July is National Picnic Month, and who doesn’t love a good picnic, especially in summer? In honor of this month, we’re sharing some handy suggestions and best picnic recipes for your next picnic. So, let’s get started!
Best Picnic Recipes
Cheese and Fruit
Whenever we think of picnics, fruit and cheese are always a must, and there’s a reason why. We eat fruit with cheese because the combination of flavors is complementary, meaning the fruit brings out specific notes in the cheese and vice versa.* So, you have sweet and juicy against salty and savory, firm versus soft, and so on.
Here are some fruit and cheese pairings to help guide you:
- Cheddar and Brie: Pairs with a variety of Apples (Honey Crisp, Fuji, Gala, and Granny Smith)
- Cream Cheese and Swiss: Paired with fresh Raspberries or Raspberry jam
- Mozzarella: Pairs with fresh or dried Cranberries, as well as Cranberry jam
- Gouda and Cheddar: Paired with a variety of Grapes
- Brie and Blue Cheese: Pairs with Pears
Play around with your tastebuds. In our opinion, there’s no right or wrong way to enjoy fruit and cheese. Accompany all this with your favorite bread or crackers.
Cured Meats
Cured meats are the way to go. They’re easy to transport and will last longer than fresh meat slices. Here are a few of our favorite cured meats for picnics:
- Salami
- Summer sausage
- Ham/Prosciutto
- Capicola
- Soppressata
The meat’s saltiness will go nicely with the contrasting flavors of the fruit and cheese.
Nuts and Seeds
Nuts and seeds are a great way to add different textures and flavors to your picnic. Below are a few of our favorite varieties:
- Almonds
- Pistachios
- Cashews
- Pumpkin seeds
- Sunflower seeds
Nuts and seeds come in various flavors, from sweet to smokey, spicy, and everything in between.
Drinks
Don’t forget your water, especially since you’ll be outside most of the day. Reusable jugs and water flasks are easy to transport and they also keep your water cool throughout the day. Soda and juice are also great, but what makes a picnic a proper picnic is lemonade. Here’s a fast and simple recipe for homemade lemonade.
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cup white sugar
- 1 Cup Water
- 10-11 lemons
- 7 cups of cold water (ice water)
Directions
- Make a simple syrup by combining sugar and 1 cup of water in a small saucepan. Stir to dissolve the sugar while the mixture is coming to a boil; continue to stir until no granules remain. Set aside to cool, but don’t let it cool completely.
- Squeeze your lemons. Cut in half lengthwise, and squeeze into a liquid measuring cup. Discard any seeds.
- Pour 7 cups of cold water into a pitcher. Lastly, stir in lemon juice and add simple syrup.
Adjust for taste. You can add inclusions such as fresh berries, basil, or mint if you’d like.
Dessert
Nothing finishes off the perfect picnic like something sweet! Coconut macaroons are one of the best dessert picnic recipes. Light, sweet, and tender, these cookies will surely please you and your loved ones at your next picnic. They’re so easy to transport, and you can bake them the night before so they’re ready in time for your picnic.
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ Cup sweetened shredded coconut
- 2 egg whites, at room temperature, recommended
- 1 14 ounce can of Sweetened Condensed milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Directions
- Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F.
- Combine the coconut, condensed milk, and vanilla in a large bowl.
- Whip the egg whites and salt on high speed in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or a hand mixer with a whisk attachment until they make medium-firm peaks. Then, carefully fold the egg whites into the coconut mixture.
- Dollop the batter onto sheet pans lined with parchment paper; you can use a small ice cream scoop or tablespoon.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden brown. Lastly, let the macaroons cool and serve.
- Optionally, after the cookies have cooled, you can dip them in melted chocolate for a little extra something special.
Try Out These Best Picnic Recipes for Yourself
We hope you loved these picnic recipes as much as us. Happy National Picnic Month!
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