As summer approaches, the allure of enjoying a meal under the warmth of the sun at the park or the beach becomes hard to resist. Spending the day on a picnic with delicious picnic finger food and snacks is the epitome of summer, and nothing quite compares to a fun-filled picnic with friends and loved ones. And the star of the show is, without a doubt, the food!
Picnic snacks are treats that are easy to pack and transport, and that hold up well outdoors at room temperature. Some are so-called finger foods that you can eat with your hands without the need for utensils, such as sandwiches, chicken wings, mini quiches, or slices of pizza. Finger foods can be served at various events but are perfect for picnics when you want to pack as few utensils as possible to make room for more delicious picnic snacks instead! This guide will provide you with some handy tips to make the perfect picnic basket snacks and finger foods for the season, guaranteeing ease and satisfaction across the board.
Tips for the best picnic snacks for summer
Basking in the sun, sharing laughter, creating cosy memories – a day of picnicking embodies these delightful moments and more. It is not just about the picnic snacks you pack – it is about being together and enjoying the outdoors and summer, and a well-stocked picnic basket can elevate a simple outing to a memorable feast. Follow our tips to create a delicious menu that fills the stomach but also fills everyone up with joy through a delicious selection of picnic finger food and snacks.
And should you need other tips as well we have loads of picnic food ideas for you – with everything from our best tips for packing picnic food to creating the best picnic menu.
Pack a picnic basket with everyone's favourite snacks
Though it may seem like an obvious piece of advice, making your friends and family's favourite treats is one of the best ways to ensure a great experience for everyone. By including their favourite picnic snacks, everyone will have foods they love. This can help make the day more enjoyable and memorable. It shows consideration from you and a wish to cater to everyone's tastes, making it a fantastic way of showing you care and value everyone's preferences.
It might also shake things up a bit, adding various picnic snacks and finger food that you maybe would not have considered otherwise. You might discover that your cousin's favourite dip or dressing is a hit with the whole family, or that your best friend's go-to pasta or potato salad brightens up the entire meal. By incorporating the favourite snacks or finger foods of others, you create a whole new picnic menu that caters to varied tastes, potentially introducing you to new culinary ideas and inspirations that could become your new favourites to bring on a picnic.
Make hot or cold picnic finger foods
Basking under the summer sun, what could be more inviting than a spread of delightful finger foods, both warm and cool, waiting to tickle your taste buds? Consider offering a colourful and tasty medley of both hot and cold finger foods to ensure many more tantalising flavours and contrasting textures to keep the meal interesting and delightful. Some prefer hot picnic snacks, while others prefer cold ones. By offering both, you can cater to everyone's individual preferences.
The weather can also affect what picnic snacks and finger foods are most appealing. On a cooler day, hot foods can be nice and comforting, while cold picnic finger foods can be refreshing on a hot day. Easy finger foods for a picnic are, of course, those that may be served either hot, cold, or at room temperature as you do not have to worry about how the temperature might affect these.
Consider easy make-ahead picnic snacks and finger foods for large groups
Planning picnic snacks and finger food for a crowd? Choose simple, make-ahead picnic recipes that are simple and easy to prepare ahead.
Preparing a day or two in advance gives you ample time to carefully craft your picnic snacks and cook at your own pace so you can relax more and enjoy the picnic when the day arrives. This early start alleviates the stress of last-minute cooking, letting you enjoy the process rather than rushing through it. For example, make fillings for wraps or sandwiches, prepare dips, bake sweet treats, cut fruits or vegetables, and marinate meat. Just make sure to store all prepared ingredients separately until you are ready to pack for the picnic
For large groups, choose picnic snacks and finger foods that are simple to make, travel well, and can be eaten without cutlery like finger sandwiches, vegetable sticks or bread with dip, fruit skewers, or mini quiches. They are crowd pleasers, cater to different tastes, and can be prepared in large quantities relatively quickly.
Keep everything fresh and delicious
Although there is nothing more idyllic than a classic wicker basket, you may want to look at a more modern model. An insulated cooler with ice packs is great for protecting your picnic snacks in hot weather or a fun-filled day at the beach. It helps maintain a steady low temperature for food items that need to be kept chilled, such as salads, fruits, and cold sandwiches.
