The Best Picnics Have Great Picnic Food Ideas.
So... let's plan a stunning picnic!
When you plan Your picnic food ideas... start with these ideas...
this will help you think about which menu you need.
You will possibly have a discussion between you and the others supplying food, to see if there are any food challenges, or if your salad will suit the main course for instance, at the creative picnic. You will find that there isn't usually a problem, people will just eat what they want to anyway... they help themselves at picnics!
Follow below to have help with REALLY EASY
PICNIC FOOD IDEAS....
the whole menu planned and stepped out for you...
This will help you, every step of the way, to plan your picnic.
FAMILY PICNIC FOOD IDEAS...
Are you planning to take food for your whole family, then pooling and sharing with everyone?
The whole menu can be planned for this, from our suggestions.
Choose your menu from this list and as you are pooling food you really only need to take enough for your family.
It is easy to think you need to take enough for everyone going... you don't, but you will share!
- Easy appetizers... choose something simple from these suggestions.
- Lunch ideas... lots of really delicious ideas.
- Salad... will go well with with quiche and chicken, or whatever you decide to take.
- Sandwiches... the yummy overflowing variety... oh so good!
- A moist chocolate cake to top off the picnic...
- ... or choose another favorite from this group.
CREATIVE PICNIC FOOD for one course?... Lots of ideas here!
Have you been nominated to take just one part of the picnic menu to share with your group of friends and family?
This gives you a chance to be wonderfully creative from these suggestions. For this picnic you will be taking for all the picnickers... so check the numbers of people going... you will need enough food for everyone... but only one course!
Which course will you be responsible for? Don't worry, there are lots of suggestions from our easy favorites.
Choose from...
A mixed platter of appetizers.
From these suggestions, make a huge, or small platter, just choose to fit your numbers of picnickers. Combine two or three from the really easy appetizer suggestions...
- A Barossa platter
is always popular and easy to put together.
- Pesto with crunchy fingers of vegetables and fruit
- Olives and salami and cheese with biscuits.
- Figs with blue cheese... as shown here and easy for an appetizer... just heat to melt cheese before you leave home, so delicious!
Then go through the easy appetizer recipes...
- The smoked salmon on slices of French stick... is always popular and very easy to put together.. just keep cool.
- If you are catering for a large group, try something like LuLu's whole bread dip. This is equally tasty with a small loaf... or a large roll, for a small group, it's yum and quite filling!
- Your own Hummus... easy to make and much nicer than the bought variety.
- A bowl of crunchy homemade Avocado dip too, mixes well with everything else... and easy for you to make!
- Smoked salmon with avocado. Just put together before leaving for the picnic and keep it cool in the Esky.
Or...
Main Course... using the best picnic lunch ideas...
- Try beautiful, juicy, rare roast beef on yummy crusty bread, with grainy mustard, or horseradish... You can put this together on a French stick, small crunchy loaf of bread, or just have containers of sliced beef and bowls condiments and let the picnickers make their own. Extra containers of sliced cheese and tomato and cucumber... and Rocket... all great with this.
- Chicken in avocado...
Easy to cook the day before and arrange when cooled over night. Arrange on a platter for everyone to help themselves.
- The gorgeous tomato tart... add your favorite bits to this... as shown here.
- Try a quiche, your choice of flavors... or follow below to find the last minute quiche and instructions on how to make it.
- Something seafood, for a very special picnic. Look at the seafood platter with pickled seafood in easy appetizers. You could expand on this and add crunchy fresh bread and avocado dip and extra wedges of lemon... or Aoili made from mayonnaise in the salad section... so good! Everyone puts their own favorite bits on the crunchy bread... and they love it!
Or....
Salad recipe suggestions... Do look at...
- The sensational green salad
- Our version of a Greek salad... shown here.
- A Barossa potato salad.
- And how about a heritage tomato salad too?
Or...
Easy Picnic cakes...
Make them well ahead and freeze, so they are ready to thaw and take to the picnic! Choose two, or more, really delicious cakes.
- Butterfly cakes look and tase sensational, especially if there are children going, or someone has a birthday.
- Double the mixture and have a sponge cake too!
- Banana cake with prunes is so easy and freezes well with the topping on... all ready to go!
- One of the orange cakes, people will think you have been slaving in the kitchen, but we know it is simple to make.
- The yummy chocolate cake without sugar or flour, for those people with allergies or dietary challenges. Surprise them!
Or...
Something from picnic dessert ideas
- Such as bowls of easy trifle, topped with gorgeous poached cherries or mixed berries.
- Scones with jam and cream are always popular too. These can be frozen, then thawed and heated before the picnic. Just take bowls, or preferably jars, of jam and cream... ooh yum! Oh... and spoons for serving.
- Little strawberry tarts.... below in easy in really easy picnic.
FOOD IDEAS FOR COUPLES... a special picnic menu for two.
From a simple picnic in a car, to a beautiful romantic picnic!
Prepare a gorgeous little picnic for a couple... just for the two of you.
