12 Picnic Foods: Easy-to-Make Picnic Food Ideas

When choosing food items for a picnic, keep the following tips in mind:

1. 1. Consider the utensils. For ease of packing and eating, avoid foods that require multiple utensils. Finger foods are simple to pick up and eat. Popular finger foods include finger sandwiches, fried chicken, tacos, veggie sticks, chips and pretzels, charcuterie and other cured meats, and pre-cut cheeses. You can also pack fresh strawberries, blueberries, cut watermelon, or other fruits that can be eaten without forks.
2. 2. Build your menu around the weather. Grain salads and hearty salads with lots of vegetables are popular picnic foods because they are less likely to wilt on a warm day. When it comes to picnic desserts, avoid ice cream, which will melt quickly—instead, pack brownies or cookies.
3. 3. Pack dressings separately. To prevent soggy sandwiches and salads, pack dressings and condiments in seperate containers. If you want to bring a salad with greens, wait until you arrive at the picnic to dress the salad.
4. 4. Ensure the food is easily transportable. Make sure the food you bring is easy to transport and distribute to diners outside. If foods need to be kept cold, be sure to pack them in a cooler with ice packs. Picnic baskets have a carrying handle and can generally fit food items, paper plates, utensils, napkins, and more.

From savory finger foods to sweet desserts, from side dishes to mains, consider making the following picnic recipes:

1. 1. Caprese Salad: Caprese salad is an Italian salad that features basil leaves, mozzarella, and summer tomatoes, all sprinkled with sea salt and black pepper and drizzled with extra-virgin olive oil. The summer salad is typically served as an appetizer or side dish in the summertime when fresh tomatoes are abundant. You can use any in-season tomatoes, such as heirloom tomatoes and cherry tomatoes, to make this salad.
2. 2. Chickpea salad: This Mediterranean chickpea salad takes the flavors of a Greek salad and adds protein-packed garbanzo beans. Since chickpea salad keeps well, it's a great option for lunches and potluck picnics. Mediterranean chickpea salad can also be a vegan, gluten-free alternative to pasta salad or bean salad. Make it a full meal by filling pita pockets with chickpea salad and topping the pita with hummus.
3. 3. Deviled eggs: Deviled eggs are an egg dish made up of hard-boiled egg halves filled with a creamy, egg yolk mixture. After the eggs are hard-boiled, you use the hardened egg yolks to create a stuffing that is then spooned into the egg-white halves. Deviled eggs are often spiced with cayenne, smoked paprika, or black pepper and can be served with a garnish, like dill or chives.
4. 4. Fried chicken: Fried chicken is a cookout and picnic staple for a reason—it's the ultimate finger food. Follow this friend chicken recipe to bring this restaurant-quality, crispy fried chicken to your next picnic.
5. 5. Greek salad: The best Greek salads are a showcase of Mediterranean flavors: the sweet heat of fresh red onion, cooling cucumber, and juicy tomatoes, combined with the briny one-two punch of feta cheese and kalamata olives. It’s all tossed in a bright vinaigrette made with lemon juice and red wine vinegar. A traditional Greek salad, known as a horiatiki in Greece, doesn’t feature lettuce like many of its American variations, and lettuce would just get soggy if left out during a picnic.
6. 6. Mexican corn salad: This flavorful take on a traditional corn salad features a topping of fresh lime juice, mayonnaise, butter, cheese, and chili powder or hot sauce.
7. 7. Miso chocolate chip cookies: Put a fancy spin on a chocolate chip cookie by making this miso chocolate chip cookie recipe. Miso cookies consist of miso paste, flour, white and brown sugar, and butter. Miso is a fermented paste made from soybeans, sea salt, and rice koji—cooked rice inoculated with the mold Aspergillus oryzae—that provides a subtle tang and saltiness to a standard chocolate chip cookie.
8. 8. Pesto pasta salad: True pesto is made from fresh basil, garlic, olive oil, pine nuts, and cheese pounded together into a thick, green paste. Toss the pesto with a short pasta such as fusilli, penne, macaroni, rotini or farfalle (bow tie) and your preferred veggies to make a flavorful pasta salad.
9. 9. Potato salad: Potato salad is a side dish that combines cooked potatoes with mayonnaise, mustard, fresh herbs, and crunchy elements like pickles or crisp radishes, resulting in a harmonious balance between savory and sweet. You can also add whatever else you like in a potato salad. For example, some recipes feature sour cream or Greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise, chopped hard-boiled eggs, capers, or olives, spices like celery seed, or sweet pickle relish. Tangy, dairy-free potato salads come together with a basic vinaigrette, made with dill pickle juice or white vinegar, and are typically served warm.
10. 10. Steamed pork buns: Bring these Japanese-inspired pork buns to your next summer picnic. This popular street food in Japan features a light, pillowy, pleated bun with a savory pork filling. To make pork buns, you will need a steamer basket.
11. 11. Vegan brownies: While traditional brownie recipes call for animal products like milk, butter, and eggs, vegan brownies use alternative ingredients like vegetable oil, vegan butter, applesauce, and flax seeds. You can also make this vegan dessert gluten-free by simply using gluten-free flour—such as almond flour or rice flour—instead of the usual all-purpose flour.
12. 12. Watermelon feta salad: Watermelon feta salad is a Greek-inspired take on a fruit salad that combines cool watermelon, salty feta cheese, refreshing mint, and a vinaigrette of lemon juice, red wine vinegar, and extra virgin olive oil.

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