Dining alfresco is one of the best parts about spring’s arrival. However, it can be tricky to know which foods can be served outside, and which are best enjoyed at the table indoors. We’ve rounded up some of our favorite picnic recipes, from sandwiches and wraps to fruit salad and cookies, that are easy to whip up and transport—and that are special enough for a Mother’s Day meal.
Just take this simple pasta salad, for example. It’s super versatile—it can be adapted with different dressings, vegetables or other additions.
Whether you serve it cold or at room temperature, this crisp side dish is flavorful and refreshing.
Bacon Corn Muffins with Orange Butter
Ready in just 35 minutes, these sweet and savory muffins are great for breakfast, lunch or dinner. They’re easy to snack on, but they make a great side dish when slathered with homemade orange butter.
Spinach Salad with Goat Cheese and Walnuts
A crisp and hearty salad is perfect for a picnic. It’s fresh, easy to toss together, and can be served cool, warm or at room temperature. This green salad gets extra flavor from shallot, Dijon and creamy, tangy goat cheese.
Lemon Caper Deviled Eggs
Deviled eggs are the perfect party food, and picnics are no different. Although the classic recipes are a fan favorite, this easy spin is a fun way to add extra flavor. Lemon adds bright freshness, and capers add complex, briny flavor. Before serving, garnish parsley and paprika.
Smoky Caprese Sandwiches
These easy sandwiches are a fun way to enjoy caprese salad without the need for plates, knives or forks. Ciabatta loaves are the perfect vessel for devouring the smoky sandwich that’s bursting with fresh mozzarella, juicy tomato and peppery arugula.
Peanut Butter and Jelly Financiers Cakes
These cute little cakes are the perfect way to impress the extra-special mom in your life. Peanut butter and jelly is a timeless combination, and baking those flavors into cake form makes them even more delicious. Garnish with freshly-dusted confectioners’ sugar before serving.
Southern Tea Sandwiches
Tiny, delicate tea sandwiches belong at a picnic. This recipe will walk you through two easy sandwiches—a smoked salmon and cucumber tea sandwich and an egg and bacon sandwich. Each of which are moist, flavorful and perfect for serving a crowd.
Sugared Puff-Pastry Tea Cookies
If you love to enjoy an afternoon tea or coffee, these tea cookies are a must-have. Store-bought puffed pastry combines with lemon juice and confectioner’s sugar to make these sweet and simple snacks that can be enjoyed any time of day. Five minutes is all you need to prep the ingredients, and 15 minutes in the oven cooks them to crispy, golden perfection.
Avocado Toast with Smoked Salmon
Picnics require foods that can be eaten by hand, so we love these individual avocado toasts that are ideal for eating without silverware. The pumpernickel bread adds a dark, caramelized flavor, and fresh dill brightens up every bite.
Hawaiian Fresh Fruit Salad
Fresh fruit is perfect to enjoy on a picnic, because it tastes great when cold or at room temperature. It’s versatile too, and this recipe can be adapted with any fresh and flavorful fruit you have on hand. Grated ginger adds deep, complex flavor.
Smoked Salmon and Cream Cheese Frittata
This super simple frittata recipe takes just five minutes to prepare and can be ready in under a half hour. It’s packed with flavor from fresh herbs like dill and chives, and smoked salmon adds smoky, savory bits in every bite. Serve with crunchy potatoes or a crisp salad.
Ham and Cheese Quick Bread
This ham and cheese quick bread recipe is easy to prep in advance and serve the next day. Each bite is filled with bits of deli ham and gruyere cheese, so it’s slightly sweet and pleasantly savory. A honey mustard glaze is the perfect way to top it all off.
Tahini Honey Farro Salad
Chewy, nutty farro is a nourishing grain that’s a hearty accompaniment to any dish it’s tossed in. It plays a starring role in this salad recipe that takes just 45 minutes to prepare. Homemade honey tahini is the perfect condiment to pull it all together.
