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.

Why Picnic Food Ideas and Allergen-Free Suggestions are Important

If you have a food allergy, then there isn’t anything I could tell you that you do not already know. But, if you do not, but have a friend or family member who you know has an allergy to a food – such as peanuts, dairy products, soy, etc. – then you need to be aware of the need to make sure your foods are good to go.

Allergies are caused by your body reacting to pathogens – basically harmful substances – in food. These pathogens, for whatever reason, agitate your body. They can cause annoyance and discomfort – but can also cause more dangerous, potentially life-threatening conditions. That is why anyone with food allergies must be very careful what they eat.

Picnic Food Ideas, Allergen-Free Suggestions: Potential Substitutes

There are several general types of foods that usually cause allergies (although any food can be allergic, generally speaking). One type is dairy foods. Dairy foods – such as milk, butter, yogurt, cheese, etc. – can cause allergies, especially in people who are lactose intolerant. A good percentage of people who are allergic are allergic to dairy foods.

You can find dairy substitutes at your local supermarket that taste virtually the same as the real thing, plus won’t trigger any allergies. So, when you bring sandwiches to the picnic, they can have delicious allergen-free cheese on them.

Wheat, rye, and barley foods contain gluten, which is another food substance that can cause allergens. Since a lot of picnic dishes involve bread of some kind, finding gluten-free bread is important. Again, you should be able to find these substitutes at your local supermarket.

Picnic Food Ideas, Allergen-Free Suggestions: Cooking Materials

What you actually eat is not all you have to worry about. You also have to take into account what you cook your food in – such as food oil.

For example, peanut oil is a very popular oil that is used for cooking a variety of delicious dishes. One of these reasons is because peanut oil is very healthy – but not for people who are allergic to peanuts. One potential substitute is canola oil, which has a similar smoke point and is actually a bit healthier.

Also, if you are frying or baking anything that requires flour, make sure you use gluten-free flour – even if you are just using the flour as a non-stick substance. You can’t be too careful with food allergies.

You are welcome to read :

Picnic Vegetable Salad Recipes

Vegetarian Picnic Side Items

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.

Beet & Green Bean Goat Cheese Salad (Credit given to msconnections from flickr.com)

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.

Roast Asparagus Salad (Credit given to mellowmark from flickr.com)

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.

Green Pea Salad (Credit given to La tartine gourmande from flickr.com)

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.

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.

Grilled Shrimp with Tomatoes (Credit given to sean dreilinger from flickr.com)

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.

Chicken Barbecue (Credit given to thebittenword from flickr.com)

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

Pork Ribs on Grill (Credit given to Joe Perez-Green from flickr.com)

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.

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.

Holding an Easter Picnic: Traditional Easter Foods

As with most major holidays, Easter has foods that are traditionally associated with it that people all across the world typically enjoy at that time of year. Chocolate is, of course, a major part of Easter celebrations. Roast lamb is typically the meat of choice, as is ham, in most households. The trick is to find a way to incorporate these ideas into an Easter picnic, since most of the time these foods are eaten at a dinner or feast.

One idea for a main course for a picnic that incorporates traditional Easter main courses is creating roast lamb pitas. This is a delicious way to eat roast lamb that also has its roots in the Middle East – which makes it appropriate for a holiday that celebrates an event that occurred in the Middle East! You will need:

- 2 pounds of lamb that has been cubed

- 1 medium-sized yellow onion that has been chunked

- 2 green peppers, chunked

- 1 ½ teaspoon of garlic, crushed

- ½ teaspoon of tumeric

- ½ teaspoon of coriander

- 3 ½ tablespoons of lemon juice

- 2 large tomatoes, wedged

- 2/3 cup of vegetable oil

- ½ teaspoon of cumin

- ½ teaspoon of basil

First, combine all of your spices into a bowl with the oil and lemon juice. Add in the lamb and let it marinate under cover for 1-2 hours. Then, skewer the lamb cubes and the vegetables on skewers any way you please. I like to alternate meat with vegetables, but it’s up to you. Grill on each side for about 6 minutes until the meat is done.

