Fruity Salads for Summer Picnics

Fruits are healthy, especially when eaten fresh. For picnic snacks and healthy picnic food ideas, chilled fruit bits and chunks are best packed in single containers for easy serving.  Mix with honey, cream, condensed milk, or yogurt—these crunchy fruit cuts will turn to delicious and refreshing picnic fruit desserts. Some picnic dessert recipes use mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard, or spicy peanut and shrimp sauce.

Picnic fruit salad recipes are quick to prepare. These delightful and colorful bowls of goodies can be served as a picnic desserts or appetizers. Offer these picnic fruit cocktail appetizers before serving the spicy picnic foods to turn your picnic meal more enjoyable to eat and make other picnic dishes taste taste yummier.

Watermelon Picnic Fruit Salad Basket

Here’s something that kids would enjoy seeing on the picnic table—a creative fruit salad basket instead of the usual salad bowl. The basket is very easy to make. Just cut a quarter off the watermelon fruit and, using a small knife or metal baller, start carving out the fruit flesh from the rind. Watermelon balls in the picnic fruit salad will surely catch the kiddies’ interest and satisfy their playful appetites.

Ingredients:

1 medium whole watermelon, cut into cubes or shaped into balls (shape the fruit rind into a basket)
1 small whole cantaloupe, peeled and cut into cubes or shaped into balls
3 pieces kiwi fruit, peeled and cut into thin round slices
1 cup blueberries, washed and drained well (keep stems intact)
1 cup honey, as salad dressing

How to: In a large bowl, drizzle honey over fruit cuts and toss carefully to avoid bruising. Arrange inside the watermelon basket. Using a food plastic wrap, cover the whole fruit to prevent from wilting while inside the refrigerator. Chill for several hours or overnight. Bring extra honey and cream to put on top before serving.

Weight Watchers’ Picnic Yogurt Fruit Salad

Most people often think of picnics as happy occasions that always overflow with delicious picnic foods, irresistible sweet desserts, ice-cold softdrinks, and lots of laughter. Everybody enjoys going to picnics with family and friends. Eating under the trees and with fresh air turns every picnic food delectable and sumptuous. Diets are temporarily forgotten because everything that comes out of the giant picnic baskets is just mouth-watering and appetizing. For picnickers who don’t want to add inches to their waists while enjoying picnic goodies with the whole clan, a simple fruit salad with yogurt is the perfect dessert for diet watchers.

Ingredients:

1 cup young coconut meat, shredded into long strips
1 cup fresh strawberries, thinly sliced
1 cup whole green grapes, washed and drained well
1 cup whole blueberries, washed and drained well
1 whole peach, peeled and cut into cubes
3 thin slices of fresh lemon for garnishing (optional)
4 cups yogurt, unflavored and with live organisms

How to: Mix all fruits and toss in 3 cups of yogurt. Set aside 1 cup of yogurt for toppings on salad per serving. Chill inside the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours before packing inside the cooler filled with ice cubes.

Creamy Picnic Pineapple and Cherry Salad

Just looking at the pineapple chunks and cherry halves lusciously coated with sweet cream can make any mouth water with anticipation. This salad recipe can be readied in a jiffy. No skills needed but a working knowledge of operating a can opener.

Ingredients:

1 large can fruit cocktail in light syrup, drained well
1 small can cream
1 small can condensed milk
1 small jar halved cherries, drained well
½ cup shredded cheese, as garnishing (optional)

How to: In a large bowl, combine together all ingredients. Mix well. Cover. Chill overnight. Serve with shredded cheese on top.

No Dressing Citrus Fruit Salad for Picnic

Health-conscious individuals who like to stay immune from airborne cold virus can bring along picnic fruit salad naturally rich in vitamin C. No dressing added because the juice from the citrus fruits is enough. Just pack in plastic containers with cover and chill inside the picnic ice coolers. For people with sweet tooth, drizzle honey over citrus bits and enjoy the tangy goodness while lounging under the sun.

Ingredients:

2 whole grapefruit, peeled and sectioned
1 cup gojiberry
½ dry coconut shreds
½ cup honey

How to: Mix grapefruit and gojiberry. Scoop into small plastic container with cover. Arrange inside cold coolers to chill. To serve: drizzle 1 tsp honey and sprinkle 1 tsp coconut shreds on top.

Summer will soon be gone again. Enjoy the warmth of the sun and the great picnic foods with family and friends. Choose to buy the fruits that are in season so that picnic fruit salad desserts will not be too expensive to prepare.

Healthy Picnic Food Ideas: Allergen-Free Suggestions

Planning a picnic is, 99% of the time, an awesome activity because it lets you be creative and plan a terrific outing for your family. Having to plan an allergen-free picnic due to food allergies, though, can be challenging. It doesn’t have to be, though – of all picnic food ideas, allergen-free suggestions are as easy to find as any.

This article will go through picnic food ideas and allergen-free food suggestions, and will talk about why this is a very important topic. After all, a picnic should be a place of fun – not a place of potential danger.

