6 Picnic Food Ideas and Recipes for a Perfect Outdoor Feast (2024)

One of our favorite summer activities is going on a picnic. And while store-bought salads and snacks are great, we recommend splurging on a special themed picnic menu that'll take this fun outdoor event to the next level.

Whether you're on a picnic blanket enjoying an outdoor concert and fireworks, or spending the day at the beach with the kids, we have the perfect picnic recipe ideas for you. So, get ready to load up your best cooler! (And don't be afraid to mix and match dishes from these picnic menus to create your perfect meal!)

Tuscan-Style Picnic Menu

A rustic, Italian-style meal al fresco is heavy on fresh produce. You can also include an antipasto spread with meat, cheese, olives, and roasted veggies to snack on.

Chicken-Pesto Flatbread Sandwiches

Want an easy way to do individual servings for your picnic? Try these hearty flatbreads with fresh mozzarella, baby arugula, and pesto-tossed rotisserie chicken nestled inside. Pair these sandwiches with any of your favorite veggies (or even some pasta salad) and you're good to go!

Eggplant Panzanella

Bread salad? Yes, please! This version has grilled bread, pieces of meaty eggplant, slices of Manchego cheese, and plenty of cherry tomatoes. It's all tied together courtesy of a bright, lemony vinaigrette.

Nectarine-and-Burrata Salad

This elevated take on a classic caprese salad swaps out tomatoes and mozzarella for nectarines and burrata, respectively. An easily pickled onion, fresh mint leaves, and salty Marcona almonds complete this colorful spread.

Raspberry Crostata

Try a traditional Italian dessert with a tart, summer-perfect flavor profile—the crostata won't get too messy if you're picnicking on a warm day. If you're not a raspberry fan, use peach or blueberry jam instead.

Nectarine Olive Oil Cake

Splurge on high-quality olive oil and fresh-from-the-farm nectarines or peaches for this simply delicious picnic dessert. Dust the cake with powdered sugar and top it generously with salted nectarine slices.

Kid-Friendly Picnic Recipes

Many classic picnic recipes use the kinds of foods that kids really like. But if you have picky eaters at your picnic, opt for a grazing menu with kid-friendly options like cheese and crackers, fresh fruit, and other goodies they can pick and choose from. Sandwiches also make good kid-friendly picnic food—you can always leave off any ingredients that your little ones won't eat.

Tomato, Bacon, and Garlic Mayo Sandwich

Even the pickiest of eaters won't be able to resist the classic combo of crispy bacon, crunchy lettuce, and fresh tomato slices. This version of a BLT also calls for creamy avocado slices and savory garlic mayo, but you can easily omit any components that your kids don't like.

Pomegranate-Almond Toast

Ditch the classic PB&J for this fun toast that's packed with bold colors and a variety of textures. While this might not be the easiest item to travel with, try wrapping it in tin foil or plastic wrap to keep all of the ingredients secure.

Orzo Tomato Salad

Cheese, tomatoes, pasta—this summery salad includes all the kid-favorite ingredients and has a mild honey mustard vinaigrette that adults will love. It's also a nice vegetarian option for those picnickers who don't eat meat.

Hazelnut Swirl Blondies

These easy-to-pack blondies look gorgeous and travel well, making them the perfect picnic treat. It certainly doesn't hurt that they're packed with Nutella.

Raspberry-Almond Crumb Bars

A buttery almond crumb base and raspberry preserves come together to create a kid-approved dessert that isn't just pure sugar. The best part about these bars is that they require just 10 minutes of hands-on time.

French Picnic Menu Ideas

The French really know how to eat—and while a baguette, great cheese, and a bottle of wine may be all you need for a French-style picnic, these dishes will make for a festive fete.

Ham and Leek Quiche

The classic dish can be served cold or at room temperature—and is a traditional picnic dish in France. The recipe features ham, Gruyère, leeks, and Swiss chard — all of which get a tangy boost from the buttermilk that's used (rather than regular milk).

Caramelized Onion Tarts With Apples

This classic French dish combines tart apples with caramelized onions on a frozen puff pastry base. Serve it as a meal or snack, depending on what else you include in your picnic spread.

Nicoise Summer Salad

A bright and flavorful salad, our tweak on Nicoise includes chickpeas, smoked trout, and sugar snap peas. This easy recipe swaps out smoked trout for tuna. Add some crusty bread on the side to soak up the delicious dressing.

Strawberry Clafoutis

This custardy cake is easy to pack along and can be made with your favorite fruit. (Cherry is traditional, but our recipe uses fresh strawberries in its place.)

