Summertime means lots of being outside, whether you’re packing a picnic lunch for a hike or road trip or just enjoying being outside in your own backyard, we have a few ideas to make your picnic perfect!
If you have kids that don’t really like sandwiches or are just tired from eating them everyday at school, try some of these ideas:
A sandwich minus the bread (can that still be called a sandwich?) Let’s call them turkey (or ham or pepperoni) and cheese roll ups. If your kids will actually eat lettuce, or a tortilla, you could roll it all up and stick them with a toothpick. Or try this recipe wrapped around a pretzel rod.
Substitute your bread with yummy crackers then cut your meats and cheeses into smaller sizes so the kids can make their own little cracker sandwich. My kids like having the ability to choose what they want to eat and mix it up from one to the next.
Think breakfast for lunch – we make lots of muffins for breakfast and those are super easy to pack up and toss in your picnic basket. If you’re a planner, make them up the night before and you have breakfast and lunch taken care of, you might actually make it out of the house on time.. maybe.
All picnics need fruit and/or veggies. We love that you can now buy peanut butter and hummus in single serve packs. While they are a little more costly, they are super convenient and add a little something to your lunch on the go. If you want to save a little cash, you can always use reusable containers. Pair these up with apples slices, pretzels, cut up veggies or anything dunkable and you’re good to go.
A yummy, non mayo based pasta salad is always a yummy addition (Moms like this too!)
Try Prepackaged cereal bars, granola bars or clif bars. They’re easy to toss in, along with a yogurt tube. We keep Clif Bars with us almost always whether it’s a picnic or just a trip to the park they make a great healthy snack. You can buy a box of the “Kids Clif Bars” at most grocery stores or Walmart and Target.
Don’t forget a little sweet treat! We usually throw in some sugar cookies, or maybe some oatmeal raisin. We always avoid anything chocolate, even during the spring here, it’s warm enough to melt.
If you’re planning a hike around your picnic, make sure to pack plenty of waters for everyone!
What do you pack in your picnic lunch?