Holding an Easter Picnic: Food Garnishes

A food garnish can add a bit of flair to the main course, and also adds good flavor to the dish and the rest of your picnic. There are several food garnishes you can use for your Easter picnic if you so choose (I recommend using at least one). Believe it or not, fruit garnishes go great with roasted lamb. I recommend using pomegranate as your garnish. Just dice the fruit and arrange it on the plate around the roast lamb. It will add a fresh and pleasant taste to the meat.

Another idea involves garnishing desserts. Fruit is, as always, a perfect garnish for most desserts. You can also use chocolate, which works because chocolate is a classic Easter component. Try this: Bring a cheesecake and drizzle chocolate on top, and add sliced strawberries or raspberries. It will taste delicious and will go along great with any dish at your Easter picnic.

Picnic Food Recipes For Grill

Gifts need not be expensive. Savory foods and sweet cakes are perfect for Valentine’s Day. The best venue for a romantic dinner date is often at home because of two main reasons: privacy and comfort. Not to mention the huge savings on food and wine. Spontaneity intensifies the excitement when special loved ones are pleasantly surprised.

Picnic Outings are as Romantic as Valentine Dinner Dates

Here are 3 romantic picnic ideas that will bring you and your sweetheart closer to each other.

1. A small barbecue dinner in the patio will give an atmosphere of eating in a side walk café. Decorate the small table with a small tall vase for one red rosebud and a candlestick.

2. An impromptu and very informal dinner on the bed will look more romantic when lighted candles surround the bedroom. Spread a picnic blanket on the middle of the bed and pretend that you’re on some grassy spot in the park.

3. Pack picnic foods and drinks in backpacks and take a morning hike. Join outdoor activities that have a cause like voluntary tree-planting or collection of recycleable materials in the neighborhood.

Bring the usual picnic foods and picnic desserts plus a bottle of very special wine, of course. Don’t forget to pack the picnic blanket, some dining plates and utensils, and a couple of fine wine glasses. Just keep the foods simple to prepare and easy to pack. Spicy chicken wings are quick to cook while tossing a cauliflower salad. A heart-shaped gelatin for picnic dessert can be prepared the night before. Clean drinking water is better than fruit juices or soda drinks.

Spicy Picnic Chicken Wings

Ingredients:

10 pieces chicken wings
¼ cup hot sauce
¼ cup sugar
½ cup tomato sauce
1 cup of beer
Salt and ground pepper, to taste

How to: Combine all ingredients. Marinate chicken wings overnight inside the refrigerator. Over low heat, simmer chicken wings in marinade mixture for about 20 minutes, or until tender. Pour half of marinade on a baking tray and arrange the chicken wings all over the surface; then pour the remaining mix on top. Broil for 3 minutes; then turn the chicken wings. Broil for 7 minutes. Cool completely before packing.

Cauliflower Salad Best for Picnic

Ingredients:

2 cups cauliflower, shredded to bite-sized flowerettes
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup cheese, shredded
Salt and ground pepper, to taste
1 pc. medium-sized Sausage, chopped

How to: Boil 4 cups water in a deep pot. Add the cauliflower flowerettes and immediately remove from heat. Pour the vegetable in a strainer to drain. Sprinkle salt and ground pepper; then, cool and chill in the refrigerator before packing. Pack the mayonnaise and cheese separately. To serve, toss the vegetables with mayonnaise and cheese right before eating.

Heart-Shaped Picnic Gelatine Dessert

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp red powdered gelatin, unflavored
4 Tbsp white fine sugar
1 cup water (add more for softer gelatine)
3 pieces medium strawberries, sliced thinly

How to: Heat water in a pot. Combine gelatine and sugar; then dissolve the mixture in small amount of water. Add the gelatine mix in the hot water. Stir continuously for 5 minutes. Do not boil. Remove from heat and cool slightly before pouring into a heart-shaped mold, where strawberry slices are arranged beautifully. Refrigerate until firm. Serve with whipped cream.

