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Easy picnic food ideas
"Few things in life aren't improved by being put between two slices of bread"The above quote comes from Nigella Lawson and as far as easy picnic food ideas go, the sandwich must be one of the simplest. In fact a nice sandwich is the ultimate picnic lunch. Easily transported and washed down with a glass of iced tea or a cold bottle of ginger beer, it's old-fashioned goodness!
Then take your pick from some of these easy picnic food ideas: Cannellini bean spread sandwiches - - in seed bread with tapenade and rocket To make the cannellini bean spread, blend or mash a rinsed and well-drained can of cannellini beans with 1 or 2 crushed cloves of garlic, a tablespoon of lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread the bread with tapenade (olive and anchovy or olive and sun-dried tomato or whatever you have), then the bean spread, lots of rocket and sandwich together.
- in sourdough bread with chorizo and chilli oil Make cannelloni bean spread as above, replacing one spoon of olive oil with chilli infused olive oil and sandwich together generously with slices of chorizo.
Pitta breads are another easy picnic food idea to use. Try some of these tasty combinations: Mozzarella, rocket and salsa Pitta Pocket Split the pitta pocket and spread one inside surface with salsa relish. Then fill the pocket with sliced mozzarella or mini mozzarella balls and a handful of rocket, watercress or salad spinach.
Tuna fish and red onion Pitta Pocket Mix tinned tuna fish with finely chopped red onion. Add mayonnaise to bind, and some parsley if possible. Add salt and pepper to taste and fill the pitta with the mixture.
Mediterranean Pitta Pocket Fill pitta breads with a mixture of halved cherry tomatoes, basil leaves, thinly sliced red onion, thin strips of sweet red pepper, a few stoned and smashed black olives and an anchovy or two. Add salt and pepper but remember anchovies are salty.
Prawn and gherkin Pitta Pocket Roughly chop about 200g of cooked, peeled prawns and mix with 2 large, finely chopped gherkins in 30 ml of crème fraiche and 15 ml of thick mayonnaise. Add some snipped chives, salt and black pepper to taste. Fills 2 or 3 toasted pitta pockets. and more easy picnic food ideas:-
Soft Rolls or Floury Baps with roastbeef, watercress and mustard mayo Mix together 4 tablespoons of thick mayonnaise, 1 of each of smooth and wholegrain Dijon mustard. Spread on both sides of soft rolls and fill with a generous amount of thinly sliced roastbeef and a handful of watercress.
Italian sandwich with Parmesan For an easy picnic food idea of the Italian variety, slice a ciabatta loaf through the middle and then cut each piece in half (makes 2 large sandwiches). Spread each piece with 2 teaspoons of sun-dried tomato paste. Top with small pieces of grilled artichokes (bottled) and roasted red peppers (bottled). Smash about 12 stoned black olives and add, along with a few thin slices of red onion. Finish off with Parmesan shavings (or other hard cheese) and a few torn oregano or basil leaves. Sandwich together and wrap tightly.
Smoked mackerel pate in a granary baguette Make your own mackerel pate with 1 smoked mackerel fillet (skinned) per 100g of cream cheese, teaspoon of creamed horseradish and pinch of paprika. Mash or blend in food processor, adding salt and pepper, as well as lemon juice, to taste.
"Only the generous can make a sandwich worth eating" - Nigel Slater (i.e. put lots of filling in your sandwiches!)
Want yet more easy picnic food ideas? Check out It's a Wrap! or maybe you'll find something you fancy among these fillings:
- Smoked salmon, bean sprouts, chopped fresh dill and thick crème fraiche or sour cream - Smoked salmon, cream cheese and black pepper - Smoked chicken, avocado and mango chutney - Rare roast beef, caramelised onions and whole-grain mustard - Grilled bacon, feta cheese and cranberry sauce - Cream cheese, roasted peppers and smashed black olives - Grilled bacon and mashed avocado (mixed with a splash of lemon juice to stop it going black) - Mashed hard-boiled egg and mayonnaise, salted anchovies and watercress (don't add any more salt!) - Brie and sunblushed tomatoes in oil, drained - Brie and mango chutney - Blue cheese and crispy bacon Marmite (kids love them. OK, some adults too!) Hint: if you're making a lot, mix the Marmite with soft butter first, according to taste. Then it takes half the time to spread. Peanut butter is another quick and easy sandwich filler for kids - BUT make sure you know that nobody present is allergic to nuts. (These days 1% of children in the UK are allergic to nuts and peanuts in particular.)
If you find your kitchen is short of the ingredients you need, just take some cutlery and plates (and I must have salt but that's up to you) and do a quick shop on the way. The food can be assembled when you arrive at the beach, park, or where ever you're escaping to. And don't forget those drinks, including bottled water. Kids are especially prone to dehydration when running around and playing in the sun. With the sandwichs, you could also take some cold or hot
soup
depending on the weather. As easy picnic food ideas go, these are two that work very well together.
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