When you plan Your picnic food ideas... start with these ideas... this will help you think about which menu you need.
Check the choices for... 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.
Need CREATIVE
PICNIC FOOD ?
Have 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...
FOOD IDEAS FOR COUPLES... a special picnic menu.
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.
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Really EASY
PICNIC FOOD IDEAS.... this whole menu planned and stepped out for you below.
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 here.
Choose from these easy appetizers, don't they look amazing!
Find a 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!
They 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 time looking at the list of lunch suggestions with recipes...
Or... you're in a hurry, no time?
The steps for preparing a quick picnic are here...
These preparation suggestions are actually useful for any picnic.
So plan the whole picnic from them.
Just follow below...
For an easy, or last minute picnic... using easy picnic food ideas, for those rushed times... here we go!
Suggested menu... with steps to prepare these easy picnic food ideas.
First step...
It's a good idea to read to the end before starting... then plan your shopping list.
Then 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.
The picnic spread in this photo was made with last minute shared picnic food... and it was delicious!
... 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.
Not a glamorous picnic, but so simple and really memorable... and really yum!
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...
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.
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 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.
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 little container, with a tight lid, mix 6 tablespoons of garlic olive oil with 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar... shake. Take this with you to toss over the salad just before eating.
Next step...
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.
... Four tablespoons of each used here, but just make a larger amount if you need to.
Mix creams 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!
The baskets will be soggy if left too long with cream in. They might only last 3 hours with cream in.
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!
Sprinkle more brown sugar over cream... 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon, in each of the baskets... then leave to meld together.
The sugar will dissolve under and on top of the cream, making a brown layers seeping into the cream. Just leave... don't stir. You can see it seeping through, under the strawberries in the picture.
At the last minute, before serving, place fruit on top... 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. Lid on shallow container and just pack, to be carried level.
At last! ...
For your next picnic, with more time to plan your picnic food ideas...
Click on these links for more inspiration and recipes to help you.
It's amazing how many of our favorite recipes have almost been forgotten and 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.
Join our free newsletter "Picnic Chatter"... Let’s chat picnics!