These simple picnic food recipes will turn your picnic outing as the most memorable Valentine date you’ve ever had by just choosing the best wine for the spicy chicken wings. White wine is usually perfect for chicken dishes but a bottle of fruity red wine can bring the palate alive. An even better suggestion is a bottle of Italian Chianti.

Picnic outings often give us big appetite so add sausage bits and grilled peppers to the cauliflower salad to make it more delicious and satisfying.

Never end a Valentine picnic date without some sweets. The heart-shaped strawberry-flavored gelatine should be just perfect as picnic dessert.

Last but not the least, don’t forget to play your favorite romantic music.

Most people find preparing dessert somewhat daunting because ingredients are often expensive. The cooking procedure is elaborate and time-consuming—but with a bit of imagination and creativity, desserts are really easy to make and easy on the budget, too. Here are some picnic dessert recipes that are quick to cook.

Chocolate Coated Strawberries

Imagine the taste of juicy strawberries locked inside a thin layer of rich chocolate. Heavenly! These chocolatey strawberries are perfect picnic desserts that both adults and kids will love. Healthy, delicious, and easy to make, fresh strawberries dipped in chocolate are even better tasting when prepared just a night before the picnic. Drizzle some milk chocolate over them or sprinkle some crushed nuts for a bit of decoration.

Ingredients:

24 pcs. medium-sized strawberries, well-washed and well-dried
2 cups chocolate (semi-sweet or dark), melted

How to: In a double-boiler or a thick saucepan, melt 2 cups of chocolate cubes over very low heat. Continue stirring until smooth. Make sure the strawberries are completely dried because the melted chocolate will not stick to the fruit properly. Arrange each chocolate coated strawberry on a slightly buttered baking sheet. Optional: drizzle with melted white chocolate or sprinkle with some crushed nuts like almonds or hazelnuts. Set aside in the refrigerator for 1 hour or until firm.

Low-Fat Picnic Sweet Meringue

Meringues are easy to make. Kids will find eating the crunchy mini-meringues enjoyable because they are sweet and cute to look at. Just follow these tips to make perfect meringues in a jiffy. Even a small speck of egg yolk could ruin the meringue so separate the egg yolks and whites one by one in individual cups to avoid discarding the whole batch. Use only stainless or ceramic mixing bowl. Bake meringue in low heat.

Ingredients:

8 pcs. medium-sized egg whites
2 cups sugar, very fine
2 tsp. vanilla extract
Food colorings: pink, blue, yellow, and more (optional)
Flavorings: chocolate, strawberry, raspberry, and more (optional)

How to: In a large stainless bowl (never use a plastic bowl), beat egg whites until stiff. Make sure not to over-beat to keep the egg whites still moist. While beating, add the sugar and vanilla in small amounts to keep the mixture firm. Pre-heat the oven to 300 degrees F or lower. Use small pipe size to keep the meringue drops small. Arrange on lightly greased baking sheets; then bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Do not brown. Remove heat when meringues look dry. Leave inside the oven to cool. Store in glass containers with air-tight covers. To create meringues with different colors and flavorings, divide and prepare all ingredients in batches.

Picnic Dessert Gelatin

Gelatin is the quickest and the easiest dessert to prepare. Just boil some water, throw in some fruit bits or mix in desired flavoring, cool, and refrigerate until firm. Chilled gelatin is very refreshing, especially when combined with chunky fruits like strawberries, canned pineapples, and many more . Just make sure that fruits are well-drained before adding. Serve cold with cream or milk as delicious dessert. Keep in mind these useful tips to help you cook a perfect gelatin for picnic dessert.

Mix a ratio of 1:2 (1 Tbsp. powdered gelatin to 2 cups of water) in small amount of cold water first before adding to the hot water or milk or cream. To avoid clumping, mix the gelatin and sugar before dissolving in cold water. Do not boil the gelatin mixture. Too much sugar will make softer gelatin. Allow 2 or 3 three hours for the gelatin to firm and chill inside the refrigerator. When doubling a recipe, decrease the amount of water by one-fourth for each addition. Add water in small amounts to get the desired thickness and softness for gelatin.