- How about an individual egg and bacon pie
- An open faced delectable sandwich,
- Follow with butterfly cakes
- Wash down with a lovely glass of wine?
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REALLY EASY
PICNIC FOOD IDEAS.... this whole menu planned and stepped out for you.
Do you need picnic food for a simple, or last minute, family picnic menu... but still want it to be delicious?
We have a very tasty "cheat" for you... for those times when you're on the run, no time, but still wanting to enjoy your day.
A few short cuts can happen...
You're ready to plan your picnic? Let’s go…
Follow the step by step instructions... below!
Start with mixed platters of appetizers...
most picnics start here.
Choose from these easy appetizers... and more... don't they look amazing!
Check the selection of appetizers for your picnic food ideas and I hope that having them sorted into two parts...
really simple appetizers and then those with a little extra preparation easy appetizer recipes is helpful for you.
This will have you thinking... you won't need them all, just choose!
Easy picnic appetizers are great to have handy... while you chat and set up your picnic table... with a glass of something of course!
Would you like to spend more time looking at picnic food ideas, suggestions with recipes...
Check this great, last minute, simple picnic.... then follow steps below to plan yours
A picnic spread was made with last minute shared picnic food... and it was delicious!
Family picnic food shared.
For example, one of these tarts was made by our friend Doug, gluten free and really tasty... his recipe to come, otherwise it was all "cheat" food for these picnic food ideas. Sliced ham came from the shop and salads and quiche were "touched up" and pooled... as were the appetizers too.
Sometimes we need a back up like this, or to add to our picnic food... but if you want delicious food that you have put together yourself, then follow on... you will find great suggestions here!
This wasn't a glamorous picnic, but so simple and really memorable,
a lot of fun... and really yum!
You're in a hurry, no time?
These preparation suggestions are actually useful for any picnic.
So plan the whole picnic from them.
Follow the steps for preparing a quick picnic here...
They are picnic food ideas made with a few clever additions and creative combinations.
For an easy, or last minute picnic... using easy picnic food ideas
Suggested menu... with steps to prepare these easy picnic food ideas.
- Two or three appetizers.
- Tasty quiche or flan
- Garlic bread... yum!
- Green salad... almost too good to eat.
- Little strawberry baskets for dessert... impressive and delicious.
Just follow below...
First step...
It's a good idea to read to the end before starting... then plan your shopping list.
Start here to prepare...
Take a quick trip to the bakery for a quiche or flan.
While you're there, maybe check the appetizers and other bits you might need... and of course the bread to make garlic bread.
A Last Minute Quiche with garlic bread and a simple salad.
How to make a bought flan or quiche "your own" using this recipe...
Next...
How to make a bought flan or quiche "your own" using this recipe...
There is a large selection of quiche, flans and pies, in both your bakery and supermarket to use for your picnic food ideas . We are very spoiled for choices... but even so, they are not the same as baking your own. So for those last minute picnics it calls for a few "cheats".
Next step...
Turn on the oven... mod-hot 190 C (375F) to heat while you prepare your add-ons for the flan or quiche.
Put your purchased flan, or quiche, onto a baking tray.
Make a few slits into the top of the flan.... being careful NOT to go through to the base. You are only allowing the topping juices and cheese to seep into the already baked flan.
On top, scatter fairly evenly...
- Sliced tomatoes or cherry tomatoes.
- Semi dried tomatoes if you have them.
- Chopped parsley.
- Dried Tarragon, fairly liberally scattered.
- Chopped bacon lightly fried.
- Chopped spring onions.
- Then add a good amount of bocconcini cheese balls, or grated tasty cheese over the top of everything.
- Optional suggestion... fresh, or canned asparagus cut into small lengths.
Bake in mod-hot oven 190 C (375F) for 20-35min until top is golden brown, perhaps a bit longer, just watch the color... don't let it burn... set the timer! The time can vary with the oven and how much topping you've put on.
Just add a simple salad like this... and garlic bread to your picnic food ideas.
A simple green salad goes really well with quiche and flan... and garlic bread does too.
Next step...
Garlic Bread...
Use your favorite bread for this picnic food idea... but we like a french stick, or an artisan bread if it's available and then we slice it ourselves. This way we can make thicker slices. Why not, it's a picnic with delicious food... oh so decadent!
- In a bowl, add a slurp of olive oil and a few tablespoons of soft butter... not margarine! There is actually an olive oil butter which softens well and if you don't like dairy, it works well. Stir together with a knife which is also used for spreading onto the bread.
- Add to the butter 1-2 crushed cloves of fresh garlic. (your choice) This makes it very tasty, but also adding herbs is great too. In the photo you will see I added dried Tarragon (this is OK used dried). Fresh herbs, are best... you don't want the bread for your picnic food ideas to taste like Christmas stuffing with dried thyme
- Cut the bread, with thick slices, almost through. It helps if it is just held together, then butter it liberally. Push bread slices back together, wrap in foil and place in the oven with the quiche.
- It will take a similar time in the oven, as the quiche, to heat through and melt the butter... unless your bread is cut into thin slices and it then might need less time in the oven.
