Perfect Picnic Menu: 50+ Make Ahead Picnic Recipes (2024)

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If you've ever wondered what picnic foods to pack for your fun summer excursion, we have the answer! These perfect make-ahead picnic recipeswill help you create the perfect picnic menu and please every palate in the process. Prepare and pack up these deliciousappetizers, side salads, picnic sandwiches, drinks, and desserts for any outdoor occasion. This collection is full of picnic ideas and recipes that you can easily take-along and enjoy al fresco!

Whether you're planning an outdoor potluck and need easy picnic food for a crowd, or you're taking your sweetie along for a casual afternoon meal and need some simple picnic food ideas for couples, there's something here for you to love. Big or small, these picnic food suggestions are suitable for any gathering, and they're sure to put a smile on every face.

Picnic Finger Foods

• Fresh Avocado Dip

• Crispy Crunchy Pita Chips

• Asian Deviled Eggs

• Texas Caviar

• Black Bean Salsa

• Baked Spinach and Artichoke Dip

• BLT Spread

• Hummus Pesto Dip

• Choosy Crab Dip

• Slam Dunk Chili Dip

• Bacon and Cheddar Deviled Eggs

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• Southern Deviled Eggs

Picnic Salads

• Captain's Coleslaw

• Chicken Macaroni Salad

• "Blue" Ribbon Potato Salad

• Easy Cobb Salad

• Apple Bacon Coleslaw

• Crisp Cucumber Salad

• Greek Island Salad

• Picnic Potato Salad

• Southwest Macaroni Salad

• Pasta Fruit Salad

• Seafood Salad

• Chilled Beefed-Up Summer Salad

• Smoked Turkey Potato Salad

• Tuna Twist

Picnic Sandwiches

• Layered Italian Crescent Ring

• BLT Burritos

• Layered Sandwiches

• Croissant Club Sandwiches

• Pulled Pork Sandwiches

• Roasted Vegetable Sandwich

• Chicken Salad Pitas

• Taco Chicken Wraps

• Chicken and Slaw Wraps

• California Chicken Salad Wraps

• Ham and Pepper Stack

• Shrimp Salad Wraps

• Turkey Dagwoods

Picnic Drinks

• Country Lemonade

• Iced Green Tea

• Lemonade Cranberry Cooler

• Tropical Summer Punch

• Peach Melba Cooler

• Celebration Punch

Picnic Desserts

• Nutty Graham Picnic Cake

• Sweet and Salty Cookies

• Lime Margarita Bars

• Watermelon Pie

• Pecan Pie Brownies

• Five Layer Bars

• Easy Peach Cake

• Chewy S'mores Squares

• Cherry Berry Pie

How to Create the Perfect Picnic Menu:

Now that you've got all these amazing picnic food suggestions in hand, it's time to sit down and plan your menu. We've got some tips to keep in mind as you build the perfect picnic menu so that nothing gets left behind or forgotten.

-Plan ahead: Make a shopping list.First things first. If you're going to whip up some amazing make ahead picnic recipes, you'll need plenty of ingredients. Pick out your favorite recipes from the picnic foods list above (or from your own recipe box!), and start your shopping list. And don't forget to add things like paper plates, napkins, cups, and plastic silverware to your list, if you don't already have them on hand!

-Prepare your food: Using some of our easy summer picnic recipes, prepare your food. From finger foods to desserts, you'll want plenty of options on your perfect picnic menu to please everyone joining you on your red checkered blanket. There are so many options here, your only problem will be choosing which recipes to make!

-Pack your basket: Once your food is ready and you're about to head out on your picnic, you'll need to pack up your food so that it's easily portable.Here's a videoof how to pack your picnic basket so that everything stays fresh, nothing gets squished, and nothing spills.

-Enjoy! The best part of any picnic is eating! Once you've found the perfect picnic spot, laid out your blanket, and opened your basket, you get the joy of digging in to your al fresco meal with good company and plenty of delicious picnic food.