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp. powdered gelatin (unsweetened and unflavored)
½ cup sugar
2 cups water (set aside ½ cup to dissolve gelatin and sugar)
½ cup sliced strawberries, well-drained (optional)
½ cup pineapple chunks, well-drained (optional)
½ milk or cream (optional)

How to: In a deep sauce pan, heat water over medium heat. Blend sugar and gelatin; then dissolve in water before adding in the pan. Continue stirring. Do not let the gelatin mixture boil. After 5 minutes, remove from heat and set aside to cool. For easy unmolding, wash the gelatin molder in cold water before pouring in the mixture. (Optional: Pour a small amount of mixture in the gelatin mold before adding fruits. Arrange fruits in a uniform pattern to look attractive.) Cover the mold when firming.

Preparing delicious snacks for a picnic need not be elaborate or expensive. With just a few simple and low-cost ingredients, a number of savory picnic snacks can be whipped out within just a short time. To serve the picnic snacks warm and inviting, pack them while hot inside insulated food containers. Bring along several thermos filled with hot and creamy mushroom soup or coffee. Ice-cold fruit juice drinks would also be a hit.

Chocolate  Oatmeal Cookies

Everybody is a chocolate lover, especially kids. These delicious cookies are oozing with chocolatey goodness. Each bite is packed with energy-boosting carbs and fibers from oatmeal. Chocolate oatmeal cookies can be baked beforehand and packed in containers with air-tight lids to preserve.

Ingredients:

2 sticks (or 1 cup) softened butter
1 and ½ cups sugar, granulated
1 cup sugar, light brown
2 pcs. medium eggs
2 tsps. vanilla extract
1 and ½ cups all-purpose flour, sifted
½ cup chocolate powder (use dark chocolate if preferred)
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt, fine grained
3 cups rolled oats (or quick cooking oatmeal)
½ cup almond nuts or peanuts, coarsely chopped

How to: In a large-sized mixing bowl, blend butter and all sugar with an electric beater. Add eggs and vanilla, continue beating. Stir in flour, chocolate powder, salt, and baking soda. Using a big spoon, fold in the oats and nuts. The batter should be firm and not watery. Arrange cookie drops on baking sheets and bake in the preheated oven at temperature of 350 degree F. Do not overcook. Set the timer to 10 to 12 minutes only, depending on the thickness of the cookie drop. Remove the cookies from the oven and cool for 1 minute before transferring onto the wire rack.

Easiest Chicken Salad Pita Sandwich

There are about a thousand ways of preparing the most famous meal in the whole world—the sandwich. A sandwich can be made with one, two, or more slices of bread. An open sandwich is just a slice of bread with delicious toppings on top like pizza. A tastier and healthier sandwich can also be made from a simple chicken veggie salad and very thin bread like pita. These pita pocket sandwiches are perfect to bring as picnic food snacks.

Ingredients:

2 pcs. whole chicken skinless breast, boiled and shredded
1 cup plain yoghurt
1 cup mayonnaise, light
1 small can crushed pineapple, well-drained
½ cup roasted walnuts, coarsely chopped
1 small head lettuce, well-drained and shredded
2 pcs. large ripe tomato, sliced thinly
2 Tbsp. fine sugar ( or honey)
Salt and ground pepper, to taste
1 pack pita bread, warmed and halved

How to: Combine shredded chicken meat, crushed pineapple, yogurt, mayonnaise, and chopped walnuts. Mix well and set aside inside the refrigerator. Warm the pita pocket breads over direct heat of the stove. Arrange lettuce and tomato slices on both sides of the pita pocket. Fill with chicken mixture generously. Wrap it individually in foil or wax sheets, then arrange inside a plastic food container with cover.

Caramelized Whole Apple-on-Stick

Apples are popular picnic fruit snacks. The tanginess and the crunchiness of apples is refreshing especially when being eaten during picnic hikes. There are lots of ways to prepare apples to be a delicious snack. Chop them to combine with other fresh fruits as salad or to bake as pie, tart, or cake. Or coat the apples with caramel to make them taste like candies kids would surely love.

