Simple Summer Picnic Foods

Simple Summer Picnic Foods "ENJOYING SUMMER"

June, July and August are the best months of the year for an outdoor feast, filled with the perfect summer picnic foods. However, choosing what types of food to pack is an important factor in the success of an al fresco party. Pick foods that are easily portable and don't require utensils. Make sure that they aren’t drippy and that they won’t get soggy. You also want foods that don’t require heating, such as warm soups or stews. Stick with dishes that can be served at room temperature.

Here are a few excellent picnic foods for you to consider. You can take any of these ideas and adapt them to whatever you have on hand in your kitchen.
Sandwiches & Wraps

Pita pockets are a portable solution to two slices of bread. When filling the pitas remember to layer so each bite gets a little bit of the flavors. (You don’t want to eat all of the lettuce first and then all of the chicken salad.) Choose from fillings such as tuna or chicken salads, hummus and vegetables, or a mixed salad with feta cheese and olives.

French baguettes are easily eaten with two hands and very little mess. Consider making classic sandwiches such as French ham and cheese, roasted vegetables and goat cheese, or an Italian hero-style sandwich.

The tortilla is one of the world’s greatest portable sandwich materials. These are excellent for creating classic wrap sandwiches. The fillings for wraps are endless. You can take just about any meat, vegetable and cheese combination and roll it up in a tortilla.

Cold Noodle Salads

While pasta salads are traditional at picnics, why not mix it up a bit with Thai or Vietnamese-style noodle salads, or create a delicious pasta salad with a twist.

Udon noodles are one of several styles of Japanese noodles. They are thick, and can be purchased either fresh or dried. These noodles are a perfect foil for any kind of Asian-style salad that might include sesame oil, fresh ginger, rice wine vinegar and blanched vegetables such as snap peas, sliced green onions, and red or yellow bell peppers.

When making an Italian-style pasta salad use smaller, bite-sized pasta like rotini or penne. These noodles can be combined with vegetables like sautéed asparagus, fresh tomatoes, and minced garlic. To complete the salad, add a protein like cooked Italian sausage for the ultimate pasta salad. Douse with a high-quality olive oil, a little lemon juice, and plenty of fresh herbs.



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Vegetable Salads

Veggies are a great way to bring freshness to your picnic. Think of classic parings like tomato, mozzarella and basil; fresh avocado mixed with diced tomatoes and garlic; or crunchy cabbage slaw with a vinaigrette dressing.
Bean and Rice Salads

Beans and rice are a traditional combination. Salads made with either or both of these ingredients are perfect for a summer picnic because they provide a wonderful background for fresh veggies and herbs. Try a combination of lentils and brown rice, or couscous with chickpeas. These salads can be easily transported in plastic containers and pair well with sandwiches and a simple dessert for a complete picnic lunch.
Fruit Salads

What summer picnic would be complete without fresh fruit? You can make your dish as simple as chopped watermelon or a more complex mixture of strawberries, blueberries and raspberries doused with mint and lemon juice. Anther popular option is cantaloupe or honeydew wedges wrapped with prosciutto.
Meats

The key to serving meats at a picnic are to ensure that they are cooked ahead of time. Choose proteins that can be served chilled or at room temperature. The meats should be served in portions that don’t need to be cut with a knife and fork. Remember--on a picnic you want to create dishes that can be eaten with hands or with just a fork to eliminate the need for too many utensils or plates.

Consider the following for meat dishes:

* Shrimp tossed with pesto
* Canned or fresh tuna mixed with olives, tomatoes, garlic, green beans and potatoes for a classic tuna nicoise salad
* Fresh fish prepared as an escabeche, which is a Spanish preparation where you sear the fish in a pan and then let it sit in a vinegary marinade that has lots of herbs and spices. The fish is then served cold with bread or tortillas.
* Chicken dishes can be a bit bland, but when prepared in less common ways, such as confit (braising the legs in olive oil), or poaching the breasts and serving them with a dipping sauce, it can be an excellent meat dish.
* For beef, grill it before the picnic and slice it into thin pieces. Serve the beef with a sauce, such as chimichurri, guacamole, or pesto.

Desserts

While fresh fruit is an easy end to a summer picnic, adding a dessert course will bring a lot of sophistication to your meal. You can make it as simple as pound cake layered with berries and whipped cream, or as complex as a dark chocolate pudding served with big marshmallows, small cookies and strawberries for a cold take on chocolate fondue.
Final Note

Summer picnic foods are best kept simple and straightforward. Don’t try and make your meal overly complex, just stick to some easy dishes that are flavorful. Remember to bring napkins and a few knives for cutting meats. Grab a couple of nice, easy-drinking bottles of white or rose wine. A couple of bottles of sparkling water will complete the meal.