Planning a picnic with friends or family and don’t know what to bring? I have 25+ amazing picnic food ideas that will make you the MVP of the party. From creative sandwiches to grazing boxes and desserts, there’s something for every taste on this list.
25+ Picnic Food Ideas That’ll Make You the MVP of Any Picnic
1. Cheese and Tomato Tarts
Shortcrust pastry tarts filled with a rich tomato ragu and béchamel sauce – who could ask for anything more?
These are not quiche, so they are picnic-friendly. The filling is a mix of tomato, garlic, onion and a creamy, cheesy sauce.
I recommend using ready-rolled shortcrust pastry to save time, but feel free to make your own if you’re not in a rush.
2. Italian Turkey Club Sandwiches
Sandwiches are the quintessential picnic food, and these turkey clubs are delicious. They’re so simple to make, too.
Each tasty sandwich is filled with slices of fresh turkey, prosciutto and provolone cheese. Top with pesto, a homemade vinaigrette, sundried tomatoes and arugula.
This recipe calls for ciabatta bread, but you can use whatever type of bread you want.
3. Corn Pasta Salad
Salads are always a great choice for a picnic, and this tasty pasta salad has all the flavors of summer: corn, red bell peppers and fresh cilantro.
The dressing is a mix of pesto, Greek yogurt, mayo and lime juice, but I recommend just using a simple vinaigrette instead.
Orecchiette pasta is perfect for this dish, and you can opt not to add bacon if you’re worried about it spoiling.
Related: 20 Delicious Finger Food Appetizers for Your Next Party
4. Chickpea Salad Sandwich
Need vegetarian picnic food ideas? This chickpea salad sandwich will impress everyone. Mashed chickpeas have a similar taste and texture to chicken, making them perfect for this type of sandwich.
This recipe adds green onion, celery, shredded carrots, bell pepper, dill pickles, mustard, mayo and fresh herbs for a garden flavor everyone will love.
We like to serve this on wholegrain bread, but feel free to use whatever you like. Be sure to add some extra basil and tomatoes on top.
5. A Full-Course Picnic
How gorgeous is this picnic? If you’re in charge of hosting and bringing all the food, this spread will impress everyone.
Start by preparing croissant sandwiches. Add whatever deli meats and cheeses you want to them. I recommend using a mix of different flavors and maybe even a vegetarian option.
Then prepare a tray of fresh fruit: melons, raspberries and strawberries are perfect.
And don’t forget the charcuterie board. This board has fresh cheese wedges, crackers, chocolate-covered pretzels, more fresh berries, macarons, deli meats and grapes. Finish off with a basket of breadsticks.
6. Dill Pickle Tortilla Roll-Ups
Simple yet delicious! These roll-ups will be the talk of your picnic, and they take just a few minutes to make.
Spread cream cheese onto a tortilla and top with chopped ham and pickles. Roll up and slice your tortilla.
If you’re not a fan of ham, you can use turkey or even pepperoni. Sliced veggies would work well for a vegetarian option.
7. Antipasto Skewers
Simple and easy to enjoy on a picnic! These antipasto skewers are so flavorful, and you can customize them however you want.
The recipe calls for salami, basil, grape tomatoes, black olives, pepperoncini and mozzarella pearls.
You can marinate these ingredients in a vinaigrette or leave them plain. They’ll be less messy plain but not quite as flavorful.
8. Tomato Tartlets with Puff Pastry
Flaky pastry dough baked with fresh tomatoes, herbs and cheese. It’s the perfect picnic food, especially paired with fresh fruit and sparkling wine or juice.
You can easily bake these ahead of time and pack them in deli paper sheets. Don’t forget to top each tartlet with fresh basil before packing them up.
9. Summer Dessert Board
I love the idea of packing trays of food for a picnic, and this summer board is ideal. You can never go wrong with sweet treats, and this dessert board has something for every taste.
Fill a wooden tray with blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, cherries, blackberries, lemon cake, pound cake, yogurt-covered pretzels and cranberries, powdered donut holes and pastries. Add creme fraiche and berry cream cheese for the cake slices and to dip the berries.
I love the idea of adding fresh chamomile flowers as a garnish, but you can skip this step if you can’t find any.
10. Individual Charcuterie Boxes
Here’s a fun idea that everyone at the picnic will love – individual charcuterie boxes. Fill small charcuterie boxes with sliced cheese, crackers, nuts, olives, fresh veggies and fruit, and a dipping sauce (hummus is a great choice).
You could also add fresh deli meats if you want.
The beauty of this idea is that there’s so much room for creativity. Use fresh herbs to create a pretty presentation, or remove or add ingredients as you see fit.
11. Summer Watermelon Goat Cheese Appetizer
These watermelon cups are adorable and the perfect addition to any picnic. You’ll need to slice the watermelon and hollow out each cup, which may be a little tricky.
But from here, it’s easy: use a piping bag to fill each cup with goat cheese, garnish with a cucumber slice and add a squeeze of lime juice over the top.
