Picnic food ideas for a gourmet picnic

picnic food ideas for a gourmet picnic

I began planning Spring and Summer picnics lately… so I made a “how to have a gourmet picnic” guide. Including decor, and picnic food ideas, of course.

where:

Park, villa, terrace, roof, beach, at home… possibilities are endless, the mood is one: light, happy, extravagant :-).

containers:

Salads go in jars, portioned, decorated with a pretty ribbon, twine for a rustic effect and/or a piece of colored fancy fabric.

You may also use paper or plastic boxes (a little less “green”, but much lighter) or paper Chinese delivery boxes.

Same applies to desserts.

Decorate your sandwiches: wrap them in wax colored or decorated paper, and add twine.

You may also use brown paper and twine. Or a nice paper napkin, or a cotton napkin. And decorate with herb sprigs, like thyme or rosemary.

Drinks need beautiful airtight glass bottles: you can decorate them the same way you did with your salads in a jar.

on the floor

Sheets, plaids, scraps of fancy fabrics, vintage rugs: just look for colorful schemes to contrast the green (or gray, or brown, or sand…) of the grass.

Optional: matching or strong contrast Cushions.

hanging

Lanterns lanterns lanterns. Paper lanterns. Round, oval, Chinese, flower, total white, monochrome or a color explosion.

Hang them around so your picnic spot is delimited and wonderfully decorated.

Don’t forget garlands & buntings: paper or fabric, bought or DIY.

paper

Plates and straws, all in the same color, the same design or a thousand different patterns.

flowers

You’ll probably be surrounded by green and colors and flowers… but a bunch of daisies between a jar and a plate will give you that final, delicate, picnic touch.

picnic food ideas

Sandwiches, of course. Curry Tramezzini, yum!

Salads, pasta salads for a gourmet Italian touch :-).

Everything “in a jar”, including a fab no-bake cheesecake.

Dips (hummus, guacamole, salsa).
Popcorn.
Fresh fruits & fruit salads.
No time to cook? Buy good quality sandwiches, pizza, burritos… just get them out of their sad packaging and dress them up a little.