Easy picnic food ideas

"Few things in life aren't improved by being put between two slices of bread"

There are simple picnic sandwiches and lots of other easy food ideas to be found as you surf through this site. For instance noodle salad is just as substantial as a sandwich and couscous salad is a meal in itself as well.

Maybe you prefer a chicken recipe served with a good portion of potato salad - whether the USA, English, Scandinavian or German version.

However, if you prefer to go with a substantial filling between two slices of some kind of bread, 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 smoked mackerel or kipper pate and add a handful of peppery watercress.

- 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)

- Grilled, marinated salmon with cucumber and watercress

- 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

- Gruyère cheese topped with onion or garlic jam

- Slices of country pâté or roast pork with finely chopped cornichons and mustard mayonnaise

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 sandwiches, 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.