Did you know your picnic foods can tick all the boxes and be delicious, easy to make, and healthy?

When the warm season fully hits, one of my family’s favorite activities is going on a picnic.

Be it that we hike before or that we go to the park with our trusty picnic kit (this one here is simply amazing), we never fail to have several starting in spring and ending in mid-fall!

However, we have always run into a pickle: what can we pack that is going to hit that itch even when cold, be delicious, hold well in a container, and also be healthy?

Let’s be honest, a lot of the “traditional” picnic foods can end up being quite unhealthy in the sense that they are not balanced correctly nutritionally or that they sway more towards junk food than nutritious, healthy ones.

Some foods are also quite fatty, which, if you have heart issues (like I do), can do you more harm than good in the long run!

This is why we have done a ton of trial and error and discovered some amazingly delicious recipes that are perfect to make for any picnic that my family truly adores.

From easy-to-make and diverse protein options to being almost completely customizable, these are some of the best picnic food recipes that are going to be a big hit no matter when you prepare them!

Even better, they are healthy, and you can even add them to your lunch rotation!

When was the last time you went on a picnic? What is your picnic staple? Let us know in the comments down below!

Chicken wraps

A lot of people end up making some sort of sandwich when they think of going on a picnic. Yet, let’s be honest for a second!

If you want to make it healthy, it can end up being extremely soggy, and no one wants to eat that when they are supposed to enjoy their time outdoors.

What’s more, due to the square shape of the bread, you are generally limited when it comes to fillings since they can slip out.

This is why we recommend you make wraps instead! They are versatile, and you can stuff them with your favorite choice of veggies and a good marinated chicken.

They can come in a ton of different options based on what you and your family like, and you are not limited to making one thing.

You can easily swap the chicken for another protein; you can even make them vegetarian or vegan!

The world is your oyster, and after you have constructed your wraps, make sure you wrap them in tin foil and cling film so that they hold their shape.

Courgette and tomato muffins

When it comes to muffins, a lot of us think about breakfast, or generally sweet ones. Yet, picnics are always made better when we end up packing a set of savory muffins.

Not only are they delicious and filling, but they are a great base, an alternative to bread, for the likes of dips and other things you would eat with bread.

Not to mention, you can make savory muffins and pack them with veggies, which makes them a lot healthier.

Our favorite combo is courgette, cheese, and tomato muffins, and do not worry, you will not be eating any veggie chunks with these ones.

The courgette is grated and incorporated into the batter, and the tomato almost disappears, but it gives these bursts of acid and a great taste inside every bite.

Even better, you can make a bigger batch and freeze the ones you are not going to eat or bring with you.

You can easily reheat them in the oven or even pop them in the toaster when you need to satisfy a craving. Believe me, these are easily addicting!

Beetroot hummus

Hummus is one of the most famous spreads, but you should consider using it more in your foods as well.

While some supermarket versions are okay, a lot of them are going to be full of extra oil and calories.

So why not opt for making it yourself? It is fairly easy, and you can use canned chickpeas, so you do not have to boil them if you do not want to.

Hummus is an easy picnic addition that can last you longer in the fridge for a couple of days, so you do not have to worry if you make more than you initially intended.

You can also opt to add beetroot to it so that you can boost the heart health benefits of this food and give it an amazing earthy taste and a stunning color.

It is a great addition to any pita sandwiches you may make (more on those later) or just to eat with some veggie sticks!

Versatile, delicious, and healthy, beetroot humus is definitely one to add to your picnic spread!

Bulgur wheat salad with broccoli

Salads are always on the menu when it comes to picnics, but let’s be candid; most of the time, traditional salads go limp and soggy pretty fast, and no one wants to deal with that.

If you want to add a healthy salad to your spread but not risk it becoming soggy, we recommend making a bulgur wheat salad.

Bulgur wheat is a whole grain, and it is packed with minerals, vitamins, and fibers, not to mention that its health benefits are documented.

It can help promote weight loss, improve gut health, aid digestion, and may even reduce chronic disease risk!

It is a filling and healthy fiber option to add to your salad that will also soak up any juices from the rest of the salad ingredients.

Add in raw broccoli florets for an added crunch, together with cherry tomatoes, spring onion, and diced cucumber, along with some aromatics like fresh parsley and mint, and the salad’s done!

You can improve on it and make it a centerpiece rather than a side if you add some salmon, feta, or chicken to the mix!

Of course, you can mix and match what you add to the salad so it fits your taste perfectly.

If you are not sure which type of bulgur wheat is good, do not worry. This is my family’s favorite brand, and we use it frequently in dishes, not just when craving a salad!

Pitta pockets

No matter what you choose to fill your pitta pickets with, it is yet another great alternative to the pain-old sandwiches.

While we all appreciate a tasty sammy, there are drawbacks, as we have discussed earlier, so pitta pockets are a great alternative.

You can easily fill them even with more saucy alternatives and not worry that you are going to be making a mess.

Not to mention, they give you a lot of space to play around with the fillings and tastes, not to mention veggie options.

You can reduce the yogurt dressing to make a simple salad with your favorite protein, or a classic salad with tomato, shredded carrot, chicken meatballs, and mayo sauce!

You can go down the fish option, vegan or vegetarian option too!

The world is your oyster, and these pitta pockets are some of the easiest to pack and take with you!

Of course, you can always pre-pack a side salad for the picnic as a side dish for all of these dishes. However, any great salad has a great dressing that you can bottle up and take with you. These are the healthiest dressings you can make yourselves and the most delicious staple dressings you need to check out!