Read the rest of this entry »

Cold vegetable salads are always a hit when served with any kind of hot picnic foods. Crunchy vegetable bits and chunks tossed in rich cream or tangy vinaigrette are delicious and healthy. Vegetable salads are also perfect as food garnishing to almost all types of picnic food dishes.

Make your food presentation look appetizing and mouth-watering with colorful vegetable salads. It’s simple and easy. For example, arrange broiled or grilled pork chops over a bed of thinly-sliced cucumber and tomato salad. Serve a bowl of rich and creamy green bean salad as savory and tasty dip for crispy fried chicken. Roasted vegetable salad is a perfect partner for roasted beef or barbecued seafood.

Picnic vegetable salad recipes are so quick to prepare. Most ingredients are often available in the kitchen: just a bit of ground pepper and fine salt, a dash of sugar, some vinegar, a pinch of different herbs and spices, and a large dollop of mayonnaise, yogurt or cream—and voila!—you can concoct a tasteful salad dressing for any picnic vegetable recipes anytime. The secret to delectable salads is in the vegetable ingredients. Choose and buy only the freshest and the crispiest veggies in the supermarket.

Picnic Green Bean Salad

Green beans are delicious to look at and savory to taste. When cooked the right way, green beans have the satisfying crunch that stimulates the appetite. This picnic vegetable salad is easy to prepare and a perfect side dish to grilled fish or roasted meat. To add color, mix in some beet chunks or carrot cubes. Toss to combine together, put inside plastic container with cover and refrigerate to chill overnight. To remain cold for your picnic lunch, pack the salad in the ice-packed cooler with the drinks. Sprinkle some chopped parsley and crumbled goat cheese on top just before serving.

Ingredients:

2 cups green beans, cut to 1-inch length (washed, parboiled and drained well)
1 cup beet cubes, boiled
1 medium pimiento, cut into thin strips (optional)
1 medium green bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 stalk celery, finely cut
½ goat cheese, semi-crumbled
1 stalk parsley, chopped (optional)

Ingredients for Vinaigrette Dressing:

½ cup vinegar
2 Tbsp olive oil or salad oil
3 Tbsp brown sugar
½ salt, fine

How to: To parboil the green beans, boil water in a pot. Add the green beans in boiling water and let boil for 5 to 7 minutes. Remove vegetables from hot water and let cool in a basin of ice-cold water. This method ensures that no residue of heat will be left behind to continue the cooking of the vegetables. Combine other vegetable ingredients and set aside. Mix the dressing until sugar was dissolved completely. Set aside for about 1 hour to let the flavors blend well. Pour over the veggie salad and chill.

Picnic Grilled Asparagus

Want to whip up a salad with a new enticing flavor? Grill the asparagus instead of frying, boiling or steaming those green shoots. Grilled asparagus salad has a lot more crunch to make your side dish delectable. It is easy to prepare a bed of sliced tomatoes, shredded lettuce, and avocado cubes for the asparagus tops. Sprinkled with grated cheese and seeds, this delicious asparagus salad is a perfect setting for grilled salmon or fried fish fillet.

Ingredients:

1 cup shredded lettuce, washed and drained well
1 medium ripe tomatoes, sliced
1 medium red bellpepper, grilled and sliced
½ cup avocado chunks
10 pieces asparagus shoots, grilled
1 Tbsp grated cheese (Parmesan or any choice)
1 tsp toasted seeds (sunflower, pumpkin, or sesame)
A pinch of salt and ground white pepper, to taste
2 Tbsp salad dressing or 1 Tbsp olive oil as dressing

How to: Arrange lettuce leaves on a plate. Add tomatoes, avocado and bellpepper. Put grilled asparagus on top. Sprinkle seeds, cheese, and seasonings. Top with a dollop of salad dressing or drizzle olilve oil all over the salad. To serve, arrange a piece of grilled fish or fried fish fillet on top of the salad.

Refreshing Picnic Green Pea Salad

After hiking and playing games, everybody is sure to have a big appetite for any goodies packed inside the picnic baskets. Picnic foods must be healthy and fulfilling. Add protein and carbo to your bowls of green pea salads. Kids will love boiled eggs and steamed ham in creamy potato and pea salad. Be generous with grated cheese and salad dressing to keep them asking for more veggies. For a fresh taste, add some shreds of mint leaves as picnic food garnish.

Ingredients:

2 cups boiled potatoes, cubed
2 cups hard-boiled eggs, halved
1 cup boiled green peas, drained
½ cup sliced ham, steamed
½ grated cheese
1 cup salad dressing (of your choice)
5 pieces mint leaves, shredded

How to: Combine all ingredients thoroughly, except mint leaves. Chill. To serve, garnish with mint leaves and arrange beside a slab of roasted pork chop or steak.

Picnic outings are outdoor activities that everybody enjoy, especially when surrounded with family and friends. Bring along delicious but easy to prepare picnic vegetable salads and various picnic foods to bring more fun to those bonding moments.

