33 picnic recipes

Fudgy picnic muffins: a brownie-meets-muffin hybrid with melted semi-sweet chocolate, two cups of pecans, and just enough flour to hold it together. Freezes well for picnics and lunchboxes.

Picnic Baked Beans made from scratch with dried navy beans, molasses, brown sugar, dry mustard, and crumbled bacon. Classic slow-baked New England beans for a crowd - serves 16.

Picnic kabobs: olive-stuffed ground beef meatballs skewered with tomato wedges, green pepper, baby potato, and button mushroom, basted with French dressing. An outdoor grill classic for six.

A moist chocolate chip cake made with instant mashed potatoes, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Baked in a 13x9 pan with a powdered sugar finish, it travels beautifully to any potluck or picnic.

Quick chocolate zucchini picnic cake: devil's food cake mix supercharged with shredded zucchini, chocolate pudding mix, walnuts, and coconut. One bowl, no frosting, travels like a champ. Garden abundance meets chocolate cake in the best way.

A rich, fudgy chocolate sheet cake with sour cream baked in a jelly roll pan and slathered with a creamy peanut butter chip frosting. Feeds a crowd and travels like a dream.

This colorful, no-bake casserole combines al dente elbow macaroni with tender chicken (or tofu), a medley of crunchy vegetables, and nutty sunflower seeds, all coated in a creamy mayonnaise dressing. It’s a versatile, make-ahead dish ideal for picnics, potlucks, or a quick family meal, bursting with fresh flavors and textures.

While this cold salad has some elements of a traditional warm German potato salad, it is totally Americanized to suit my family's tastes. Great with grilled burgers, dogs, meats and poultry.

Tri-color pasta salad with juicy tomatoes, black olives and zesty Italian dressing, dressed in stages so the noodles soak up flavor as they chill. An easy vegetarian make-ahead side for picnics and potlucks.

Cold chicken pasta salad loaded with creamy avocado, tangy sour cream dill dressing, and Parmesan. Make it ahead overnight for potlucks, picnics, or easy summer meal prep.

Rotini pasta tossed with chickpeas, broiler-roasted red peppers, roma tomatoes, fresh basil, and balsamic vinegar. A vegetarian Italian pasta dish that travels well for potlucks and picnics.

Marinated bean salad with five beans (yellow, green, kidney, lima, garbanzo) and bell peppers tossed in a sweet-and-tangy brown sugar vinaigrette. Make ahead for picnics, potlucks, and barbecues.

Chilled garbanzo and potato salad tosses boiled red potatoes with chickpeas, roma tomatoes, red onion, and spinach, then marinates for hours in the fridge. A lighter twist on picnic potato salad.

Vegan pasta and red kidney bean salad with diced zucchini, green pepper, tomato and green olives, bound in eggless mayonnaise with chili powder, coriander, paprika and sage. A protein-rich room-temperature salad for picnics and potlucks.

Banana macaroon salad layers homemade coconut-oat macaroon crumbs with sliced bananas, pecans and whipped topping, then chills until everything melds. A retro potluck and picnic favorite.

A creamy red potato salad with sweet pickle crunch, chopped egg, celery, and a tangy mustard-mayo dressing. Skin-on red potatoes hold their shape. A make-ahead picnic and barbecue classic.