Ingredients:

10 small apples, well-washed and well-dried
1 pack caramels, melted
1 cup nuts, finely chopped (optional)
1 cup marshmallow, small bits (optional)
1 cup chocolate bits (optional)
10 popsicle sticks

How to: In a small semi-deep sauce pot, melt the caramel over low heat. Replace the stems from the apples with the popsicle sticks. Dip each apple into the pot to cover with melted caramel. When the whole apple is coated, place it on a lightly buttered tray. Put some space in between the apples to avoid sticking while drying. Optional: While caramel coating is still wet, roll the apple on any choice of toppings. The caramelized apple should be firm and ready after about 30 minutes inside the refrigerator.

Kids are the easiest to please because they like picnic foods that are bite-sized, delicious—and sweet. Packing the picnic basket with goodies for kids is such a breeze and not so expensive. Just make sure that the kiddie foods are colorful and appetizing to look at.

Picnic food dishes for kids need not be expensive and elaborate to prepare. Just throw in lots of munchies in the picnic basket and cold drinks in the ice chest, the tykes should be chirpy and happy. Children love to play picnic games so don’t forget to bring along the frisbee or volleyball for the picnic.

Barbecues are all-time favorite picnic foods. Barbecued steaks and chicken legs are popular as picnic foods for adults; and hotdogs with roasted marshmallows for kids. Bring them raw and marinated so everyone will have fun cooking the food. It is more exciting to eat fresh-from-the-grill meat or hotdogs. You don’t have to buy a new grill for the picnic to save space for those big jugs of ice-cold drinks. Just don’t forget to bring a bagful of dry charcoal and matches along with the good ole iron grill. Light your charcoals at the center of several pieces of like-sized rocks to create a makeshift grill stove.

Hotdogs on the Grill (Credits given to TheBusyBrain from flickr.com)

Picnic Hotdogs On-The-Go

Ingredients:

1 bag/kilogram jumbo-sized hotdogs, sweet and cheesy variety
Bamboo barbecue sticks

Ingredients for Basting Sauce:

1 medium red onion, peeled
1 cup ketchup
½ cup brown sugar
¼ cup vegetable oil
¼ tsp Iodized Salt
1/8 tsp ground white pepper

How to: Skew one hotdog per stick. Make sure at least 3 inches length of stick is visible for easy handling. Using a sharp knife, make light diagonal lines on both sides of the hotdog. Set aside. (Optional: Hotdogs can be cut into bite-sized cubes before skewing.) In a blender or osterizer, combine all ingredients for basting sauce and blend for 3 minutes. Pour in a container and cover tightly. This baste mixture can also be used to meat barbecue recipes.

Pork Barbecue (Credits given to Ced from flickr.com)

Simple Pork Barbecue

Pork is easier and quicker to cook over hot coals. Unlike beef, pork is juicier even when over-cooked—just don’t forget to baste the meat with sauce while grilling. Marinate pork cubes (or steaks or pork chops) in soy sauce, lemon, and seasonings overnight to make the meat more savory. To make kebabs, skew the pork cubes with your choice of vegetables or fruits in between (i.e., cherry tomatoes, pineapple chunks, onions, and peppers). For kiddie picnic barbecue, make it all-meat with shorter stick.

Ingredients:

2 pounds lean pork meat, cubed to 1/2-inch thick
1 cup soy sauce
1 piece lemon
5 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped finely
½ tsp each of salt and ground pepper

How to: Thoroughly mix all ingredients, except the pork meat. Arrange the cubes in the marinade mixture and set aside in the refrigerator for 1 hour, or overnight. When placed in the freezer, the marinated meat can remain fresh up to 3 days.

Honey-Dipped Chicken Nuggets (Credits given to my_amii from flickr.com)

Tasty-and-Delicious Chicken Nuggets

Chicken nuggets are so easy to make even kids can help prepare them. Or you can just buy ready-to-cook nuggets from the supermarket. But, hey,  homemade picnic foods are tastier and cheaper so get your aprons and head to the kitchen. Fried or baked, these nuggets are tender to eat.