Grilled foods are always perfect for picnic outings. Kids and adults alike love hot grilled foods grilled foods for picnic lunches or dinners. Barbecued meat or fish (or any kind of seafood like shrimp and squid) tastes better when cooked with grilled vegetables as side dish. Fresh air is the best seasoning for these picnic food recipes to grill. No meal is more enjoyable when shared with family and friends. Make sure to choose the right wine and vegetable side dish for grilled foods you bring to the picnic.

Two Grilling Methods

Two types of grilling when using charcoal or barbecue briquettes: direct and indirect grilling  methods. Thick cuts of meat usually require cooking over indirect heat; while easy-to-cook picnic foods can be grilled directly over charcoal embers. For indirect grilling method, create an empty space in the middle by scraping the hot charcoals to opposite sides of the grill.

BBQ Tips and Techniques

Here are some grilling tips and techniques to make your picnic food grilled dishes yummy and tasty. Do not burn or overcook because charred meat is not healthy for the body. To avoid overcooking, picnic grilled foods are microwaved or boiled in marinade. To avoid charring, apply sauce or marinade on barbecued meat when cooking time is almost over. To avoid losing the delicious juices while grilling the picnic foods, do not press the meat (like steak or hamburger patties) while cooking. Rub cooking oil on the clean and dry surface grill grate to keep food from sticking. Round-shaped grill has equal distribution of heat.

How to Prepare the Charcoal Grill

Clean the grate grill with steel brush, rinse well, and let dry; then brush on some vegetable oil. Remove ashes in the grill. Arrange the charcoal or briquettes like a mountain with a small cave opening at the bottom. Roll and twist a piece of paper to form a long and thin shape. Light one end and carefully insert into the “cave”. Smoke should be free to escape through the pile of charcoal so that oxygen can get inside to keep the fire alive. Use a metal utensil or thick stick to spread the hot coals.

Picnic Grilled Shrimps

Shrimps are quick-cooking and best grilled over direct heat.

Ingredients:

20 pieces large shrimp (without head), peeled and deveined but keep the tails intact
1 piece small lemon
2 Tbsp honey

Marinade Ingredients:

2 cups barbecue sauce
½ tsp ground pepper, fine
¼ tsp fine salt
¼ tsp garlic powder

How to: In a small bowl, mix all ingredients for marinade. In a large bowl, squeeze lemon over shrimps. Set aside for 2 minutes; then, wash quickly and drain well. Marinate shrimps for 1 hour. Drain well before grilling to avoid burning. Stick 5 shrimps to each barbecue bamboo sticks, horizontally or vertically. Arrange on pre-oiled grill grate and cook over a single layer of red-hot charcoal or white bbq briquettes. Shrimps cook for 6 to 10 minutes; or 3 to 5  minutes for each side. Brush marinade on shrimps only once and when almost half-done. Drizzle or brush honey on grilled shrimps and serve hot on top of sliced ripe tomatoes and shreds of green lettuce.

Picnic Barbequed Chicken Drumsticks

Dark-colored chicken barbecues are caused by the sweetness in the marinade. If light color is desired, pre-cook the chicken drumsticks with the marinade to shorten the grilling time.

Ingredients:

6 pieces medium chicken drumsticks or legs, thawed and well-drained
¼ cup soy sauce
1 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1 Tbsp hot sauce
1 Tbsp brown sugar
½ tsp garlic powder
¼ ground pepper
¼ fine salt

How to: Combine all ingredients and set aside for 1 to 2 hours. Using a fork, prick chicken legs on different parts so that meat will absorb the marinade. Cook chicken over indirect heat. Braise the marinate on the chicken

Picnic Pork Ribs on Hot Grill

Pork is tastier when cooked slowly. Braise with some barbeque sauce while cooking over indirect heat to make it smell delicious. Pork ribs are the best choice for picnic grilled meat recipes because pork meat is more tender than beef.

Ingredients:

2 pounds pork ribs, washed and drained
2 cups barbeque sauce
¼ cup vegetable oil
½ cup chili sauce (optional)
½ cup brown sugar (optional)

How to: Arrange the hot charcoal on the grill to create a vacant space on the middle. Grilling over indirect heat requires longer cooking time and frequent turning to avoid burning or charring. To keep the meat moist, brush with barbeque sauce and vegetable oil on each turning.

Summer Picnic Idea

Summer picnics are more fun when picnic foods are grilled right before eating. Remember: quick-cooking recipes are better cooked over direct heat; while large slabs of meat need to be slow-cooked using indirect heat to keep the meat tasty, juicy, and tender.

Food Ideas for an Easter Picnic

As far as holidays across the world go, Easter is very popular. When people think of Easter, many of them think of the Easter bunny, dyed eggs, baskets, baby chicks, and other cultural traditions. But, an Easter picnic is also a great way to celebrate the holiday. Easter is in the spring, which means the weather will almost always be absolutely perfect for a nice family picnic outdoors. This article will talk about some preparations you can make to hold your own Easter picnic, including ideas for main courses, food garnishes, and other dishes. We’ll also talk a bit about decorations you can add to the picnic to give it an Easter flair.

Read the rest of this entry »