Picnics are always fun. They're a great way to chill and hang out with friends and family while enjoying the outdoors, the fresh air, the sun, and of course, the food. The only thing not so fun about it? The preps. Packing your dining table in a small wicker basket may look cute, but the effort that goes into it? Not so much.
To make picnic prep a lot less of a hassle, we’ve got a list of picnic food ideas that are easy to make and enjoyable to eat!
Easy-to-Make Picnic Food Ideas
The best picnic foods are the ones that don’t require hours of kitchen labor. Here are simple but delicious meals to pack for your next outing at the park or the beach!
1. The New Orleans Muffuletta Sandwich
The New Orleans muffuletta sandwich is a classic and iconic dish originating from the Italian-American community in New Orleans. It features a round loaf of Sicilian sesame bread filled with layers of Italian deli meats such as salami and ham, along with provolone cheese. What makes it unique is its signature olive salad, typically made with chopped green and black olives and various seasonings marinated in olive oil. This picnic sandwich is assembled by layering the meats, cheese, and olive salad between the halves of the bread loaf, and then pressing them down together.
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 2-oz pouch Buddig Original Ham
- ¼ pound salami, thinly sliced
- ¼ pound mozzarella cheese, sliced
- ½ pound provolone cheese, sliced
- ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 loaf of fresh Italian bread
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 8 oil-cured black olives, pitted and chopped
- 8 green olives, pitted and chopped
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 1 tbsp dried basil
DIRECTIONS:
- Cut your Italian bread in half. Drizzle a bit of olive oil on both halves.
- Next, sprinkle both slices with Parmesan cheese and add basil and oregano on top.
- Place chopped green and black olives on the bottom half, then layer it with your meats, provolone, and mozzarella.
- Cover it with the top layer then slice into 4 equal servings.
2. Picnic Platter
A colorful charcuterie board makes for a fun snack to munch on at a picnic. It’s a really good picnic food idea because you don’t even have to prepare anything else. It has all the flavors, textures, and nutrition, so it’s all you’ll need to pack. Just pick your favorite meats, cheeses, fruits, nuts, crackers, and even chocolates, and it’ll satisfy everyone’s cravings—whether sweet or savory!
INGREDIENTS:
- Cheeses (pick one from each category):
- Soft: Brie, Camembert, goat cheese, fresh ricotta
- Semi-Soft: Drunken goat, Fontina, Muenster, Roquefort, Havarti
- Firm: Cheddar, Gouda, Gruyère, Stilton, Jarlsberg, Manchego
- Hard: Parmigiano-Reggiano, Pecorino-Romano, Asiago, Mimolette
- Fruits:
- Grapes
- Strawberries
- Apples
- Pears
- Nuts:
- Almonds
- Pistachios
- Walnuts
- Spiced, candied, or chocolate-coated nuts
- Crackers
- Dark chocolate pieces
DIRECTIONS:
- Arrange the meats, cheese, fruits, crackers, and chocolates on a large board or serving platter. You can be as creative as you like. Make sure to add the crackers before serving because they go stale quickly.
- Serve with small plates and small knives or food picks.
- Enjoy with iced tea or fruit juices. Or better yet, pack a bottle of sangria to level up your afternoon picnic experience!
3. Pesto Chicken Avocado Salad
This recipe is a satisfying and wholesome option to fuel your picnic fun. It’s incredibly easy to prepare, requiring just a handful of simple ingredients and minimal prep time. It’s ideal for whipping up ahead of time so you don’t have to picnic-panic.
DIRECTIONS:
- Place the grilled chicken strips into a large bowl along with the red onion, sliced avocado, and sun-dried tomatoes.
- Add the pesto sauce and toss until everything is well combined.
- Give it a taste and add more pesto and some salt and/or pepper until you get the right flavor.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator and pack in your picnic basket before you leave.
- You can either eat it on its own or as a filling for your sandwich.