Ingredients:

2 cups flour, sifted (alternative: cornflakes, roughly crushed)
½ tsp salt, fine
¼ tsp ground pepper, fine
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1 cup grated cheese
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 pounds chicken breasts, washed and well-drained and cut into desired-size rectangles

How to: Combine all dry ingredients and blend thoroughly to make breading mix. Dip each piece of nugget in beaten egg and roll in the breading. For frying, heat 2 cups of oil in an iron skillet until smoke appears on the oil’s surface. Lower the nuggets one by one into the hot oil. For baking, arrange the breaded nuggets on a greased baking pan and bake in the pre-heated oven until cooked. Serve with ketchup or mayonnaise or any kind of salad dressing, or even honey.

Fruit Juices: Watermelon, Lemonade, and Strawberry (Credits given to charmednblum from flickr.com)

Icy Lemonade Drink

Picnic drinks are usually canned or bottled soft drinks and water. Why pump your kids with artificial sweeteners or tasteless liquid? Fruit juices are rich in Vitamin C, like the lemonade made from lemon juice. Place them in jugs full of ice or pour them into containers and keep cool in the picnic ice chest—to keep the kids asking for more of the revitalizing fruit juices.

Ingredients:

5 cups lemon juice, freshly squeezed
5 cups white sugar

How to: Blend all ingredients well and mix with water, according to taste. To preserve the tangy and fruity taste of lemonade, add only ice.

Creating a Fun and Festive Picnic:

Decorations and Arrangements

Picnics are wonderful opportunities to enjoy the pleasant company of friends and family outside in beautiful, sunny weather. They can also be opportunities to celebrate. Whether the occasion is a birthday, a graduation, an anniversary, or a holiday like Independence Day or Memorial Day, picnics can serve as appropriate and memorable activities for you and your guests.

A big part of picnics is creating the perfect menu. This is not all, though. The best picnic celebrations are fun, festive, colorful, and themed, with plenty of eye-catching decorations and arrangements. Creating a festive affair with a picnic is actually easier than creating a menu, believe it or not. It’s fun, too. This article will give you some tips on how you can create fun and festive picnic decorations and arrangements for any occasion.

Picnic Decorations and Arrangements: The Theme

The purpose of a theme in a picnic celebration is to combine all the elements into one overall design that represents an occasion or an event. For example, an Independence Day party could be themed in decorations that invoke the feeling of celebrating the Fourth of July, such as red, white, and blue tablecloths, star-spangled napkins, and a festive centerpiece reminiscent of fireworks. Choosing the theme should be the first step in the process, so you know what you are working towards in terms of picnic decorations and arrangements.

Picnic Decorations and Arrangements: Fruit Centerpieces

One great item to have for just about any picnic celebration is a fruit centerpiece. These are typically comprised of fruit that has been either arranged or carved into various shapes and designs, to create a cool-looking decoration that is also edible. These do not only look good; they also can go with just about any type of picnic that you can imagine, as fruit is virtually a universal picnic ingredient.

What kinds of fruit should you use? Most people tend to gravitate towards citrus fruits, but, the best fruit centerpieces use a variety of ingredients. One of the most popular types of fruit is watermelon, since it can be easily carved and shaped. You can actually create a fruit basket by hollowing out one half of a watermelon and placing fruit inside! Be creative and don’t be afraid to carve up fruit into shapes and put them together using toothpicks to create figures – such as a fruit graduate for a graduation party, or a spooky ghost for a fall Halloween-themed picnic.

Picnic Decorations and Arrangements: Fruit Garnishes

Yet another way to spruce up a picnic is to use fruit garnishes. You create regular garnishes out of standard materials, such as paper, mint leaves, parsley, and foliage, but fruit garnishes for plates and drinks add a unique flair to the picnic. For example, if you have fruity beverages, such as punch or smoothies, you can cut a banana into coin-sized pieces and place them on the rim of the glasses or cups. You can also cut oranges into wedges and arrange them on a plate in a star shape to create an attractive – and edible – decoration.

