10 Picks for the Perfect Picnic

I really love everything about picnics. I love all the cute picnic food, the clever way people package them for on the go. I love buying picnic baskets, especially old fashioned ones from thrift stores. Basically, I like purchasing all the necessary equipment but the one thing I’m not great at is actually following through with the picnic itself. I hope to change that this summer with some of these awesome picnic finds! 

Before we get to eating, we have to think about drinks.
These Vodka Lemonade Juice Pouches from She Knows fit the bill. They’re like grown up Capri Sun.

The most common picnic item is probably sandwiches. But, you don’t have to settle for boring old PB&J or ham and cheese.

This veggie and cheese bagel sandwich from The Pioneer Woman looks so refreshing for a hot day. And would work perfectly with the aforementioned lemonade!

I’m also really intrigued by the idea of a sandwich built from a stuffed loaf of bread. They look delicious of course, but part of the charm is how impressive they look when they’re sliced. You could keep everything contained on the way to the perfect picnic spot and then slice when you’re ready to serve.

This Antipasto Sub Club from Kraft Recipes uses all ingredients you should be able to find at your regular grocery store while still looking gourmet.

Want to really impress? Be sure to use the French term for this Summer Picnic Sandwich by Lavender and Lovage;  pan bagnat. The author says this isn’t actually a traditional recipe for pan bagnat, but no one has to know.

Ramp up the presentation on these Pressed Picnic Sandwiches by Crepes of Wrath by wrapping the individual cubes in parchment paper and tying it with pretty butcher twine.

But, okay, I know some of us are just really ham and cheese type people. If that’s the case, turn a traditional plain sandwich into something a little more fun like this Sandwich Sushi by Somewhat Simple. It’s geared toward kids, but I happen to think faux sushi made from totally not sushi foods are really adorable.

For picnic sides you may be tempted to just grab a tub of potato salad from the deli along with a bag of chips. But, I found some ideas that are super simple to put together while offering a lot more flavor. (Though I’d still grab a bag of kettle cooked chips, let’s not get crazy)

This Caprese Salad in a Mason jar by Garden Therapy is portable, simple and most of all beautiful. Plus, if you’re growing tomatoes in your garden it’s a great way to use them up and show off your mad gardening skills to your guest.

I probably should have chosen a pasta salad not quite so similar to the first one, but I couldn’t help it. It looks so good and again – it’s gorgeous! This Caprese Pasta Salad by The Muse puts a different spin on the traditional Caprese Salad and is perfect for packing.

Last but definitely not least, we will need a sweet finish to our perfect picnic. Here are a couple portable dessert options I found that don’t involve Little Debbie or Hostess.

I’m sure I sound like a broken record at this point, but it’s true: Mason jar foods are just really, really ridiculously good looking. This Strawberry Shortcake Jar by Mommy Musings is semi-homemade and looks as tasty as it does pretty.

Were you considering throwing some Jello pudding cups into your picnic basket and calling it a day? Perish the thought! Whip up these deep dark Midnight Black Chocolate Pudding jars by the lovely Joy the Baker instead.

Well, that’s it. My idea of the perfect picnic. Maybe, maybe, I will be inspired enough now to actually pull the picnic baskets out of the closet and take my own advice.

Linking up with: Lines Across, Sugar Bee Crafts, Ginger Snap Crafts, Creative Geekery, Liz Marie Blog, Design Dining and Diapers, The 36th Avenue, Lil’ Luna