Picnic Snacks - 10 Picnic Food Ideas That Aren’t Sandwiches!
Picnics are a great way to treat your friends or family to a special outdoor experience, jam-packed with good food and even better company! We know how much fun packing...
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Picnics are a great way to treat your friends or family to a special outdoor experience, jam-packed with good food and even better company! We know how much fun packing food for a picnic can be but have you ever wondered how can you really up your picnic game?
Don’t get us wrong, picnic sandwiches are great! But when it comes to picnic food, the options are endless! We’re going to walk you through 11 of the best picnic food recipes out there, showing you how to make the most of your picnicking experience.
Let’s get started!
1. Muffuletta Squares
If you’re not gung-ho on the idea of sandwiches but are looking for something with similar flavors, why not try these super delicious Muffuletta squares? This recipe can easily be customized into bite-sized bits by slicing the pre-made bread and condiments up and sticking them on skewers. They’re sure to pack a punch at any picnic!
What You’ll Need:
- Focaccia (1 large loaf or 2 small, about 600g in total)
- Mozzarella (2 balls, drained well and sliced)
- Italian salami 160g
- Emmental 12 slices
- Mortadella 200g
2. Grana Padano and Egg Stuffed Muffins With Prosciutto di San Daniele
This egg-stuffed muffin recipe is cheesy, delicious, and filling — perfect for large or small group picnic! You can easily make them beforehand and they’re easy to take with you to the picnic, whether it’s at your neighbor’s house, down the street, or in your own back yard.
What You’ll Need:
- Vegetable oil
- Butter
- 1 large egg
- Buttermilk
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Soda baking soda
- Grana Padano cheese
- Salt and garlic salt
- Parsley
- Prosciutto di San Daniele
- Eggs
3. Black Bean Crunch Wraps
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These black bean crunch wraps are a perfect healthy alternative to sandwiches. This particular recipe serves four, although it can be increased to serve larger groups. Remember that handheld food is ideal for picnics as it eliminates the need for cutlery.
What You’ll Need:
- Oil
- Red onion
- Smoked chili paste
- Black beans
- Roasted red peppers
- Large flour tortilla wraps
- Grated Monterey jack cheese
- Salted tortilla chips
- Plum tomatoes
- Coriander
- Avocado
4. Chicken and Vegetable Hand Pies
These chicken and veggie hand pies are as portable as they are delicious. They’re a great kid-friendly recipe, too, bound to be popular with children and adults alike!
What You’ll Need:
- Plain Flour
- Self-raising flour
- Butter, chilled, chopped
- 2 eggs
- Sesame seeds, to sprinkle
- Tomato chutney, to serve
- Frozen spinach
- Olive oil
- Green shallots
- Frozen corn, carrots, peas
- Chopped cooked chicken
- Coarsely grated cheddar
5. Hawaiian Pizza Scrolls
Now, here’s a recipe that’s fun for the whole family. This snack is super portable — perfect to stick in a picnic basket and take on the road. It’s packed with sweet pineapple to give it a little extra something sweet but we know how some people feel about pineapple on pizza so keep in mind that it can be customized to your tastes.
What You’ll Need:
- Self-raising flour
- Thick Greek yogurt
- Tomato sauce
- Coarsely grated 4-cheese melt
- 100g shaved ham
- 150g pineapple
6. Vegetarian Sausage Rolls
Here’s another option that’s a little healthier. These vegetarian sausage rolls mix faux meat with tasty cheese. They’re easy to take with you and you don’t need the added pain of cutlery.
What You’ll Need:
- Oil-roasted red and yellow peppers 4oz, chopped (with oil reserved)
- Button mushrooms, 4oz, chopped
- Vegetarian sausages 4 1/2 oz, mashed
- Fresh thyme 1 tbsp, chopped
- Ricotta cheese, 3 tbsp
- Ready-rolled puff pastry 13oz
- 1 egg, beaten
7. Classic Spanish Tortilla
This Spanish tortilla dish by Jamie Oliver is very easy to whip up. It’s a great way to use a bunch of leftover ingredients to create something bursting with flavor. It can be served both hot and cold — ideal for picnics. This recipe also leaves room to experiment so throw some of your own favorite items in for even more flavor!
What You’ll Need:
- 300 g waxy potatoes
- 1 onion
- olive oil
- 5 large free-range eggs
8. Vegetable Tartlets
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These veggie tartlets make the task of prepping the food for a picnic basket more fun. With a sweet combination of natural flavors, this vegetable tartlet recipe is perfect for making at home and then taking away — it’s ideal for picnics!
What You’ll Need:
- 1 x 500 g block of ready-made puff pastry
- 4 teaspoons pesto
- Handful of cherry tomatoes
- 8 asparagus spears
- 4 baby courgettes
- 2 to 3 jarred roasted peppers
- ½ a bunch of fresh basil
- olive oil
- 8 black olives, optional
- 1 x 100 g ball mozzarella
- 20 g Parmesan cheese, optional
- plain flour for dusting
9. Quiche Leekraine
While we’re on the topic of tartlets, why not try a quiche? Quiches are perfect for summer afternoons. They’re light but filling, easy to transport, and downright delicious. This particular quiche dish can be made in about 40 minutes and can serve between four and six people.
What You’ll Need:
- 300 g leeks
- olive oil
- 3 slices of higher-welfare smoked streaky bacon
- 75 g Cheddar cheese
- 3 large free-range eggs
- 250 ml milk
- 1 x 20 cm pre-cooked pastry crust
- green salad, to serve
10. Chicken, Ham & Asparagus Picnic Pie
Last but not least, we’ve got this chicken, ham, and asparagus picnic pie. While it takes a bit of effort to prep and make before taking on the picnic, the effort is well worth it. A picnic pie is in equal parts sweet, savory, health-conscious, and filling. Your entire group will be begging for more!
What You’ll Need:
- Asparagus spears
- 4 chicken breasts
- Prosciutto
- Pork sausages (or alternatives)
- Shelled pistachios
- Pinch cayenne pepper
- Butter
- Strong white flour
- Mustard powder
- Whole nutmeg
- Lard
- Milk
- 1 egg