As part of our Day-at-a-Time-Staycation, we’ve had quite a few picnics this summer. My Certain Little Someone was trying to keep track of them at first, but he lost count somewhere around 4 or 5, and we’ve had quite a few since then!
Except for the minor issue of bugs (ahem), I love picnicking because:
- it’s a fun way to experience the outdoors.
- it’s a fun way to eat lunch.
- it’s one way to enjoy local parks and historic areas.
- IT SAVES MONEY! No need to eat out when you have a picnic in tow.
(In case you couldn’t tell, that last point was my favorite one, and in my opinion is reason enough for picnicking anytime.)
Picnicking all summer long is no fun if every picnic is the same, besides which I’m not a huge sandwich fan, so I’ve been getting creative with our picnic lunches. Here are a few of the things we’ve enjoyed on our outdoor luncheons:
1. Cold Plate
I actually posted about the idea of a Cold Plate lunch/dinner way back in 2009 (seems like ancient history now). The concept is this: just pack a variety of cold cuts and crudites that can be eaten with the fingers and with little fuss or mess.
Some ideas to include in your Cold Plate lunch:
- Boiled Eggs
- Cheese Cubes
- Leftover Sliced Meat
- Lunch Meat
- Sliced Cheese
- Various Vegetable Crudites: Celery Sticks, Carrot Sticks, Broccoli, Cucumbers, Peppers, etc.
- Fruits: Grapes, Watermelon, Berries, Apple or Pear Slices, Clementines or Oranges
- Dried Fruit
2. Meatballs & Dips
Another idea I posted way back when was a finger-food meal concept that included meatballs and sliced apples, both with dipping sauces. Meatballs can be made ahead, and can be made in pretty much any flavor profile desired, with an appropriate dip to match. Bring along some toothpicks and have a dippity-do-dah day!
Here are some meatball recipes I’ve enjoyed:
- Basic Meatballs with Lemon-Yogurt Dip
- Lemongrass Prawns (You don’t really need to use shrimp; you can use any combination of ground meats. This is really fun if you have a grill at your picnic site.)
- Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Bites (not technically a meatball; but do you really need an excuse to eat bacon?)
- Chipotle Turkey Meatballs
- Swedish Meatballs (I use homemade bread crumbs from my sourdough, and whole milk.)
- Greektown Turkey Meatballs
As a side dish, bring these super cute “Veggie Gardens”.
3. Bean Patties
Say wha?? Yep, bean patties. They’re healthy, sturdy, delicious, and super easy to make at home if you have some pre-cooked and/or canned beans. (I always keep a stash of cooked beans in my freezer ready to be used for occasions such as this.) Plus, like meatballs, you can make them pretty much any flavor you want!
I usually start with this black bean burger recipe, but the truth is that bean patties are really just a mixture of beans (pretty much any kind), shredded veggies (again, pretty much any kind), some sort of flour or starch (pretty much… yeah, you got it), and seasonings. Sometimes bread crumbs and/or eggs are added, and sometimes not. Whatever ingredients you use, just run them through your food processor until you have a consistency that’s able to be molded into patties. Fry your patties in a little bit of oil or bacon grease on medium-ish heat, and you’re done.
Falafels are a kind of bean patty (or meatless meatball, as they are sometimes formed in spheres rather than patties) made from chickpeas that are particularly delicious. Not a fan of beans? Try these Onion Quinoa Bites.
4. Boiled Eggs
My Certain Little Someone can’t have eggs, so I don’t do this one very often. However, at our last picnic, I made the aforementioned bean patties, which my DH cannot have, so I packed some boiled eggs for him instead. This is a super simple, portable dish that provides a great source of healthy protein and energy. Pair it with fresh fruits and veggies and you’ve got a winner meal right there.
5. Cheese & Crackers
Here’s another idea from the olden days of my blog: Pack some crackers and assorted toppings for your picnic lunch. Cheese is an obvious choice, but tuna salad, egg salad, or chicken salad are great options, too. Really, just about anything you’d put on a slice of bread can be paired up with crackers, too, and it makes a fun lunch for everyone. In fact, bring a variety of toppings and everybody’s happy!
Happy Picnicking!
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