Picnic Ideas and Recipes

Picnic ideas and recipes. Whether it is a simple sandwich picnic or a fancy picnic, picnics in the summer time go hand in hand. Read our helpful picnic ideas, pack up your picnic baskets and make some picnic recipes the whole family will enjoy. Kids can get involved in preparing these recipes and packing the picnic basket.

Picnic Tips

• Pack your picnic basket with what you need 1st on top such as a tablecloth or silverware on top.
• Keep cold food cold and warm food warm to prevent spoiling. Don't place warm food in your cooler. Wrap the dish in towels.
• Store any uncooked food (if you are grilling) separately from cooked, prepared food.
• Packing cupcakes for lunch? Slice them in half and place the bottom of the cupcake on the frosted piece. That way, icing won't stick to your plastic bag.
• Freeze a few juice boxes to help keep things cold and for a cool drink later in the day.
• Place your food in zippered baggies and then on top of the ice in your cooler. This keeps food from getting wet once your ice starts melting.
  

Picnic Appetizer Recipes

Spreadable Cheese
8 oz. Cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon seasoning salt
1 cucumber, finely chopped
2 green onions, finely chopped
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon dried parsley
Mix ingredients together and store in a plastic container for a picnic. You can omit onions or cucumbers or add differently vegetables such as chopped peppers or chopped radishes if desired. Chill several hours before the picnic and keep cool at the picnic. Serve with crackers or vegetables cut into sticks.


Salad on a Skewer
Bring a container full of different vegetables and let each person assemble their own salad on a skewer. Some great fresh vegetables for picnic ideas and recipes are:
Cherry tomatoes
Olives
Cucumbers cut in chunks
Broccoli florets
Cauliflower florets


Fresh Salsa and Chips
Prepare this fresh salsa before the picnic and bring along a bag of tortilla chips. This is one of the easiest picnic ideas and recipes when you are grilling at the picnic. This will give everyone something to snack on while they are waiting for the food to cook.
2 tomatoes chopped
1/2 cup onions chopped
1 clove garlic minced
1/4 cup green peppers chopped fine
2 tablespoons cilantro
1 can small green chilies, optional
1/2 lime juiced
Salt to taste
Chop ingredients finely, chop in the blender or food processor. Pour into a plastic container for the picnic.


Mango Salsa
For a different salsa flavor try this fruity salsa. For younger chefs have an adult help with the chopping.
3 ripe mangoes, diced
½ red onion, diced
¼ Cup cilantro chopped finely
¼ cup lemon juice
2 tomatoes chopped
Chop tomatoes, mangoes, cilantro and onion finely. Stir in lemon juice and serve with tortilla chips.

Picnic Ideas and Recipes: Cold Salads

Tuna Noodle Salad
6 oz pasta any shape you would like
1 can black olives sliced
¾ Cup cherry tomatoes, cut up
¼ Cup mayonnaise
1 can drained tuna
¼ Cup chopped celery
1 Tablespoon pickle relish or pickles cut up
In a saucepan cook pasta noodles until done. Set aside. Slice olives and chop tomatoes in half. Add both to a plastic container you will be using for the picnic. Add olives and cooked pasta noodles. Chop celery and add to bowl. Stir in tuna. Add mayonnaise, using more or less if desired, and stir until well combined. Chill in fridge and keep salad cool in cooler during picnic.

Chicken Fruit Salad
3-4 cups chicken cooked and shredded or cubed
2 cups chopped celery
1 cup slivered almonds
4 hard boiled eggs
1 cup chopped pickles
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
¼ Cup Mayonnaise or as much as desired
Shredded cheddar cheese
Do any prep work needed for this recipe such as cook chicken and eggs and chopping vegetables. In mixing bowl add cooked chicken, celery, cheese, almonds, chopped eggs, and pickles. Stir ingredients together. In separate bowl add mayonnaise, salt, and lemon juice together. Mix well to combine. Chill in fridge and keep salad cool in cooler during picnic.

Bean Salad
Find picnic ideas and recipes for Quick Bean salad on this page.

Fiesta Salad
2 cans corn, drained
2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
red bell pepper, chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped finely
Toss into plastic bowl with a lid. Prepare dressing in a jar with a lid. Shake and pour over salad at the picnic.
Fiesta Salad Dressing:
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon vinegar
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
pinch of salt and pepper
1 garlic clove, minced.

Picnic Ideas and Recipes

Rotisserie Chicken
A rotisserie chicken is an easy picnic recipe idea. Make a salad at home and stop at the store for a rotisserie chicken on your way to the picnic.

Sandwiches with a Twist
Often picnic ideas and recipes include sandwiches but this time make it unique by bringing all the condiments, deli meat and sliced cheese with you to the picnic. Bring hoagie bread, tortillas to make wraps or pita bread. Let each person assemble their own. Bring one of the cold salad recipes below and your picnic can be easily put together in a snap.

Barbecue Pork Picnic Recipe
The day before your picnic or the night before your picnic place this in the crock pot and let it cook 8 hours on low. Shred and place in a plastic container. Bring along rolls and you have a pork sandwich ready to go.
1 pork roast
2 onions, chopped
¾ Cup beef broth
1-2 cups ketchup
2 teaspoon mustard
2 Tablespoons vinegar
3 Tablespoons brown sugar
3 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon liquid smoke, optional
Salt and pepper to taste
Place pork roast into baking dish or crock pot. Place onions on top. Combine remaining ingredients together to make barbecue sauce. Pour over meat. Cook in the oven for 1-2 hours at 350 degrees or in the crock pot on low 8 hours or on high 6-8 hours. Allow to cool slightly and shred meat. Serve on rolls.

Non Fried Chicken
2 2/3 cups crushed crackers, crushed cornflakes, or crushed rice cereal
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasonings
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 egg
1 cup milk
1 1/2 pounds chicken cut into strips
In a shallow dish or pie plate mix cracker crumbs, seasoning, paprika and pepper. In separate bowl mix together egg and milk. Prepare a baking dish by spraying the bottom. Dip chicken in milk mixture and then in crumb mixture to coat evenly. Place in baking dish and cook in a 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. If you would like to bring chicken warm, bake right before leaving for the picnic and wrap dish in a thick towel to insulate the heat. Otherwise allow to cool and store in plastic container for your picnic.

Are you having a Barbecue or grilling? See our Barbecue recipes here that you can find more picnic ideas and recipes.

Picnic Breakfast Recipes

Cinnamon Rolls
Prepare cinnamon rolls the night before and bake in the morning before you go on a picnic. Find the recipe here with other breakfast recipes.

Waffle Sandwiches
8 eggs
¼ teaspoon salt
pepper
1 Tablespoon butter
8 waffles
8 bacon strips, cooked and drained
Beat eggs and season with salt and pepper. Cook eggs in skillet in butter. As the eggs set, lift edges, letting uncooked portion flow underneath. When eggs are completely set, cut into four wedges. Prepare waffles. Make sandwiches out of 2 waffles with egg and bacon inside. Wrap each sandwich up in plastic wrap and take them along on your picnic. A fruit salad would be a great addition to any picnic breakfast recipe.

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