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When the weather warms up and turns beautiful, there’s nothing better than a summer picnic in the backyard with family and friends! Food, drinks, music, games and good company – what more could you ask for?! It’s so simple and a good idea to pack up a picnic basket and go on a family picnic.
Once the warmer weather hits, it’s time to start planning out your perfect picnic menu. What I love most about picnic snacks is that they’re made using fresh ingredients that are perfect for last minute plans. Any of these easy picnic food ideas will take your picnic snacking to the next level of deliciousness! If you’re geared up for picnic season, the time is now to wash that picnic blanket and starting planning out your perfect picnic food recipes.
Having a yard full of people to enjoy our favorite easy picnic food recipes for a crowd is what summer is all about! I hope you’re looking forward to all the good times and good food that is straight ahead!
Best Picnic Food Ideas
The biggest thing to keep in mind about easy picnic recipes is that great recipes don’t have to be hard. You can make up great foods full of great ideas that take minimal work or effort on your part. Don’t forget that fresh vegetables and pasta salads make up some really simple and healthy picnic snacks as well. If you’re ready to plan your next picnic outing, check out my list of favorite picnic food options!
When the goal is to have a good time, you don’t need to be stuck in the kitchen while your guests are having a good time.
Picnics with friends always include easy dishes that keep kitchen duty to a minimum.
Most of these perfect picnic recipes can be prepared quickly with minimal cleanup!
If you’re wondering what to bring to a picnic, try some of my favorite go-to Crowd Favorite Picnic Recipes that are perfect for your next outdoor picnic! These recipes are great for special occasions are full of fresh fruit and other ingredients that are hearty, delicious, and certain to satisfy your sweet tooth.
Quick & Easy Crowd Favorite Picnic Recipes
Main Dishes – Fire up the grill and get ready for some outdoor fun with these main dishes.
Some of these picnic main dishes will be grilled, some you can make ahead and enjoy packed up to take to the picnic!
California Grilled Chicken
California Grilled Chicken – marinated chicken breasts, grilled to perfection and topped with tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, and avocado then drizzled with a balsamic reduction. Perfection!!
Crock Pot Pulled Pork! A delicious pork loin is slow roasted in the crockpot and topped with a delicious homemade barbecue sauce for an easy meal idea!
This easy grilled BBQ chicken recipe is an easy way to grill chicken. This barbecue chicken recipe results in tasty and juicy chicken every time! Use your favorite bbq sauce and let that the flavor of the grill come through!
This classic comfort recipe comes from my grandmother and includes chopped chicken, celery, boiled eggs, and pickle relish mixed in a mayonnaise/miracle whip "dressing" – Old Fashioned Chicken Salad!
Mexican corn is also known as elotes or Mexican street corn, but whatever you call it, it's delicious! Charred grilled corn is tossed with a creamy, spicy sauce, cotija cheese, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.
Making fried chicken at home isn’t as hard as you think! Plus, extra crispy chicken fresh from the fryer is an experience that can’t be beat! Here’s how to make it.
This roasted pork tenderloin is tender, juicy, and full of flavor thanks to the addition of smashed garlic and fresh herbs. Perfect for a special occasion!
This Buffalo Chicken Dip Recipe is the perfect easy appetizer to enjoy in the crockpot or oven! Filled with chicken, buffalo sauce, ranch, and cheese for the ultimate Buffalo Chicken Dip to enjoy anytime!
With only 2-ingredients, this Chili Cheese Dip is always a hit! Make this quick & easy appetizer in the slow cooker or microwave for a crowd-pleasing dip!
Million Dollar Tortilla Rolls Ups are about to become your latest appetizer craze. With just 6 ingredients – mayonnaise, bacon, cheddar cheese, green onions, almonds, and tortillas – they'll be a favorite appetizer in no time!
This Meatball Sliders Recipe is the perfect party appetizer or game day snack! Quick + easy, you'll come back to this recipe again and again! #meatball #appetizer #gameday #recipe
Fruit Salsa is a perfect summer dessert dip! Loaded with fresh fruit and a side of baked cinnamon chips, this is the ultimate party dip! All you need for this delicious fruit salsa is fresh fruit, tortillas, cinnamon, and sugar.
Queso dip is the ultimate appetizer for cheese lovers everywhere! Infused with Tex-Mex flavors, this homemade queso dip is easy to make and perfect for a party.
These Ham and Cheese Pinwheels roll sliced ham and Swiss cheese with tender crescent dough. The pinwheels are brushed with garlic butter to amp up the flavor for an easy appetizer or quick dinner!
Pigs in a Blanket is a classic party appetizer that pairs buttery crescent roll dough with little smokies sausages. I give mine a flavorful twist by adding everything bagel seasoning!
The perfect easy pasta salad! Loaded with veggies and a creamy dressing that comes from a bottle! This is a classic, go-to summer sidedish that never goes out of style!
