Looking for easy and refreshing picnic food ideas? Then try these delicious sandwiches, appetizers, salads, desserts, drinks and more on your next picnic! All you have to do is prepare these picnic recipes at home, then then store them in your cooler to take on the road.
Picnics are one of my favorite activities in the summer especially when I’m on vacation. I don’t like to eat lunch in the hotel because the whole point of the vacation is to be out exploring & sight seeing, not being cooped up in the hotel room, but I also don’t want to waste money eating in a restaurant so I always plan picnics in scenic spots on vacations.
Picnics are a whole lot cheaper than eating out AND you get a beautiful view too (e.g. lakes, mountains, beach, etc.).I also like to do picnics every once in a while even when I’m not vacationing because it’s still a more affordable alternative to eating out.
Appetizer Picnic Recipes
- Easy Guacamole from Allrecipes
- 5 Minute Restaurant Salsa from The Chunky Chef
- BEST EVER Deviled Eggs from Mrs. Happy Homemaker
- Bacon Cheddar Deviled Eggs from Allrecipes
- Spinach Artichoke Dip from Food.com
- Caprese Bites from Delish
- 5 Ingredient Strawberry Salsa from Gimme Some Oven
Side Dish Picnic Recipes
Pasta Salads
- Greek Pasta Salad from Plain Chicken
- Creamy Cucumber Pasta Salad from Spend With Pennies
- Tex Mex Pasta Salad from Clarks Condensed
- Dill Pickle Lovers Pasta Salad from Spend With Pennies
- 5-Ingredient Pasta Salad from Gimme Some Oven
- Ridiculously Amazing Asian Ramen Salad from Table for Two
- Antipasto Pasta Salad from Allrecipes
- Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad from The Novice Chef
- BLT Pasta Salad from Life in the Lifehouse
- Best Easy Italian Pasta Salad from Pinch of Yum
- Broccoli Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad from Julia’s Album
- Creamy Ranch and Ham Pasta Salad from Family Fresh Meals
- Hawaiian Macaroni Salad from The Recipe Critic
- Avocado Pasta Salad from Spend With Pennies
- Tuna Pasta Salad with Dill & Peas from Lauren’s Latest
- Taco Pasta Salad from Wine & Glue
- BBQ Chicken Ranch Pasta Salad from Spicy Southern Kitchen
- Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad from I Heart Naptime
- Bacon Ranch Chicken Pasta Salad from Yellow Bliss Road
- Pizza Pasta Salad from The Girl Who Ate Everything
- Gluten Free Pasta Salad from Iowa Girl Eats
Fruit Salads
- Strawberry Watermelon Salad from Giggles Galore
- Honey Lime Rainbow Fruit Salad from Cooking Classy
- Berry Cantaloupe Salad from Damn Delicious
- 5-Ingredient Strawberry Caprese Pasta Salad from Gimme Some Oven
- Strawberry Bacon Salad from Sallys Baking Addiction
- Summer Berry Cheesecake Salad from Cakescottage
- Watermelon-Cucumber Salad from Country Living
- Pineapple Cucumber Lime Salad from Mom On Timeout
Other Salad Picnic Recipes
Corn Salads
- Black Bean and Corn Salad from Food Network
- Corn, Avocado, and Tomato Salad from The Girl Who Ate Everything
- Spicy Mexican Street Corn Salad from I Heart Vegetables
- Shoepeg Corn Salad from Mostly Homemade Mom
- Fresh Corn and Chickpea Salad from Woman’s Day
Cucumber Salads
- Corn and Cucumber Picnic Salad from Lovefoodies
- Creamy Cucumber Salad from Closet Cooking
- Cucumber Sesame Salad from Good Dinner Mom
- Spicy Thai Cucumber Salad from One Little Project
- Avocado Cucumber Salad from Smitten Kitchen
- German Cucumber Salad from Stumbling upon Happiness
- Tomato, Cucumber & Feta Salad from Lemon Tree Dwelling
Bean Salads
- Three Bean Wild Rice Salad from Mom On Timeout
- 3 Bean Salad from Budget Bytes
- Black-Eyed Peas Salad from Food Network
- Loaded Veggie Salad with Chickpeas and Black Beans from Pip and Ebby
Potato Salad
- Classic Potato Salad from Food.com
- My Favorite Southern Potato Salad from To Simply Inspire
