Food Ideas for a Picnic

Planning an entertaining picnic for any number of guests should not feel like a difficult task. This article looks at nutritious food ideas for any size picnic. Picnic foods and drinks are best when they are light on the stomach, easy to carry, keep well without constant refrigeration or heat and are full of flavor.

Slaw and salsa

A wonderful quality of slaw and salsa is that both of these food items are easily created from a large number of fruits and vegetables, allowing these foods to tailor to the palettes of those attending the picnic. Cabbage is the base of most slaw, while tomatoes provide the foundation for many different types of salsas. Either food is lightweight and stores easily in a cooler.

Salads

Salads are as versatile as slaw and salsas. Salads combine a robust flavor of various greens, vegetables, fruits and grains into a food that is tasty, simple to store and easy to serve. Salad preparation is not difficult, and preparing a salad is possible either in a kitchen prior to the picnic, or at the picnic site, itself. Remember to bring dressing that does not spoil in the potential heat of the picnic.

Sandwiches

The ideal picnic sandwich is made on a thin bread, with a light dressing. With a robust selection of meats, cheeses and vegetables available at most local stores, preparing a flavorful sandwich that is filling without feeling heavy is a very simple process. Sandwiches are as diverse as any other food and are easily prepared for carnivorous and vegetarian diets with little variation in ingredients. Very few people can say that they dislike sandwiches, as well, so this is a real "go-to" picnic item.

Desserts and drinks

Desserts made without an excess of sugar are an ideal way to end a picnic, and for picnics where attendees spend time in the sun, citrus drinks without caffeine or alcohol are an ideal choice. Just make sure to pack bags of ice in the cooler! Even people on lifeboats are known to say no to warm lemonade!

Planning a picnic is easy and fun, and finding the perfect picnic foods to serve is simple for any person, regardless of their culinary skill.