Asian-Inspired Picnic Recipes

Cold noodle salads, flavorful slaws, and other Asian-inspired dishes travel surprisingly well. Plus, many of these picnic options can be made without meat (or are meat-free to start with) which is ideal for vegetarians and vegans.

Speedy Pork Banh Mi Sandwiches

This quick and simple take on the classic Vietnamese sandwich is super-easy to prepare. The meat gets added flavor from a glaze made of sesame oil, honey, lime juice, and rice vinegar. (Just leave the cilantro on the side if you have guests who aren't into it.)

Peanut Noodles With Edamame

The classic cold noodle salad can be customized with your own favorite veggies—carrots, cucumbers, and peppers are also great if you're not feeling the cabbage or snow peas. Don't forget to sprinkle some chopped, roasted peanuts over the top for an extra bit of nutty crunch.

Tropical Fruit Salad

A colorful fruit salad made with papaya, pineapple, mango, and kiwi, makes a fun picnic dessert that works for vegetarians. The dish also features toasted coconut flakes and a creamy coconut yogurt base.

Coconut Pound Cake

Pair a pretty cake with fresh fruit like mango or berries for a simple dessert. This unique recipe requires no leavening agent like baking powder or baking soda. Instead, you cream the butter and sugar for eight minutes, infusing the batter with air that allows the cake to rise in the oven.

Classic Picnic Menu

Sometimes you shouldn't mess with what works. This classic picnic menu includes all the essentials (hello, potato salad!).

Zesty Chicken Salad

Chicken salad is a picnic favorite. Chopped dill pickles and a shallot add a briny punch and a kick, respectively, while lemon juice adds some freshness. And while this recipe calls for you to cook chicken breasts, you can also use leftover rotisserie chicken if you want to save time.

Creamy Potato Salad With Bacon

Let's face it—a picnic isn't a picnic without a little potato salad on the side. Remember those essential potato salad tricks to evenly cook the potatoes (cutting them all the same size and adding a little vinegar to the pot when they're boiling).

Ginger-Lime Melon Salad

Watermelon is the it fruit of summer—here it's paired with cantaloupe, honeydew, lime zest, and fresh ginger for a vibrant yet simple picnic side. Simply adding lime and ginger to the melon takes it from a simple snack to a side dish you could serve at an outdoor dinner party.

Lemon Bars

These sweet-tart treats add a fresh palate cleanser at the end of your meal. This recipe is surprisingly quick and easy to make, and it's even faster if you line the pan with crisscrossed sheets of parchment paper, which makes them super easy to lift out when they're ready to eat.

Chewy Brownies

No picnic is complete without dessert, but sweet treats with frosting and/or a whipped topping aren't exactly picnic-friendly. Luckily, these fudgy brownies travel well. Just remember to let them cool completely before cutting them.

Heat-Safe Picnic Menu

If you need picnic foods that can sit out for hours without spoiling, this picnic menu can take the heat and won't disappoint.

White Bean and Farro Salad

With an oil-and-vinegar-based dressing, this protein-packed salad can stand up to time on the picnic table. You can make this dish even heartier by adding shredded rotisserie chicken, roasted salmon, or grilled shrimp.

Spiced Carrot Salad

This refreshing, healthy side provides plenty of vitamin A, and won't put you at risk of food poisoning. The taste is both spicy and sweet when you mix a cumin-spiced oil with citrus-plumped raisins.

Crunchy Broccolini Salad With Lemon and Pecans

This flavorful salad features grilled and fresh broccolini and tart lemons. Roasting broccolini mutes its bitterness, and the whole dish is enlivened by a fresh lemon honey dressing.

Garlic and Herb Potato Salad

Skip the mayo—but don't skip the classic picnic dish! This potato salad relies on garlic-scented oil, scallions, chopped parsley, basil, and grain mustard for its delicious flavors.

Moroccan Couscous Salad

Roasted veggies, dried fruit, and spices make up a festive picnic salad. This pasta salad recipe uses Israeli couscous, but orzo, ditalini, or Fregola (a toasted couscous) would also work. And if you don't have golden raisins and pistachios on hand, try another fruit and nut combination. Maybe dried apricots and roasted almonds?

Mango Pound Cake

A tasty pound cake is an easy-to-share picnic dessert that won't disappoint. In this recipe, folding in fresh chopped mango adds a tasty tropical flavor. Just be sure not to under-bake this loaf cake—the extra moisture from the mango can lead to a soggy pound cake if it's not cooked long enough.

Peanut Blondies

For a mess-free picnic dessert that won't melt in the sun, try these peanut butter-filled blondies. This basic recipe is amenable to any number of mix-ins. Consider adding chocolate chips, marshmallows, or a swirl of jam on top.