12. Prosciutto Cups with Pear and Goat Cheese
Crispy prosciutto cups filled with fresh pear, savory goat cheese and thyme. Your guests will love the flavors of this appetizer, and you can even make them up to a day in advance.
13. Individual No-Bake Berry Cheesecakes
I love dessert picnic food ideas, and these berry cheesecakes are perfect. Fill mini mason jars with a biscuit base and then layer with cheesecake filling and top with a homemade berry compote. Pack some spoons and be sure to add the lids to make these transport-friendly.
14. Vegan Pesto Cheese Twists
A tasty vegan addition to your picnic that takes less than 40 minutes to make. Top half of a rolled-out puff pastry dough with vegan pesto. Add pine nuts and vegan mozzarella, and fold over. Slice, twist, bake and enjoy.
15. Easy Strawberry Shortcake Kabobs
Kabobs make the list a lot, but this recipe is one of the most unforgettable. You’ll use cubes of shortcake, strawberries and whipped cream to make your kabobs. If you like, you can even melt some white chocolate chips and pour them on top before cooling the refrigerator.
16. Goat Cheese and Fig Jam Sandwiches
Goat cheese and fig jam are so tasty. Add them to a sandwich, and you have the perfect picnic food. You’ll need cream cheese, parsley, pecans and multi-grain bread for this recipe.
Toast the pecans for added flavor.
17. Dessert Kabobs
Kabob desserts are always a good choice for a sweet treat during a picnic. Start by adding strawberries to a kabob stick, followed by a marshmallow, rice Krispies, brownie and another strawberry.
You can also add in little cake bites if you like and drizzle with chocolate.
Related: 23 Mouthwatering Finger Food Desserts We Love the Most
18. Carrot Cheddar Curry Tea Sandwiches
I bet you didn’t think a curry tea sandwich would be on this list of picnic food ideas. But this recipe is delish and has sharp cheddar cheese, grated carrots, mincemeat pie filling, mayo, curry powder and ground black pepper.
You’ll combine all of the ingredients together before making them into mini finger sandwiches by spreading the mixture on your bread.
19. Raspberry Hand Pies
Six ingredients are all you need for these adorable hand pies. You’ll use a premade pie crust to save time, but you’ll also need fresh raspberries, granulated sugar, cinnamon, cornstarch and lemon zest.
Creating the raspberry filling is the most time-consuming part, but even then, this recipe is so easy to follow.
You will need a heart-shaped cookie cutter to make your pies, but you can also make them into little pockets if you don’t have one.
20. Lavender Lemon Bars
If you don’t mind a recipe that is just a little bit more complex, you’ll love these lavender lemon bars. You’ll need about 20 minutes of prep time for these. Start by mixing cream butter and confectioner’s sugar together in a small bowl.
Add in your lemon zest, lavender, flour and almonds.
Continue beating the mixture together until it’s crumbly, and then put it in a 13×9-inch baking dish. While baking, you’ll make a pour-over that you’ll add on top.
21. Salad Sticks
You’ll need long kabobs for this one, but it’s very simple to put together. Start with a slice of carrot, followed by cucumber, lettuce and a cherry tomato. Repeat until you fill up the entire kabob.
Drizzle with ranch dressing, or any dressing you like, and enjoy.
22. Graze Boxes
Graze boxes are always a favorite of mine because you randomly add food and snacks people will love, such as crackers, dried fruit, grapes, hard cheeses, olives, pickles and cured meats. The best part? You can just do your own thing and add any items you like to your box – there’s no right or wrong way to assemble them.
23. Haloumi and Corn Fritter Bites
Mini cheese and corn fritters like these are simple to make and delish. You’ll spend about 30 minutes making these (with prep) and it’s as simple as combining your corn, egg, flour, lemon rind, chives and halloumi together, and then placing it in mini muffin pan cups.
You’ll then bake it until it is golden brown while making a dip from avocado, coriander, garlic powder, lemon juice and yogurt.
24. Watermelon Canapés
Picnic food ideas for the hot summer months can be simple and refreshing, just like these watermelon canapes. You’ll need some fresh mint, blueberries, cucumbers and watermelon.
Start by cutting your watermelon into cubes.
Using a vegetable peeler, slice the cucumber into thin slices that you can wrap around the watermelon. Place the two on a toothpick, place down your mint, cucumber and then put your blueberry on top.
Related: 26 Delicious Picnic Finger Food Ideas That Look Fancy
25. Easy Strawberry Tea Sandwiches
Strawberries. Tea sandwiches. What’s not to love? And all you need are the simple ingredients to make these:
- 8 fresh strawberries, or any number you like
- 12-ounce strawberry cream cheese spread
- 6 slices of fresh white bread
Spread the cream cheese on your bread, use a cookie cutter to make the heart shapes (I like this one) and arrange your strawberry slices on top. You can serve as an open-faced sandwich, or if you like, a closed-face sandwich.
26. Easy Modern Relish Tray
Grab your favorite tray and dive in with this super simple, modern relish tray. Perfect for any party, all you need to do is add your favorite ingredients. The author recommends black olives, picked corn and okra, pepperoncini, giardiniera, pickles, stuffed olives, brussel sprouts and asparagus.