- Red Potato Salad from TGIF – This Grandma is Fun
- Dill Pickle Potato Salad from Country Living
- German Potato Salad (No Mayo) from Five Heart Home
- Cheddar Bacon Ranch Potato Salad (Only 5 Ingredients) from Cooking Classy
- Bacon Ranch Potato Salad from The Recipe Critic
- Herbed Red Potato Salad (No Mayo) from Love Real Food
- Dill Potato Salad from Wildflour’s Cottage Kitchen
Other Salads
- Broccoli Apple Salad from Cooking Classy
- Creamy Broccoli Salad from Natasha’s Kitchen
- Tortellini Olive Salad from Norine’s Nest
- Thai Peanut Chicken Crunch Slaw Salad from The Creative Bite
- Avocado Tuna Salad (No Mayo) from Natasha’s Kitchen
- Crunchy Pea Salad from The Girl Who Ate Everything
- Carrot Raisin Salad from Taste of Home
- Salad On A Stick from Caramel Potatoes
- Taco Salad in a Jar from Delish
Coleslaw
- KFC Coleslaw from Gonna Want Seconds
- Carolina Coleslaw (No Mayo) from Epicurious
- Chick-fil-A Cole Slaw from Shugary Sweets
- Classic Memphis-Style Coleslaw from Barefoot in the Kitchen
- Sweet and Tangy Cole Slaw from 517 West Cooking Lane
- Southwest Chicken Coleslaw from Hot Eats and Cool Reads
- Oriental (Asian) Coleslaw from Manila Spoon
- Sesame-Ginger Slaw from Country Living
- Apple Cranberry and Almond Coleslaw from Cooking Classy
Baked Beans
- The Best Baked Beans from The Girl Who Ate Everything
- Southern Style Baked Beans from South Your Mouth
- Boston Baked Beans from Allrecipes
- Trisha Yearwood’s Easy Baked Beans from Food Network
- Baked Beans with Smoked Sausage from Spicy Southern Kitchen
- Brown Sugar Baked Beans with Bacon from Chew Out Loud
Main Dish Picnic Recipes
Chicken
- Loaded Chicken Salad from The Pinning Mama
- Best-Ever Chicken Salad from How to Feed a Loon
- Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Sandwich from Natasha’s Kitchen
- Hawaiian BBQ Chicken Wraps from Tastes Better from Scratch
- Buffalo Chicken Tortilla Roll Ups from Sugar Apron
- Dill Chicken Salad from Peace Love and Low Carb
- Slow Cooker Hawaiian Chicken Sandwiches from Lemon Tree Dwelling
- Chicken Bacon Avocado Sandwich from Natasha’s Kitchen
- Chicken Pesto Sandwich from Damn Delicious
- Chicken Stuffed French Bread from Life in the Lofthouse
- Easy Chicken Satay from ALlrecipes
- Cranberry Chicken Salad on Apple Slices from Yummy Addiction
- Chicken, Spinach and Cream Cheese Tortilla Wrap from Tried and Tasty
- Crock Pot Chicken Caesar Sandwiches from Two Healthy Kitchens
- Chicken, Cranberry, Pecan Salad Wraps from Yummiest Food
- Mahogany Fried Chicken from Martha Stewart
- Chicken Avocado Roll-Ups from Delish
- Jalapeño Popper Chicken Salad from WonkyWonderful
Pork
- Slow-Cooker Pulled Pork from Betty Crocker
- Bacon Cheddar Ranch Pinwheels from Lemon Tree Dwelling
- Ham & Cheese Roll Ups from My Fussy Eater
- Salami Cream Cheese Sandwich from Natasha’s Kitchen
- Slow Cooker Root Beer Pulled Pork Sandwiches from Mom On Timeout
- Italian Sandwich Roll-Ups from Happy-Go-Lucky
- Loaded Caprese Picnic Loaf from Delish
- Grain Free Italian Sub Roll-Up from Our Paleo Life
- Avocado and Ham Sandwiches from Country Living
Other Picnic Recipes
- Classic Egg Salad from The Gracious Wife
- Deluxe Egg Salad from Nums the Word
- CopyCat Panera Tuna Salad Sandwich from CincyShopper
- Spicy Tuna Wraps from Wild Selections
- Tuna Salad Crescents from Pillsbury
- Cracked Out Turkey Pinwheels from Plain Chicken
- Turkey Ranch Club Wraps from Life In The Lofthouse
- Avocado Egg Salad Roll Ups (Healthy No Mayo) from OMG Chocolate Desserts
Vegetarian
- Summer Veggie Sandwich from Self Proclaimed Foodie
- Cucumber and Cream Cheese Sandwich Rolls from Christina Cucina
- Cucumber Sandwiches with Dill Cream Cheese from Culinary Hill
- Lemony Cucumber Cream Cheese Sandwiches from Chew Out Loud
