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Shhhh, I’m going to let you in on a little secret. Growing up, I didn’t like picnics. For real.
I had two main reasons. First, my mom would tell us that we were heading out on a picnic, then it would take forever before she was ready to go. Packing up the food took way too long.
Of course, that’s because she made it all in advance, which bring me to issue number two. By the time we ate, our sandwiches were always soggy. Every. Single. Time. Sandwiches should never be soggy.
It took me becoming an adult and spending a lot of time at Ravinia – our local outdoor concert venue – before I learned to love picnics. If only my mom had done picnics like this when I was growing up!
The key for me is a grab and go picnic. I don’t want to spend a ton of time getting ready to go. Picnics are supposed to be easy, right? Of course easy doesn’t mean boring and no taste. I’ve perfected the easy picnic menu, and I get compliments on it every time.
You can, too!
I love to mix it up with my easy picnic menu and have something that I know kids love, something for vegetarians, and something unexpected. When I cross those items off my list, I know I’ll win.
How to Create an Easy Picnic Menu
What to pack
Forget sandwiches. They take time to prep in advance, they get soggy, and everyone wants something different. Instead, go with open face cracker “sandwiches.”
They’re far more fun, and it’s easy for your family to customize them at your picnic. Plus, they’re bite size, which leads to less mess and less waste. Everyone always has fun making their little sandwiches.
I pick up Triscuits to use as the base. You know what you like for your sandwich toppings, and I’ll share some of my favorites.
Aside from the cracker sandwiches, I always make sure to grab dessert, too. Oreos make a perfect dessert. They don’t melt, and everyone loves them.
Not Bruschetta Crackers
It’s hard to decide on my favorite non sandwich, but I think the not bruschetta crackers may be. I pick up a little tub of ricotta and bring along salt, pepper, and a little olive oil.
Make two versions of this for bonus flavors with just a little effort. Top the Triscuits with a teaspoon of ricotta. Lightly top with salt and pepper, then drizzle with olive oil. Alternate between using grape tomatoes stuck in the top and small pieces of prosciutto.
Simple Chicken Salad Crackers
I make the chicken salad at home, and that recipe is one is so easy that my son’s made it himself for years now. I use canned chicken to make it simpler.
Whip it up, then store it in a tightly sealed container for the picnic. And yes, make sure you have freezer packs to keep all refrigerated items – like your ricotta, too – cool and safe to eat.
This chicken salad takes maybe two minutes to make – nothing like what my mom would do when I was a kid! Simply scoop a little onto your Triscuits, and you’re good to go.
Lunchmeat Crackers
My family absolutely loves deli corned beef, but you can use your favorite lunchmeat. This works great with turkey, roast beef, and more.
Add half a slice of corned beef to the top of your crackers and a dollop of stone ground mustard. If you go with roast beef, bring along mayo for those who prefer mayo to mustard.
It’s such a fun twist on a sandwich and so simple. You get why I call this my easy picnic menu?
How to Serve
I bought my husband a portable picnic table years ago. I just can’t do the blanket on the ground thing. The picnic table has detachable legs and rolls up then lives in a bag with a carrying strap. It’s so light and easy – and it keeps food off the ground.
Put out the crackers, along with the Oreos. I just open both packages and let people dig in. If you bring candy, pop those into a small bowl.
Make a couple sample cracker sandwiches so your friends and family know what their options look like – and to encourage them to eat. Set out the remaining sandwich toppings with serving utensils, and let your family and friends dig in!
If you have a picnic caddy, that works best to keep everything organized. Pro tip: I always use paper towels rather than napkins because they’re far less likely to blow away and create litter.
If I happen to be somewhere bugs are a problem – and hello, I live in the Midwest – I always have my popup food tents. They collapse beautifully for travel, and it keeps flies and other nasties off my food.
What are your best easy picnic menus?
What a great picnic! I love Triscuits.
It was so much fun – I love any time we can sneak in a picnic 🙂