In a world increasingly focused on wellness, our food choices matter, even when planning a picnic. There's no better way to enjoy nature and sunshine than with a well-planned picnic. A memorable picnic starts with the right people, place, and, most importantly, fun and healthy picnic foods. This article provides a comprehensive guide to healthy picnic food ideas, ensuring your outdoor meal is both delicious and nourishing.
The Foundation of a Healthy Picnic
The key to a refreshing and nourishing picnic lies in choosing the right foods. Any combination of healthy ingredients makes for an excellent picnic. Focus on options that are easy to transport, require minimal utensils, and remain delicious even when served cold or at room temperature. With a little planning, picnics can be a delightful and health-conscious experience.
Guidelines for Healthy Picnic Food
- Easy to Transport: Choose foods that are simple to pack and won't spill or spoil easily.
- Minimal Utensils: Opt for dishes that can be eaten with your hands or require only a few utensils.
- Make-Ahead Options: Prepare your picnic food in advance to save time and ensure flavors meld together.
- Nutrient-Rich Ingredients: Select foods that provide essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
Appetizers and Snacks
Raw Vegetables and Hummus
A straightforward way to bring healthy food to a picnic is with raw vegetables and hummus. Choose a range of colorful vegetables and consider making your own hummus, rich in protein, fiber, and antioxidants.
Nuts
Nuts are full of healthy fats, protein, and antioxidants. They are filling and make for the perfect picnic snack.
Rice Cakes
Rice cakes are a gluten-free snack that can be used for spreading nut butter or dipping.
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7-Layer Bean Dip
Make your own 7-Layer Bean Dip at home, ensuring a healthier version with reduced trans fats and salt.
Salad on a Stick
Bring salad on a stick for an easy and fun way to enjoy fresh vegetables. An easy combination is cherry tomatoes, mozzarella balls, and basil, with a Balsamic Dipping Sauce on the side.
Summer Fruits
Summer fruits provide a range of micronutrients, including vitamins C, A, and K; B vitamins; magnesium; and potassium.
Energy Balls
Energy balls are the perfect sweet snack on the go and are loaded with flavor. Prepare multiple flavors, coating the energy balls with shredded coconut, cacao powder, or chopped nuts.
Chips
Everyone loves snacking on crunchy chips during a picnic, and there are ways to make them a healthy option.
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Salads
Cobb Salad
On first thought, you may not consider Cobb salad a healthy option, but when using healthy, nutrient-rich ingredients, it’s a great option for a picnic.
Macaroni Salad
Macaroni salad is a tasty, filling, and easy dish to eat outdoors, and it can be healthy, too. There are many healthy pasta options out there, including brown rice pasta, quinoa pasta, and chickpea pasta.
Chicken Salad
Chicken Salad is a protein-rich meal that’s perfect for warm-weather days. You can make it with a high-quality mayonnaise or even Greek yogurt.
Lemony Greek Salad
Nothing tastes better than local smoked trout with garden-fresh veggies! Combine cubed bread cubes from a baguette. Cut bread into 1-inch by 1-inch cubes and lightly toss in olive oil. Bake at around 425 degrees until toasted or lightly browned in a skillet. Allow to cool. Add lettuce, onions, tomato, and olives to two salad bowls. Lightly crumple-skinned smoked trout over the salads. Make the Lemony Greek Salad dressing.
Epic Summer Salad
Perfect for BBQs and buffets, an epic salad is an assembly of gorgeous ingredients - no cooking required. Serve it with lamb kebabs for an impressive summer feast.
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Healthy Potato Salad
Try a healthy potato salad at a barbecue for a different take on a classic summer salad. This delicious recipe instead features basil, parsley, and garlic.
Salmon Pasta Salad with Lemon & Capers
Use frozen, skinless wild salmon fillets for a cheap and filling lunch on the go. This low-calorie, healthy dish couldn't be easier to whip up.
Apple & Penne Slaw with Walnuts
Try a fresh twist on the classic pasta salad with a tangy, veggie yogurt-based dressing, plus apples, walnuts, and chickpeas. It's a healthy, low-calorie lunch option that provides 3 of your 5-a-day.
Summer Egg Salad with Basil & Peas
Drizzle seasonal greens, new potatoes, and eggs with a tangy, herby dressing to make a healthy vegetarian lunch or dinner, packed with iron, folate, and fibre.
Scandi Beetroot & Salmon Pasta
Eat well at work with this easy-to-prepare Scandinavian-inspired beetroot and salmon fusilli salad. It'll keep you going through the afternoon.
Fennel, Roast Lemon & Tomato Salad
Combine roasted lemon with fronds of fennel, cherry tomatoes, pomegranate and herbs to make a colourful summer salad. It makes a perfect sharing dish.
Spring Tabbouleh
A simple, budget, spring salad that can add a healthy dose of vegetables to your midweek meal.
Kale Caesar Salad
Every picnic needs a refreshing side dish, and this one is fantastic overall. It’s got a creamy, lemony, homemade Caesar dressing along with crunchy panko and parmesan.
