Picnic Food Ideas

Picnic Menu Ideas

The reason for a picnic is to get away from home and have a good time. At a picnic, everybody brings a dish and helps to clean up. Some shelters ever provide kitchen facilities to store food that has to be kept cold when the festivities last all afternoon and into the evening.

The picnic feast has grown from a few cold items to almost anything you can think to eat. With the addition of barbeque grills at public parks, menu ideas expanded. Picnics can even turn into three or four course meals depending on your crowd. Kids won’t be interested in hors d’oeurves, just the main course.

When fashioning your menu, make sure to include something for everyone. While the main course is being prepared on the grill, people will play games and nibble on whatever you have to start off the party. So, what do you have?

My vote goes to deviled eggs. They are easy to whip up and being eggs, need to be gobbled up as soon as possible. We don’t want to mess with Salmonella or anything like that. It has a way of ruining a picnic and rightfully so. For non-egg eaters, set out some cheese and crackers. Choose sharp cheddar, cheese whiz (for the kids), or another favorite cheese type along with a variety of crackers and chips such as pretzels.

Unless you have a sufficiently sealed cooler or kitchen facilities, anything with mayonnaise or a dairy base should be eaten at the start. If any of these dishes sit too long in the heat, they can be dangerous to eat. To solve the problem sit each bowl of pasta salad, macaroni salad and the like on top of a separate bowl of ice for serving.

For the main course, go traditional with burgers and dogs or add steaks to the menu. A good steak can be marinated overnight to tenderize the meat and add flavor. Chicken takes a while to cook but can be grilled. To speed up grilling, use chicken on skewers to make shish kebabs. They grill faster and can be served over a bed of rice.

Most keep side dishes simple: chips. But, adults aren’t typically satisfied with a bag of greasy chips. Opt instead for a green salad or fruit salad.

A cooler full of soda is one option for beverages, but bringing in some lemonade or fresh brewed ice tea would hit the spot better. Keep the pitchers on ice. There are tea dispensers on the market that have a place for ice underneath to keep it cold.

When it’s time for the next picnic, give the menu some thought. Let all of the intended guests help put it together to come up with a meal that suits everyone.

Ready to learn more about making dinner easier and getting meals for your family on the table faster? The secret solution is meal planning and you can learn more about it with the free meal planning basics guide.

30 Outstanding Picnic Recipes

1. Toasted Spicy Turkey Sandwich
2. Devilled Eggs by the Seashore
3. Maple and Spice Snack Mix
4. Summertime Ham and Cheese
5. Zucchini and Carrot Combo Salad
6. Not Just Potatoes in My Salad
7. Slightly Sinful Cucumber Salad
8. Quick and Easy Baked Beans
9. Very Berry Picnic Cakes
10. Stewed Rhubarb Applesauce
11. Change My Flavor Extract Cookies
12. Mushroom, Onion and Bacon Packed Burgers
13. Picnic Cheese Nibbles
14. Heavenly Cheesecake Squares
15. Creamy Sesame Seed Slaw
16. Extra Kick Summertime Relish
17. Refreshing Cucumber Salad Bowls
18. Apple Cucumber Extravaganza
19. Coconut Chicken Nibbles
20. Festive Picnic Salad
21. Fruity Ham Bundles
22. Lemon and Herb Roasted Turkey Sandwiches
23. Old Fashioned Healthy Drop Biscuits
24. Cauliflower Lemon Vinaigrette Salad
25. Baked Pork Rind Chicken Wings
26. Mama's Best Picnic Chicken
27. Pecan Rolled Chicken Breasts
28. Gram Gram's BBQwiches
29. Simply Stuffed Strawberries
30. Tropical Coconut Swizzle

Picnic Baskets
When picnics first took off during the Victorian era, people packed their wicker baskets with all sorts of cold cuts, desserts, and other scrumptious goodies. You can still find those traditional picnic baskets today.

Picnic Necessities
Here is a list of some of the more essential picnic items. In fact, any outdoor excursion may need these items, so keep the non-perishable ones handy in your car.

Fun Picnic Activities for Everyone
Here are some ideas for picnic activities for both kids and adults that are sure to add to the fun and laid back atmosphere of the day.

Picnic Safety Tips
Here are eight important picnic safety tips. When you remember these and other picnic safety rules, you’re in for a day full of fun and protection for everyone who attends.

Pesky Picnic Pests
The next time you throw a picnic be aware of crawling, flying, pesky insects that are out to ruin your day.

Planning the Perfect Family Picnic
Here are some tips for planning and organizing the perfect family picnic that will be a hit with everyone involved.

Simple Romantic Picnic Ideas
When the weather gets warm, and the feelings of romance begin to grow and flourish, what better idea is there than to pack up a few things and head on out for a romantic picnic?

Indoor Picnics are Just as Fun
Here are some ideas for hosting an indoor picnic. After all, who says that a picnic has to be outdoors? It is a given, yes, that it will be outdoors but it is not set in stone.

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