This bread goes well with just about all picnic food ideas!
Next step...
- Check the Picnic planning list.
- While the quiche is cooking in the oven... and the garlic bread too,
- Start gathered the things needed to take with you... picnic planning list in hand... or phone.
Next step...
Salad...
Place the mixed lettuce greens into a lightweight bowl (one with a fitted lid is helpful... just take the lid off and drizzle dressing over the greens at the picnic)... even add a few herbs if you have them, and an edible flower or two, just to make it look extra special.
This salad and dressing will go with any of the picnics suggested in the picnic food ideas.
Salad dressing...
In a separate container, with a tight lid, mix 6 tablespoons of garlic olive oil with 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar... shake.
Pour a small amount into a little container.
Take this with you to toss over the salad, just before eating.
Next step...
Easy dessert... Special honey and cinnamon cream with strawberries in little baskets.
These little strawberry baskets are soo easy to make and look awesome....
taste really good too!
Purchase a box or two of little pastry cups for these bite sized baskets.
You will find them handy, for savory bites too.
The baskets I used were quite small, but you can get bigger baskets if you wish. Just allow enough for everyone... I allowed for 4-5 per person... and a few extras!
You will need
- 4 tablespoons Philadelphia cream cheese... make sure it is creamy, not hard.
- 4 tablespoons thickened cream... dollop cream used this time. Could be yogurt if you prefer.
- Four tablespoons of each used here, but just make a larger amount if you need to.
- Mix cream cheese and cream together with a fork.
- Then add a teaspoon of runny honey and a good sprinkle of cinnamon... mix in... taste and adjust.
To Put Together...
This can be done, last minute, at home... or even better, at the picnic. Make sure you have a platter to put them on!
- Approx. 12 canape cups (baskets)... bite size
- Optional... A tablespoon of brown sugar... more if you have a sweet tooth.
- Enough large strawberries... one for each basket.
Then...
- In the base of the canape baskets, sprinkle a small amount of brown sugar... about 1/4 teaspoon in each of these small baskets.
- Fill the baskets with the cream mixture... around a teaspoon in each. (take a teaspoon with you, if assembling at the picnic... strainer too for icing sugar dusting) It is easy to do!
- The sugar will dissolve under the cream, making a brown layer seeping into the cream. Just leave... don't stir. You can see it seeping through, under the strawberries in the picture.
- Top each basket of cream with a strawberry, or fruit of your choice... maybe a big grape or a few raspberries. Cut the bottoms off each strawberry for a flat base, making it easy to balance on the basket of cream. I used kitchen scissors to cut the strawberry bases for these picnic food ideas.
- A few sprigs of parsley scattered between them will give the effect of the green strawberry leaves... unless you have strawberry leaves.
- Then sift, with a small strainer, a small sprinkle of icing sugar to form "snow"
If you assemble at home sit them in a container, packed so they can't move around... but not squashed!
Put lid on shallow container and just pack to be carried level.
The baskets will be soggy if left too long with cream in.
They might only last 3 hours.... but you will eat them before this!
At last! ...
- Pack all your food and utensils into your basket... and pack hot and cold food in separate insulated bags.
- Keep whatever you wish to drink, separately in a cooler bag away from food. This stops the chance of any bottles, or anything heavy, squashing the picnic food.
- Check the picnic planning list.
- Grab your picnic rug and your hat... and the dog?
- Great planning... have fun!
Now you've made it, you're ready to head out to the last minute picnic....
Easy wasn't it!
To find more ideas for your picnics... choose a menu from these easy picnic food ideas and suggestions.
With more time to plan your picnic food ideas...
Click on these links for more inspiration and recipes to help you.
- Easy Appetizers … really simple suggestions without cooking... oh so simple, as you now know.
- Easy appetizer recipes for more picnic food ideas... they are easy, but do need a little cooking or preparation.
- Lunch ideas.... an assortment to choose from.
- Picnic sandwiches... always popular and I will soon show you our choices from a recent road trip... an idea for you.
- Salads... fresh and lovely to have with a picnic.
- Picnic dessert ideas.
- Easy picnic cake
It's amazing how many of our favorite traditional recipes have almost been forgotten.
I particularly love the old recipes we enjoyed with my Mother and Mother-in law. They were both great cooks and experts when it came to a wonderful picnic.
I'm having fun looking for those delicious picnic food ideas… searching through the old recipe books and those favorite recipes still on scraps of paper which haven’t made it into the recipe books.
Friends and family have also kindly given their suggestions and old favorites for you too.
Wine picnic baskets coming soon... the wine maker is busy with vintage!
TOP TIPS… to make the picnic food prep. easier.
- Remember… take food which is not complicated and is easily transported.
- Where possible prepare your favorite picnic food ideas the day before.
- Assemble food into light containers ready to go into the picnic basket or ice box just before you go to the picnic.
- This leaves the food in the fridge as long as possible, then packed last.
- Have the picnic planning check list handy… don’t leave anything out, or behind!
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