Top 6 Picnic Foods for Kids

It’s just impractical to bring a four-course meal on a picnic, especially with children in tow. But that’s what they used to be—extravagant Victorian affairs in the remote countryside with furniture and wicker baskets full of food. So we say, keep the elegance and lose the fuss this summer with delicious food ideas catered to your kids. Picnic foods don’t only have to be sandwiches — even though they’re awesome.

Picnic Foods for Kids

Mason Jar Salad

If you’re tired of taking wilted salads out of the picnic basket, start building them inside a mason jar. Put all the wet and messy ingredients on the bottom and pile up from there, finally adding the lettuce on top. Separate your greens from your dressing with carrots or blocks of cheese so that your salad doesn’t get soggy before your ready. Then just before you open it, shake the jar to get a nice mixture. You can do the same with pasta salad, spooning in a little pesto on the bottom, which you can cover with tomato and cheese cubes so your penne doesn’t get soaked before you’re ready.

Grilled Celery Salad with Tarragon Dressing

You can grill a salad? Yes, yes you can and it’s perfect for picnic foods. Wash a stalk of celery, brush it with olive oil, and pop it on the grill for about 12 minutes. That’s the perfect amount of time to soften the vegetable while still getting good grill marks. Let it stand before chopping it up and seasoning with olive oil, tarragon, Parmesan cheese, and salt and pepper. Cool in the refrigerator and you’ll get a salad that’s the perfect blend of fresh and crunchy.

Pinwheel Sandwiches

Pinwheel sandwiches are definitely cool enough for summer, and can easily turn any sammy into pretty picnic fare. Use a wrap instead of bread as a healthier option. Add in your toppings, which can be just about anything. Try tuna, egg salad, cucumber and cream cheese, or prosciutto, mozzarella and arugula. Roll up your wrap and make sure the edge sticks down. Then cut into one-inch slices evenly for consistency or on an angle for sophistication.

Cucumber Tea Sandwiches

Who wouldn’t love chilled finger sandwiches at an afternoon garden picnic? Plus, yummy two-bite sandwiches are the perfect size for little hands. For savoury cream cheese, mix together with chives or dill depending on your taste, and season with salt and pepper. Then roll out your bread with a pin and build in layers: bread, cream cheese, bread, cucumber slices, bread, cream cheese, bread. If you want, you can add baby spinach, watercress or arugula for an extra crunch.

Crispy Rosemary Potato Chips

Bored of the classic picnic potato salad? I can’t see how that’s possible but you could try homemade potato chips instead. Fill a straight-sided saucepan with a couple inches of oil and heat. Cut russet potatoes into paper thin slices and place batches into the saucepan, making sure not to overcrowd the chips. Leave them in the oil for 1–2 minutes before scooping them on with a slotted spoon. Place evenly on cookie sheets lined with paper towel to soak up the excess oil. Finally sprinkle the chips with rosemary and sea salt to taste.

Cupcake in a Jar

The best picnic foods include dessert! Pick out some small mason jars that are tall enough to fit in a large muffin with an extra inch or two of space left over. Make a batch of your favourite cupcakes in a muffin tin and cut them in half once they’ve cooled down. Place the bottom half in the jar and cover with your best homemade icing. Top the jar up with the other muffin half and more icing or fresh whipped cream and fruit. Close the jar and tie it up with a decorative ribbon. You can even attach a colourful plastic spork for an easy picnic dessert that we guarantee your kids will love.