60+ Old-Fashioned Picnic Recipes

Think portability and casual charm for picnic recipes. Find not-so-perfect wicker baskets, hand-me-down vintage blankets, and charming quilts to set up a perfect picnic. These picnic recipes are both portable and casual, making for the perfect picnic menu.

Recipe: Fried Chicken Bites

These fried chicken nuggets with a slightly spicy kick are great dipped in honey mustard or ranch dressing.

Recipe: Lime Fizz

This lime soda is a refreshing drink for a picnic. For an adult version, stir in 2/3 cup vodka. The leftover simple syrup can always be stirred into unsweetened iced tea.

Recipe: Picnic Egg Salad

It’s all the name! This simple, old-school egg salad recipe will fit right in on your picnic spread, whether you put it between two slices of bread or spread it on toasted baguette slices.

Recipe: Smoky Snack Mix

Go ahead and double this addicting recipe—it won’t last long.

Recipe: Almond-Chicken Wrap

This healthy update on chicken salad is wrapped up for easy toting.

Recipe: Spicy Pineapple Slaw

This vibrant slaw recipe will kick your picnic game way up.

Recipe: Turkey and Pimiento Cheese Club Sandwich

Keep these hearty sandwiches together with toothpicks to ensure every bite is a good one.

Recipe: Blackberry-Peach Cobbler Bars

This delicious recipe has everything you love about a summery fruit cobbler in grab-and-go form that’s perfect for picnics.

Recipe: Southern-Style Potato Salad

This Southern classic is always a welcome sight at a picnic.

Recipe: Mini Muffulettas

This tiny take on the muffuletta sandwich can be made a day in advance so you don’t waste any daylight on the day of your picnic.

Recipe: Lemonade Iced Tea

Our riff on a classic Arnold Palmer is refreshing for hot summer days.

Recipe: Shaved Cucumber Salad with Pickled Blackberries

This simple summer salad only gets better the longer it marinates, so it’s great to make ahead of your picnic.

Recipe: Black-Eyed Pea Fritter Sandwiches with Slaw

Swap out your tired deli meat sandwiches for this Southern spin on falafel.

Recipe: No-Bake Granola Bars

These healthy homemade granola bars will keep everyone full throughout the day, and there are three flavor options to satisfy every family member.

Recipe: Tomato Tea Sandwiches

This new spin on a classic tomato sandwich features our all-time favorite Summer Sauce.

Recipe: Field Pea and Pasta Salad

Mini glass jars make for easy and adorable toting for this summery pasta salad recipe.

Recipe: Chicken Caesar Salad Sandwiches

This easy sandwich recipe makes the most of that rotisserie chicken you have in the fridge.

Recipe: Basic Pimiento Cheese

Throw a Tupperware container full of pimiento cheese and an assortment of crackers into your basket, and you’re good to go. You could always make easy-to-tote sandwiches with this favorite spread, too.

Recipe: Fresh Fruit Salad

Fresh fruit is always welcome at our picnics. Bring skewers or toothpicks for utensil-free serving.

Recipe: Crunchy Pecan Pie Bites

To round out your picnic with a bite of something sweet, toss a few of these easy pecan pie bites into a Mason jar.

Recipe: Turkey, Apple, and Brie Sandwich

Crunchy apple and nutty, creamy brie are a perfect match with sliced turkey for a sandwich that’s anything but boring.

Recipe: Egg Salad Sandwiches

Egg salad is a potluck favorite, so we made it picnic accessible in Masters-style tea sandwiches.

Recipe: Cheddar Cheese Straws

Cheese straws are an all-time favorite Southern snack for parties, hostess gifts, and any occasion that might arise because they’re so easy to toss in a tin and take with you.

Recipe: Dianne’s Southwestern Cornbread Salad

Remember cold layered salads? We never forgot about them! These vintage recipes are so easy to package and take on a picnic.

Recipe: Cheese Puffs with Ham Salad

This old-school recipe is delicious, nostalgic, and easy to pack and take in zip-top plastic bags for a satisfying lunch at the park.

Recipe: Chewy Chocolate-Peanut Butter Bars

You can still enjoy a bite-size picnic dessert when it’s too hot to turn the oven on. These no-bake bars fit the bill perfectly.

Recipe: Sweet Potato Chips

If you want to go all-out on homemade, try out this simple chip recipe that’s so much better than bagged.

Recipe: Barbecue-Peach Summer Rolls

Showcase fresh summer peaches with this healthy handheld recipe.

Recipe: Golden Corn Fritters

These crispy poppers will be all gone long before the picnic is over.

Recipe: Mini Tomato Sandwiches With Bacon Mayonnaise

This bite-size spin on a classic BLT will become a new favorite.

Recipe: Permanent Slaw

This simple slaw recipe was meant to be made ahead, so you don’t have to worry about it when you’re trying to pack up and go.

Recipe: Oatmeal-Caramel Cream Pies

This childhood favorite is perfect for carrying along on a breezy afternoon picnic.

Recipe: Muddy Buddy Mix

Whip up this addicting snack in just a few minutes.

Recipe: Salmon Bagel Sandwiches

The bright, tender salmon that stars in this recipe is made with the help of your slow cooker.

Recipe: Fire Crackers

This Southern favorite starts with a sleeve of saltines from the pantry.

Recipe: Bacon-Ranch Pasta Salad

Bacon and ranch are a match made in side-dish heaven.

Recipe: Apple Chips

You’ll leave store-bought bags behind once you try these healthy homemade chips.

Recipe: Greek Grilled Chicken Pita

Make your picnic lunch more fun than usual turkey sandwiches with this easy and fresh pita recipe.

Recipe: Blackberry-Oat Crumble Bars

If blackberry cobbler is your favorite Southern treat, you have to make these portable bars.

Recipe: Olive Oil Popcorn with Garlic and Rosemary

A few simple ingredients transform regular popcorn into an elevated snack.

Recipe: Chicken and Fontina Panini

This simple but tasty sandwich makes the most of store-bought pesto and rotisserie chicken.

Recipe: Homemade Pretzels

Enjoy warm, soft pretzels from home without a trip to the mall.

Recipe: Salted Caramel-Apple Hand Pies

These mini desserts let you enjoy your favorite apple pie to-go.

Recipe: Ranch Snacker Crackers

If you can’t get enough of ranch dressing, this simple snack will be your new favorite.

Recipe: Red Potato Salad

This potato salad is perfect for picnics because it tastes just as good at room temp as it does warm.

Recipe: Peanut Butter Fingers

These handheld bars are a cross between a granola bar and a peanut butter cookie.

Recipe: Turkey, Brie, and Fig Pressed Sandwiches

These flavorful sandwiches are the ideal make-ahead main for your picnic.

Recipe: Crispy Cheese Wafers

Make your picnic a snack lunch featuring these homemade cheese crackers.

Recipe: Raspberry Crumble Bars

Fresh or frozen raspberries will work for these bars that are both gooey and crunchy.

Recipe: Smoky Chicken Panini with Basil Mayo

This panini recipe calls for freshly grilled chicken, but you could use the rotisserie chicken from the fridge to save time.

Recipe: Roasted Broccoli Salad

We took the old-school broccoli salad recipe you know from back in the day and made it even better with pickled onions and the help of your oven.

Recipe: Sweet and Salty Snack Mix

Your family will beg you to make this snack mix all the time.

Recipe: Mini Cheeseburgers

You don’t have to fire up the grill to make these grab-and-go burgers.

Recipe: Fried Blueberry-Ginger Hand Pies

This nostalgic treat will take you back to summers as a child.