- If your picnic isn’t within 24 hours, it's best to hold off on adding the avocado until a few hours before leaving. This ensures that the avocado stays fresh and firm, preventing it from turning mushy.
4. Ham & Cheese Crackers
This bite-sized snack is a breeze to prepare. Best to pack the ingredients and assemble them on-site so they don’t move and topple over each other during transport and also to keep the crackers fresh and crunchy.
INGREDIENTS:
DIRECTIONS:
- Cut each slice of ham into 6 pieces.
- Place the jam in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high for 5-10 seconds.
- Get the crackers ready. Spread cream cheese onto each piece and then add a layer of jam, ham, and thyme leaves on top.
5. Ham-Wrapped Breadsticks
The kids will love this one! It’s fun, easy, and filling, too! It’s one of those “once you pop you can’t stop” kind of snack. It’s definitely a great picnic food idea, but here’s a bonus: it’s also fancy enough to be served as hors d'oeuvres! So hey, you can come back to this page when you’re over afternoon picnics and have moved on to canape parties!
INGREDIENTS:
DIRECTIONS:
- Cut the ham into 1-inch wide strips.
- Using a knife, spread the cream cheese, butter, or hummus onto the top half of the breadsticks. This will help “glue” your ham to the breadstick.
- Wrap the breadsticks with your ham strips.
- Pack in an airtight container to keep the ham fresh and the breadsticks crunchy.
6. Deviled Eggs with Turkey Ham
What makes deviled eggs one of the best picnic food ideas is that they can be enjoyed at any temperature. Whether served chilled straight from the cooler or left to reach room temperature during the picnic, they never disappoint. They're just meant to make you happy!
The challenge is in keeping them intact if you’re transporting them to somewhere other than your backyard BUT there are solutions!
- Use muffin tins. Each muffin tin should contain one deviled egg half. Then, cover each tin loosely with plastic wrap and you're good to go!
- Use egg cartons. Place the eggs snugly into the cups of an egg carton, preferably a plastic one, and carefully pipe in the filling before covering them.
- Egg carrier. Yes, it exists!
- Assemble on-site. If it’s just impossible to bring them to the park without the risk of your deviled eggs turning into an egg salad by the time you get to your destination, complete the preps on-site. All you have to do is organize the halved egg whites neatly in an airtight container. Then place the filling into a resealable plastic bag for easy transport. Once you arrive at your picnic site, transfer the egg whites onto a serving platter, snip a corner of the filling bag, and pipe the filling into the egg white halves. And ta-da! Your deviled eggs are ready to charm the gang!
INGREDIENTS:
- ⅓ cup Buddig Honey Roasted Turkey, finely chopped
- 6 large hard-boiled eggs, peeled and cooled
- 2 tbsp mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp sweet pickle relish
- Chopped fresh parsley, if desired
DIRECTIONS:
- Cut eggs in half, lengthwise. Scoop out the egg yolks and place them into a bowl. Set the egg whites aside.
- Using a fork or a potato masher, mash the yolks. Once you have an even consistency, add the turkey ham, mayo, and pickle relish. Mix well.
- Scoop about a tablespoon of your egg yolk mixture and place it into each egg white half.
- Garnish with chopped parsley, if desired.
Power up Your Picnic with Buddig Meats!
A really good tip if you’re planning your menu for a picnic: try to stay away from recipes that require the use of a stove—or at least stick to the ones that require minimal cooking. Keep your recipes quick and simple and save your energy for all the fun to be had at your outing. And the best way to add proteins to your spread without doing any cooking? Deli meats!
If you’re looking for picnic food ideas that are easy to make, choose recipes with deli meats and complement them with other flavors and textures. Now when it comes to deli meats, Buddig’s your best bet because we use real spices to create naturally delicious flavors (strictly no gluten or MSG!). So find Buddig products using our store locator, make a quick deli run, and start prepping and packing for your picnic!