Grated Broccoli Salad with Carrots, Apples, and Dried Cranberries
This fresh, “slaw-style” salad has undeniably explosive flavor. It’s the perfect combination of sweet, salty, and nutty.
Spinach Fruit Salad
Crunchy walnuts, spicy red onion, and dark green spinach go perfectly with super sweet strawberries, pineapple, and blueberries in this refreshing summer salad.
Greek Pasta Salad
Pasta salad is almost a requirement for picnicking adventures.
Secret Fruit Salad
This amazing fruit medley is made with berries, peaches, grapes, and another ingredient you might not ever think to put in fruit salad: instant vanilla-flavored pudding mix!
Roasted Fennel Panzanella
Hearty bread cubes, toasted and mixed with fennel, radicchio, capers, parsley, and Manchego cheese! Drizzle everything in a homemade honey lemon dressing, and you’ve got an insanely delicious salad. It’ll be the star of the show at your picnic gathering.
Quinoa Salad
Hearty, fresh, and VERY tasty. This grain salad is made with black beans, red onion, bell pepper, crunchy cucumber, fresh herbs, olive oil, lemon juice, and savory sausage for extra protein.
Corn Salad
This bright, refreshing salad is perfect for summer with cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onions, and of course, corn. It’s made with a zesty citrus-lime dressing for ultimate tastiness. You can eat this salad solo, it’s also great as a chip dip!
Healthy Potato Salad
No picnic is complete without potato salad. This lighter version is made with homemade mayo and apple cider vinegar for some zing.
Mediterranean Salad
Made with traditional Mediterranean ingredients like olives and feta cheese, this salad is light and refreshing.
Chicken Quinoa Salad
This salad can be enjoyed hot or cold! It has great flavor/color and features fresh vegetables, hearty quinoa, black beans, and juicy chicken.
Broccoli Slaw Salad
Make this simple, slaw-style salad in just 5 minutes with prepped veggies from the store. Sprinkle some nuts on top for a bit of crunch.
Summer Fruit Salad
A simple, delightful, and sweet treat.
Main Courses
Sushi Rolls
Elevate your picnic with homemade Sushi Rolls made with healthy ingredients like nori seaweed, avocado, and cucumber.
Egg Salad Sandwich
The classic egg salad sandwich never disappoints and reminds you of childhood picnics, too. Use an Egg Salad recipe made with celery, pecans, onion, dill, and parsley.
Spring Rolls
Spring rolls are easy to transport and eat with your hands, and when made with healthy ingredients like sliced peppers, carrots, cucumbers, and lean meat, they are loaded with nutrients. Try a Thai Spring Roll recipe.
Viet Fajitas
Looking for unique picnic food ideas? Pita sandwiches are an excellent addition to your spread. These ones are made with marinated feta, chickpeas, olive pesto, and fried zucchini slices. Of course, you can incorporate all kinds of different ingredients.
Chicken Fajita Grilled Cheese
These ooey-gooey sandwiches with fajita chicken and veggies are SO good as the chicken salad sandwich.
Greek Olive Pesto and Fried Zucchini Grilled Pitas
Looking for unique picnic food ideas? Pita sandwiches are an excellent addition to your spread. These ones are made with marinated feta, chickpeas, olive pesto, and fried zucchini slices. Of course, you can incorporate all kinds of different ingredients.
Easy healthy falafels
Pair John Torode's easy falafels with soft flatbreads, well-spiced humous and crunchy pickles for a magnificent meze of a lunch, or a shareable starter.
Lemon & yogurt chicken flatbreads
Make these family-friendly chicken wraps with lemon, garlic and cinnamon marinade on a barbecue if the sun is shining. Serve in flatbreads with yoghurt.
Minty griddled chicken & peach salad
This colourful salad supplies lean protein and is packed with nutrients including vitamins C and E. It's also low-calorie and provides all 5 of your 5-a-day.
Wholemeal wraps with minty pea hummus & beetroot
This quick lunch option contains 3 of your 5-a-day and makes great fuel for exercise. Homemade wraps are easy to make and are much tastier than shop-bought.
Heirloom Tomato Sandwiches
These tomato avocado sandwiches are easy to wrap up and take as picnic food! Lightly mash the avocados with a few pinches of sea salt and a squeeze of lemon. Assemble the sandwiches with the toasted bread, avocado, tomatoes, lettuce, and hemp seeds, if using.
Sweet Treats
Muffins
Muffins are an excellent sweet treat for an outdoor setting because they transport easily and come in individual portions.
Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes
Use a combination of almond flour, coconut flour, and eggs to create the base for these healthy Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes.
Apricot & raspberry tart
Delicious served hot or cold, this tart uses filo pastry to keep the calories down.
Healthy flapjacks
Make these easy healthy flapjacks with dates & walnuts for when you need a pick-me-up. Plant-based and vegan, they're ideal for those on a dairy-free diet.
Sundried Tomato Pesto Quiche
Quiche is a lot more portable than you’d think, making it perfect for your picnic basket. You can either place it in a thermal, insulated cover or enjoy it at room temperature.