- Ultimate Hummus and Veggie Sandwich from Bless This Mess
- Italian Vegetable Hoagies from Eating Well
- Veggie Tortilla Roll-Ups from Betty Crocker
- Roasted Chickpea Gyros from Live Eat Learn
- Rainbow Veggie Pinwheels from Dinner at the Zoo
- Pesto Caprese Sandwich from Olivia’s Cuisine
- Fruit Pinwheels from Drink Milk
- Summer Vegetable Tart from Delish
- Buffalo Chickpea Salad Sandwich from Haps Healthy Mama
Dessert Picnic Recipes
Berry
- Strawberry Pretzel Dessert from Sugar Apron
- Banana Split Bites from Our Family of Seven
- Strawberry Shortcake Kabobs from Sugar Apron
- Strawberry Brownie Skewers from One Little Project
- Banana Split Kabobs from Lemon Tree Dwelling
- French Strawberry Cake from Foodtastic Mom
- Fresh Berry Slab Pie from Pillsbury
- Strawberry Rhubarb Hand Pies from Sugar Dish Me
- Mini Summer Berry Galettes from Home Cooking Memories
- Raspberry Almond Shortbread Thumbprints from Saving Room for Dessert
- Layered Strawberry Trifle from RecipeGirl
- Soft Blueberry Cookies from Grumpy’s Honey Bunch
- Strawberries and Cream Bars from Two Peas & Their Pod
- Blueberry Cobbler from RecipeGirl
- Chocolate Filled Strawberries from Lily Shop
- Strawberry Hand Pies from Country Living
- Strawberry Cookies With White Chocolate Chunks from OMG Chocolate Desserts
- No Bake Summer Berry Icebox Cake from Cakescottage
Other
- Apple Hand Pies from Shugary Sweets
- Apple Turnovers from Betty Crocker
- Apple Slab Pie from Allrecipes
- Fanciful Fruit Pizza from Pillsbury
- White Texas Sheet Cake from Allrecipes
- Luscious Lemon Squares from Betty Crocker
- Meyer Lemon Meringue Pie from Country Living
- Lemon Gooey Butter Cookies from Wicked Good Kitchen
- The Best Banana Pudding Ever from Flavorite
- Peach Slab Pie from Pillsbury
- Fresh Peach Crisp from Meatloaf and Melodrama
- Cherry Pie Cookies from CincyShopper
- No Bake Key Lime Cheesecake in a Jar from Life Love and Sugar
- Chocolate-Dipped Clementines from Woman’s Day
- Lemon Poppyseed Cookies from Mom On Timeout
- Tropical Tapioca Parfaits from Woman’s Day
Drink Picnic Recipes
Lemonade
- Watermelon Lemonade from Cooking Classy
- Fresh Strawberry Lemonade from Spend With Pennies
- Raspberry Peach Lemonade from The Chunky Chef
- Pink Lemonade from Raining Hot Coupons
- Sparkling Raspberry Lemonade from Cooking Classy
- Cherry Lemonade from Pizzazzerie
- Fresh Peach Lemonade from Gather for Bread
- Easy Sparkling Blueberry Lemonade from Chelsea’s Messy Apron
- Sparkling Cherry Limeade from Julie’s Eats & Treats
- Pineapple Mango Lemonade from Cooking Classy
- Rhubarb Lemonade from Country Living
- Lime Fizz from Southern Living
Tea
- Easy Peach Tea from Passion for Savings
- Perfect Sweet Tea from No. 2 Pencil
- Southern Strawberry Sweet Tea from Incredible Recipes from Heaven
- Honey Mint Green Iced Tea from Will Cook For Smiles
- Mango Iced Tea from Dinner at the Zoo
- Southern Sweet Tea from The Country Cook
- Refreshing Strawberry Iced Tea from Food.com
Water
- Fruit-Infused Water – 6 Ways from She Uncovered
- Watermelon Breeze from Flavorite
- Strawberry Watermelon Mint Infused Water from PositiveMed
- Strawberry, Lime, Cucumber and Mint Infused Water from Wholefully
- Copycat Sonic Ocean Water from Baking Beauty
- Strawberry Orange Water from Stockpiling Moms
Punch
- Fizzy Pineapple Punch from The Chunky Chef
- Sparkling Pineapple Strawberry Punch from Maebells
- Strawberry Punch from Five Heart Home
- Sparkling Strawberry Punch from My Recipe Magic
- Sparkling Cranberry Pineapple Punch from Natasha’s Kitchen
- Sparkling Citrus Punch {Just 3 Ingredients} from The Frugal Girls
- Tropical Party Punch from Poofy Cheeks
- Cucumber Limeade Party Punch from NoBiggie
- Strawberry Lemonade Punch from The Frugal Girls
Thanks for including my cucumber and cream cheese recipe!