The number of cars in the U.S. rapidly increased during the 1920’s. By 1926, almost half of the households owned a car, and people were enjoying the freedom that it provided. A popular leisure activity was to have a motor car picnic. People packed elaborate meals into picnic hampers, and then drove to scenic spots for a picnic.
Motor car picnics were the latest fad at the time. I recently was surprised to see information about them in two different 1926 magazines. American Cookery had a menu for a motor car lunch basket, and Good Housekeeping had an article about equipment needed for picnics that contained a photo of a family enjoying a picnic with an auto in the background.
When I read the menu for the motor car lunch basket, I felt exhausted. It must have taken a lot of work for the cook to prepare all the food and other items needed for the picnic.
That is a lot of food and packaging it up for transport for the family of five shown in the photo. Our picnics when I was a child consisted of bologna and cheese sandwiches on white bread packed back into the bread bag. Koolaid in a 1/2 gallon cooler and carrot sticks. Cookies if mother had baked any. On the rare occasion there was a bag of potato chips. And we were a family of six.