Six essentials for Movie Night on the Lawn

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     Once a month during the summer our rural community comes together on the lawn to watch movies. It's a free movie night where all you have to do is bring your own chair, snacks and drinks. There’s nothing quite like a group of people talking quietly on a starry night with the sounds of children laughing, crickets singing and the silence when the movie captures everyone’s attention. When we finally settle down from all the visiting and setting up our seating area for the movie I hand each child’s personalized movie on the lawn snack bag and we make new memories. In this post I’ll share with you how to prepare your own personalized summer snack bags and the essentials you’ll need for your outdoor events.

When I was a young girl outdoor movies were quite common.   Sometimes our extended family gathered outside with one of those old fashioned projectors to watch home movies of family vacations and on special occasions we loaded up in the car to see an epic movie at a drive-in movie.  The grown ups sat in lawn chairs and the kids lounged on blankets spread on the ground much like we do now on the courthouse lawn.  It was always warm outside and there was plenty of laughter.  I especially remember the sound of the projector motor, the flicker of camera lights and the concessions. 

Home movies were fun but when the family loaded up in the car and made a trip to the drive-in movie I was in heaven.  About the time the sun was touching the horizon we pulled into a drive-in parking spot for an epic movie. Our local drive-in theatre was a popular place many years ago.  It stood just on the edge of town where there were no street lights but plenty of fireflies blinking in the distance.  You could hear the crickets singing their night songs as the sky darkened and the summer night began to cool down.  I remember those silver speakers turned up loud hanging in the car window and the sounds of other families talking in low voices all around us.  Mom packed snacks and drinks but sometimes my brother talked our parents into allowing us to make trips to the concession stand housed in the lower floor of a small building where the movie projector was.  Quarter hot dogs and nickel soft drinks were special treats.  Yes, I know that dates me... it WAS a long time ago!

The years rolled by, the drive-in closed down and was eventually destroyed by a tornado.  Those memories are why I enjoy our monthly free movie night on the lawn so much.  Friendships are kindled and memories are being made for my grandchildren.  We take our own snacks now days and sit in lawn chairs while watching digital movies on a big screen.  

Those memories are what inspired my six essentials while we snack better together and Share the Love with our grands at the monthly community movie night on the lawn.

Six essentials for Movie Night On the Lawn

• Snacks
• Water
• Wet wipes (you can easily make your own by slipping a damp paper towel into a plastic zipper bag)
• Bug Spray
• Lawn Chairs
• Lawn Blanket

I’ve put together a snack bag for each of us you’re going to love. We made them using brown gift bags, washi tape, markers, and stencils.

The kids were with me when I shopped at our local grocer for movie snacks.  We talked about looking for healthier, better for you snacks as we shopped and focused on selections/variety.  We decided to snack better together with a variety of great tasting products made from simple, high quality ingredients like the Snyder’s of Hanover® Pretzels and Cape Cod® Potato Chips.  I love the better choice, clean labels on this product. We also added some fruit, and bottled water.  Choosing something for everyone, quality to satisfy anyone and everyone’s summer snack cravings turned out to be part of making the movie nights so special.  I bet they carry on the traditions learned when they have littles of their own!

I added some extra Hanover Pretzels, Cape Cod Potato Chips and fruit flavored cream cheese dips to my basket because they also offer creative ways and limitless summer opportunities for snacking while sharing great taste and great times with family friends on non movie nights. A Late July® Variety pack offers each child the chance to take their favorites wherever they are headed, so that goes in the basket too. Whether we are fishing on a pond, swimming, or playing games in the back yard, it’s great to be able to share the love of snacking with friends and family all summer long. 

Look for Late July®, Snack Factory® Pretzel Crisps®, Cape Cod® Potato Chips, Snyder’s of Hanover® Pretzels and Kettle Brand® Potato Chips better choice, clean labels in your stores.

By the way, here is a sweepstakes you can enter by sharing snack stories and submitting photos of you, your family or friends in your snacking moment using hashtag #SnackSnapShare. There are some great sweepstakes prizes available!  I can’t wait to see your entry.

If I were to enter my photo would look something like this:

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  #SnackSnapShare #Sweepstakes (5/30 to 7/25) 

(1) Grand prize – $10,000 cash prize for a family vacation of the winner’s choosing.
(8) Weekly Winners – One weekly winner will win a year’s worth of snacks so they can continue to share the love all year long.
(57) Daily Winners – winners will receive a $50 prepaid Visa gift card to stock up on snacks at their favorite retailer.

 No Purchase Necessary. Purchasing does not improve your chances of winning. The #SnackSnapShare Sweepstakes (the “Sweepstakes”) begins on 5/30/17 at 12:00 A.M. ET and ends on 7/11/17 at 11:59:59 PM ET.  Legal residents of the 50 US/DC only, 18+.  43 Daily Entry Periods, 6 Weekly Entry Periods and 1 Grand Prize Drawing during the Sweepstakes.  Void in US territories and Puerto Rico, outside the US, and where prohibited.  Enter either by registering at www.bettersnackingforyou.com or by uploading an eligible photo via Instagram or Twitter using #SnackSnapShare and #Sweepstakes and. Odds of winning depend on the number of eligible entries. By participating you agree to the Official Rules.  Sponsor: Collective Bias, Inc., 1750 S. Osage Springs Dr., Ste. 100, Rogers, AZ 72758.