Maintaining the freshness of your picnic snacks is crucial for quality. Nobody likes soggy sandwiches or wilted salads. Proper storage and packing techniques can help preserve them and ensure great flavour. Fresh foods generally taste better than those that have been sitting around for a while. The flavours are more vibrant, making your homemade treats more enjoyable.
Our best tips for keeping your picnic snacks and finger foods fresh start with chilling your food in the fridge before packing it. This not only ensures everyone starts cold but also helps keep the internal temperature of the cooler low. The next step is to pack the cooler strategically in layers. Put ice packs at the bottom, then layer in cold foods, and top off with more ice. Foods that need to stay the coldest (like meats and dairy-based dips) should be placed directly on ice. If possible, pack drinks in a separate cooler. You will likely be opening the cooler for drinks more often, which can cause the temperature inside to rise.
Once you get to the beach, park, or wherever you and yours are picnicking, keep the cooler in the shade, out of direct sunlight to help the picnic snacks stay cool. Also, every time you open the cooler, cold air escapes. So, try not to open the cooler too often to keep the contents chilled.
Our top 3 favourite picnic snack recipes
Now you have our best tips for selecting, prepping, and packing your perfect picnic snacks and finger food, it is time to dig into some of our very best recipes. These homemade picnic snacks all bring something different to the table, or picnic blanket as it were, and can all easily be included in the same picnic snack list for a summer outing.
Spinach quiche
No picnic feels complete without at least one quiche. And if you can choose only one, a spinach quiche makes for a great picnic snack or appetizer. Made with cottage cheese, our take on this classic is filling without feeling heavy.
The sweet-bitter spinach is complemented by fresh cheese and rich eggs to create a scrumptious filling. Flavoured with warming nutmeg, this combination is mouth-wateringly good. All this goodness is encased in a buttery crust with plenty of umami flavour to create a wonderful eating experience that is sure to make it a hit among your many picnic snacks.
Quiches make for good picnic snacks for several reasons. They can be served hot, cold, or at room temperature, and are easy to prepare ahead of time, for example, a day in advance. And a slice of quiche is easy to eat with minimal utensils, making it convenient for outdoor settings like picnics.
Olive bread with dips
When it comes to classic picnic snacks, you can never go wrong with a savoury loaf of flavourful bread. It is easy to store and transport, making it perfect for a picnic. Our favourite is our tasty olive bread. Flavoured with rich olives and earthy thyme, it is full of great summer flavours that will transport you to the shores of the Mediterranean. The contrast of the slightly crispy exterior and the tender crumb makes it excellent for dipping and a great snack to bring to a picnic!
If you want to embrace the Mediterranean feel, go Greek with classic tzatziki. The combination of this refreshing cucumber dip and the savoury olive bread makes for a great eating experience – fresh but with plenty of depth. The crunch from the shredded cucumber adds an extra element that will make the combination of bread and dip feel right at home on a picnic snack platter with other easy picnic finger foods like dippable vegetable sticks.
Some other great dips and dressings you can bring along for this olive bread include our jalapeno dip and tahini dressing. Both are packed with flavour, albeit in different ways. The former has a lovely spiciness to it and the slightly tangy and briny flavour of the jalapenos will mirror that of the olives. The latter has a recognizable earthy, nutty, and salty flavour, owing to the toasted sesame paste, tahini. Both will taste great with the olive bread, depending on whether you want to spice things up or lean into the earthiness.
Finger sandwiches
A classic type of finger food is, of course, finger sandwiches. Though many associate these mini sandwiches with afternoon tea, they also make for fun picnic snacks or appetizers. Our finger sandwiches are tasty little treats with shrimp, cucumber, peas, and mint. The combination is flavourful as well as refreshing, meaning they are perfect for summer.
This easy picnic finger food has a light flavour profile with the shrimp offering a rich, slightly sweet, and savoury flavour that is brightened by the mild cucumber. This vegetable provides a cool, crisp crunch to the sandwich and the peas provide a subtle earthiness, while the fresh mint adds a unique and invigorating flavour that leaves a cooling feeling on your palate. Its sweetness is a great contrast to the savoury shrimp.
Because the sandwiches with shrimp are so small, they are incredibly easy to eat sitting on your favourite blanket under the warming sun. This is why they are some of the best finger foods for a picnic. Also, finger sandwiches make for great picnic finger foods for a crowd because there is no need to pack plates or utensils for anyone.
