Your guide to the ultimate summer picnic

As the weather warms up, it’s a great time for a picnic. Whether its in the back yard, the park, or on a bush walk, picnics are a great way of having fun with food and enjoying the outdoors.

To help you out we’ve put together our top 5 tips for the ultimate summer picnic, check them out below!

1. Sandwiches don’t have to be boring

Sandwiches are standard picnic fare, but you can still get  creative.  Try a Falafel hummus and tabouleh wrap, a stuffed pita bread like our Mediterranean vegie pita, filled rolls like our simple tuna roll or even bread sushi.

You can make them before you go or just bring along the bread and fillings and everyone can build their own masterpiece. A great tip for picnics is to wrap sandwiches and wraps securely in paper or pretty serviettes and label with the contents or the guests name and, if you want to add an extra touch , tie with string. You can also use toothpicks to hold sandwiches or the bread sushi together.

For more sandwich filling ideas see the Healthy Lunch box website

2. Savoury snacks

Sometimes a picnic is just about grazing, especially if there are kids and plenty of activity going on.

Snacks can be as simple as guacamole, crackers and vegie sticks or if you have time to bake,  carrot and zucchini savoury muffins, mini crustless chicken quiches or our easy egg muffin cup.  Add a selection of falafels, Thai chicken meatballs or dolmades.

3. Want to serve a more substantial spread?

Salads are perfect for picnics. Try more substantial ones that are easier to transport like potato salad that includes some chopped up boiled eggs or a delicious pasta salad with tomatoes, olives and a pesto dressing.

Green leafy salads may not travel well so try our Nicoise salad , roasted vegetable salad or our Indian salad. For a hero salad you can’t go past our soy and ginger chicken noodle salad. Make it vegetarian by replacing the chicken with some tofu.

Picnic tip: pack the dressing separately in a leak proof container and dress just before serving.

4. Dessert

Finish your picnic with these easy to transport ideas that also look and taste amazing:

• Try packing individual desserts in jars like these fruit salad parfaits 
• A fresh fruit platter, a container of cut up fruit or just pack a watermelon to cut up
• Apple and date muffins or bliss balls
• Custard pudding

5. Food safety

Being outside means you need to keep food cold. Here’s some tips to help ensure you are storing food correctly:

• Make sure you have plenty of ice packs or freeze water bottles
• Only take food out of the esky or cooler bag when you are ready to eat
• Keep insects off food by covering with a net or T towel
• And make sure hands are clean before you start serving or eating
• Don’t pack too much food –  you;ll need to throw away any leftovers that have been out of the fridge for longer than 4 hours
• Freeze items such as sandwich bread and home-made muffins beforehand. They will be thawed and ready to eat for the picnic

Your quick picnic checklist!

Don’t to forget to pack:

• A bread Knife
• Cutlery and plates
• Serviettes
• A picnic blanket, chairs or cushions
• Hand sanitiser or wipes
• A Hat and sunscreen

Read more information about eating a healthy diet.