu No. 1
- 9 chopped ham and nut sandwiches
- 3 cream cheese sandwiches (pimento) with lettuce
- 3 olive butter sandwiches
- 3 tomatoes
- 6 pieces of celery
- 3 slices of cake
- Tea, coffee or milk, carried in thermos bottles
- 3 oranges
Menu No. 2
- Strained vegetable soup (pint size thermos bottle)
- 3 slices whole wheat bread
- 3 lettuce sandwiches
- 3 sandwiches thinly sliced beef, mustard and lettuce
- 3 sandwiches chopped bacon with shredded lettuce
- Small bottle of olives
- 3 tomatoes
- 3 butter tarts
- Thermos bottles of tea, lemonade or milk
Picnic Menus for 2 People
Menu No. 1
- 2 molds jellied tomato
- 4 chicken sandwiches
- 4 olive and cheese sandwiches
- 4 pieces of celery
- 2 whole wheat or graham brownies
- 1 Thermos bottle of tea
Menu No. 2
- 1 pint size potato salad
- 4 whole wheat bread sandwiches
- 2 peanut butter sandwiches
- 2 fruit sandwiches
- Small bottle of olives
- 2 drop cakes
- Thermos bottle tea, lemonade or milk
Picnic Menus for 1 Person
Menu No. 1
- 1 mold of jellied veal
- 2 whole wheat sandwiches
- 1 cheese sandwich
- 1 cookie or tart
- 1 orange
- Thermos bottle of tea or coffee
Menu No. 2
- 1 ham sandwich
- 1 cheese sandwich
- 1 lettuce sandwich
- Celery
- 1 banana
- 1 slice cake
- 1 Thermos bottle of milk
Motor Rules
There are really not so many rules for Motorists after all.
The first rule of the Motorist should be COURTESY.
“Do unto other motorists and pedestrians as you would have them do unto you.”
Don’t occupy all the road. Remember someone may have an important appointment and you are keeping him from it by not moving out to let him pass.
Don’t be a speed fiend–there’s too much beauty around you to pass it by so quickly. Stop and enjoy God’s great out-of-doors!
Don’t race the train to the crossing. Remember there is always time to do what has to be done.
Don’t race through mud puddles and splash other people.
Respect other people’s property. Most people love to share their beautiful things but they do not like to see them destroyed.
Don’t leave papers and boxes spread all over the ground. Gather them neatly and leave the spot as beautiful and neat as you found it.
And, last but not least: Do not leave a fire burning where you have burnt up rubbish! Don’t leave until you are sure it is out–pour water on it or stamp it out. Many a beautiful forest is lost through just such carelessness, and many a life.
The World is a beautiful place to travel through. Keep it and Leave it Beautiful.
THINK SAFELY.
Source
Thermos Bottle Company (Canada). “Motor picnic lunches : with genuine Thermos bottles and jars.” 1928. PDF from Archive.org: https://archive.org/details/McGillLibrary-rbsc_motor-picnic-lunches_TX823M681928-25070/page/n1/mode/2up