This Zucchini Casserole is an easy, side dish that goes with any meal. Zucchini and tomatoes topped with cheese and a crunchy panko/parmesan breadcrumb topping makes for the perfect accompaniment to any meal!
This easy scalloped potatoes recipe is a family favorite! Tender Yukon Gold potatoes in an easy creamy, cheesy sauce make the best potato side dish! These thinly sliced potatoes covered in a creamy, cheddar cheese sauce bake up creamy on the inside with a cheesy crusty on top.
If you’re looking for a dish to make for a cookout, potluck, picnic, or summer get-together, you can’t go wrong with classic macaroni salad with creamy mayo dressing.
This summer pasta salad is the perfect side dish for warm summer days! Crisp, fresh veggies, tangy artichoke hearts, and salty feta are tossed with rotini and Italian dressing for a light, easy summer pasta salad.
This corn salad is the perfect summer side dish! Fresh corn is tossed with cherry tomatoes, crunchy cucumber, onions, avocado, tangy feta, and fresh herbs, all in a sweet-and-tangy red wine vinaigrette.
These easy Mac and Cheese Bites are perfectly portioned cheesy goodness! Inside a crispy panko crust is melty cheddar and macaroni. Just add your favorite sauce for dipping!
Try this easy homemade cornbread recipe made using cornmeal, sugar, flour, butter, milk, and eggs for a southern-style side dish ready in 30 minutes or less! It's easy, inexpensive, and perfect for holiday meals.
Desserts – Be the star of the picnic when you bring any of these quick and easy dessert recipes!
Any of these dessert recipes would be perfect for a picnic! They’re simple and fast to make and are great for crowds, family, and friends!
Marble Brownies
Marble brownies are the dressed-up version of a classic box mix brownie – swirls of cream cheese and brownie combine to make a treat that looks good and tastes even better!
S'Mores Bars made with only 4-ingredients – Golden Grahams cereal, Hershey chocolate bars, marshmallows, and butter! It's the EASIEST no-bake dessert bar recipe ever!
The perfect patriotic 4th of July no-bake dessert to serve up your guests. Golden Oreos, topped with a creamy cheesecake filling, and whipped cream and fresh berries.
This No-Bake Oreo Dessert is a quick and easy no-bake dessert you're gonna love! This chocolate dessert is made up of pudding, cream cheese, cool whip, and Oreos, of course.
No-Bake Cherry Cheesecake is the perfect quick and easy, no-bake dessert!Made with light, simple ingredients – cream cheese, cool whip, sour cream, and sugar, this no-bake Cherry Cheesecake Graham Cracker Crust Pie guarantees to be a hit!
Rich and creamy custard like cheesecake. Graham cracker crust and a fresh strawberry sauce.
Cherry Pineapple Dump Cake
This Cherry Pineapple Dump Cake is the most delicious and easy dump cake recipe you’ll ever try! Made with only 4-ingredients – just dump all the ingredients into a baking pan, bake and eat!
Banana Split Pie? Yes! Because the only thing better than a banana split from your favorite ice cream shop is an easy, no-bake Banana Split Pie from your very own kitchen.
This Coconut Cream Pie is a coconut lover's dream! Creamy, rich instant coconut pudding is mixed with whipped topping and sweetened coconut flakes and folded into a pre-made pie crust for the ultimate easy, decadent dessert.
This Homemade Old Fashioned Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting is the most flavorful moist cake that is topped with an easy cream cheese frosting. Banana Cake a delicious twist on banana bread – perfect for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Strawberry cobbler is the perfect recipe to make in spring, when fresh strawberries are cheap and plentiful! Top it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream while it’s still piping hot and you’ve got yourself a winning dessert.
This Red, White, and Blue Poke Cake is perfect for the Fourth of July, Memorial Day, or any patriotic occasion! The light, fluffy cake is infused with red and blue Jello for a fruity, colorful easy dessert!
This pistachio cake is super moist, full of nutty flavor, and the prettiest pale green color! Best of all, it's so easy to make, it's practically effortless!
This pistachio salad recipe is sweet, creamy, and loaded with all different kinds of textures, from crunchy pecans to pillowy soft marshmallows and pineapple. It’s perfect for a potluck!
Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Blondies are a dessert bar made for chocolate and peanut butter lovers! They're chewy, rich, and a little bit like a Reese's peanut butter cup in the form of a bar!
This Kentucky butter cake is a decadent Bundt cake recipe that's super moist and full of rich buttery flavor. Just add fresh berries or whipped cream and enjoy!
You’re only three ingredients away from the perfect strawberry icebox cake! Layer Cool Whip, strawberries, and graham crackers and pop it in the fridge for the most magical no-bake dessert!
Hi, I’m Kasey, Founder of All Things Mamma – where I am dishing up family favorite recipes that are easy to make with simple, everyday ingredients. Plus – tips and tricks for living your best life!