Great site, which i love very much, all about Food Garnishes

Chicken casserole with rich sauce or stir-fried chicken strips with crisp vegetables are great as picnic foods for eaters who like to wipe their plates with bread or have their rice moist and tasty. Of course, whole roast chicken will be perfect to bring along with other picnic goodies such as salads, cheeses, and a bottle of sparkling white wine. Picnic chicken foods need not be fussy and complicated to prepare. There are lots of easy ways to cook chicken recipes here; and some helpful tips on proper ways of packing cooked chicken foods, too.

Fried Chicken

Fried chicken can be prepared and cooked in many ways but the simplest recipe may just include fresh chicken legs and seasoned coating/breading. A deep fryer is not required to fry chicken. To get the chicken legs crispy on the outside and juicy from the inside even when pan-fried, make sure that the pieces being fried are half-submerged in pre-heated oil and not over-crowded in the pan. Three to four pieces per batch is fine. Otherwise, the fried chicken will be soggy and greasy. Oven-baked chicken may not be as crispier but will surely be more preferable by the health-conscious. To keep the fried chicken crisp and hot: cook it a few hours before departure, cool, and arrange in a container lined with several table tissues to absorb excess oil.

Ingredients:

12 chicken legs, washed and drained
1 piece egg, lightly beaten with a pinch of salt
4 cups cooking oil
Breading (ratio: 2 cups flour per ¼ tsp each of ground pepper and fine iodized salt)

How to: Heat oil in a cast iron frying pan. Dip each chicken leg in the egg mixture and coat with breading thoroughly. When smoke starts to appear on the surface, put one chicken piece into the oil with skin-side down. Avoid over-crowding. Use a pair of tongs to prevent the hot oil from splattering. Remove the chicken when the color turned golden brown and arrange on the cooling rack to let the oil drip.

Crispy Fried Chicken (Credits given to kathyylchan from flickr.com)

Simple Chicken Casserole

This easy-to-prepare and no-fuss dish can be cooked in a slow cooker. Just throw in all the ingredients and let simmer for about an hour. The recipe is simple yet very satisfying. No need to pack. Just bring the whole pot.

Ingredients:

2 cups rice, uncooked and washed
2 cups water
6 pieces chicken skinless breasts, deboned and cut into chunky cubes then blanched in hot water
2 cans cream of chicken
1 small can sliced mushroom, well-drained
2 medium onions, roughly chopped
1 small can salsa
6 cups cheese, shredded

How to: Divide all ingredients into two parts. Layer the bottom of the pot with the first part of the following: rice, water, chicken cubes, cream of chicken, mushroom, onion, salsa, and cheese. Repeat procedure for the second layer. Optional: Arrange shredded spinach leaves before cheese. Boil and simmer over low heat for about an hour, or until rice is tender and fluffy.

Cheesy Chicken Casserole (Credits given to Corey_Ann from flickr.com)

Crunchy Veggie Toppings

Chopped assorted veggies stir-fried in a little olive oil is a tasty alternative to the usual vegetable salad you eat with roasted chicken. Top it on a bowl of steaming rice to make a fulfilling meal. To pack, transfer the stir-fried vegetables in a ceramic pot. Do not cover while steaming to avoid over-cooking veggies due to excess heat.

Ingredients:

3 Tbsp olive oil
1 whole chicken breast, parboiled and shredded to strips
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large green bellpepper, seeded and cut to strips
1 large red bellpepper, seeded and cut to strips
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into strips
1 small cabbage, chopped roughly
Pinch of salt and ground pepper

How to: Heat oil over medium heat. Cook chicken strips and onions until slightly browned. Put the heat to high and throw in all the vegetables along with the salt and ground pepper. Continue stirring to avoid burning. Remove from heat when all vegetables look coated with oil. In a different pot, boil rice in water until cooked. Fluff the rice and transfer to a ceramic bowl with cover.