100+ Picnic Food Ideas (+ An Afternoon Tea-Themed Picnic Menu)
Use our 100+ picnic food ideas to pack for picnics of all types. From savory appetizers to something sweet, we have got you covered!
Great food makes a great picnic, and it pays to be prepared before you head out to your beautiful location, basket in hand.
Our list breaks down food into different types. That way, you can decide what type of picnic you’re planning and choose food and drink suitable for it.
If we’re all ready, let’s dive in, and plan a picnic that is yummy, fun, and delicious for everyone involved.
Picnic Food Ideas
Easy (Grab & Go Charcuterie Board)
In my opinion, the best picnic consists of a charcuterie board with dips, spreads, crackers, croissants, fresh fruit, cheese, and chorizo. Serving this with a chilled glass of wine while sitting on a comfy picnic blanket admiring the sunset or the ocean is my ideal date.
Here are some ideas to assemble your favorite charcuterie board for a picnic but, of course, mix and match depending on what you like.
- Hummus & Pita Chips
- Salsa & Tortilla Chips
- Guacamole
- Baguettes
- Croissants
- Cut-Up Fresh Fruit
- Cut-Up Fresh Veggies
- Assortment of Cheeses (Cheddar, Smoked Gouda, Emmental, Goat Cheese)
- Cured Meats (Spanish Chorizo, Salami, Pepperoni)
- Pretzels
- Smoked Salmon & Cream Cheese (Paired with Croissants)
- Olives
- Nuts (Almonds, Cashews, Pistachios)
Dips & Spreads Ideas
We already mentioned hummus, salsa, and guacamole. But here are a few more ideas for some tasty dips.
- 7-Layer Bean Dip
- Smoked Salmon Dip
- Baba Ganoush
- Salsa Verde
- Black Bean Dip
- French Onion Dip
- Ranch Dip
- Mango Salsa
- Taco Dip
- Olive Tapenade
Sandwiches & Wraps Ideas
There are so many delicious sandwich and wrap fillings, the world really is your oyster (unless you don’t like seafood!). To help inspire you, however, here are some classic go-to fillings.
- Chicken Sandwich
- Caprese Pesto Sandwich
- Egg Salad Sandwich (use this avocado egg salad recipe)
- Banh Mi (Vietnamese Sandwich)
- Falafel Sandwich
- Tuna Salad Sandwich
- Peanut Butter & Jelly
- Italian Chicken Wrap
- California Turkey Wrap
For a Beach Picnic
- Smoothies To-Go
- Popsicles
- Watermelon
- Bananas
- Mediterranean Veggie Wraps
- Shopska Salad
- Watermelon, Endive, and Fig Salad
- Rainbow Veggie Skewers
- Antipasto Skewers
- Greek Chicken Pitas
- No-Bake Cookies
- Frozen Grapes
Romantic Ideas
- Deviled Eggs
- Focaccia Bread
- Spanish Tortilla
- Fresh Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce
- Bruschetta
- Quiche Lorraine
- Green Goddess Sandwich
- Lobster Rolls
- Italian Sandwiches
- Tzatziki & Pita
- Baklava
For Large Groups
- Ricotta and Spinach Puffs
- Lemon Herb Pasta Salad
- Chickpea Salad
- Greek Salad
- Potato Salad
- Avocado Corn Salad
- Party Pinwheels
- Sausage Rolls / Kolaches
- Spanakopita
- Fruit Salad
- Hot Dogs
- Hamburgers
- Popcorn
- Chicken Wings
- Scotch Eggs
Vegan
- Salad in a Jar
- Vegan Grillable Veggie Burger
- Jackfruit Sandwich
- Vegetable Samosas
- Grilled Vegetable Platter
- Vegan Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce
Something Sweet
- Brownies
- Sugar Cookies
- Trail Mix
- Candied Nuts
- Granola Bars
- Crumb Bars
- Biscotti
- No-Bake Peanut Butter Pie
- Apple Strudel
- Palmiers
- French Macarons
- Madeleines
- Lemon Bars
- Energy Bites
Drinks Ideas
- Clericot
- Sangria
- Iced Tea
- Strawberry Basil Lemonade
- Ginger Ale
- Citrus Cooler
- Margarita
- Lemon-Lavander Spritzer
- Wine
- Beer
If you would like to make life easier, you can download and print this list as a printable, which you can get here.
Afternoon Tea-Themed Picnic
Smoked Salmon Sandwich. Mix 2 tbsp of cream cheese with a pinch of fresh minced dill, a pinch of salt, a pinch of ground pepper, and 1/2 tsp lemon juice. Spread the cream cheese mixture on 2 slices of rye bread and add 1 oz / 30 grams of smoked salmon.
Cucumber Sandwich. Peel and thinly slice about 1/6 of an English cucumber (about 8-12 thin slices). Sprinkle the cucumber slices with salt and let them sit for about 10 minutes. Afterward, pat them dry with a paper towel. Take 2 slices of white bread and butter each slice. Add the cucumber slices. Instead of butter, you could also use cream cheese seasoned with salt, pepper, and finely minced fresh dill and chives.
Ham and Cheese Sandwich. Take 2 slices of white bread and spread a thin layer of butter on each slice. Add 1 slice of ham (about 1 oz / 30 grams) and 1 slice of cheddar (about 1 oz / 30 grams).
Scones, Clotted Cream, and Jam. Pack 2 homemade or store-bought scones, strawberry jam, and clotted cream. Or, in a pinch, use butter instead of clotted cream.
Assorted Pastries. Pack a couple of assorted pastries you may like (such as macarons, eclairs, mini fruit tarts, or cake slices).
Tea. Pack a thermos of your favorite hot tea or iced tea, depending on your preference and the weather outside.
Tips:
- For more delicate sandwiches, remove the crusts from the bread.
- You can cut the sandwiches in half, into 4 triangles, or into 4 squares.
- For hot tea, classic choices would be English Breakfast tea, Earl Grey, and Darjeeling tea. For picnic-friendly iced tea, you could make iced English breakfast tea, iced Earl Grey with lemon, or peach iced tea.
Get the Afternoon Tea-Themed Picnic printable here.
Planning the perfect picnic does not need to be stressful. All you need is a little planning and preparation.
Our picnic foods list, complete with over 100 ideas, has something for everyone. It can help inspire you to plan a picnic that everyone loves so much, they’ll want to do it all over again next weekend!
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Keep this list of picnic food ideas for safekeeping by saving it to one of your Pinterest boards, ready for when you want to plan your next picnic.
