Top 10 Family Picnic Food Ideas

The summer holidays are finally here and with that six weeks, for most parents this can mean a ton of family days out, many of which are expensive and include a meal out. 

I say pack up a mean picnic so the kids won't be bored by the choices, you can save the extra pennies for another day or for all important ice creams and you can avoid any teen, tween or toddler drama in restaurants too. Win, win. 

Here are my top ten picnic food items that we love to bring on our days out - mostly savoury with a couple of sweet treats creeping in for good measure.

1. Sausage Rolls
These have become my go-to for bringing to parties, festive gatherings and of course summer picnics. All you need is puff pastry, sausage meat (you can squeeze the meat out of good quality sausages if sausage meat is hard to source), a little English mustard and an egg. The instructions are here. 

Top 10 Family Picnic Food Ideas - Sausage Rolls

2. Ham, cream cheese and salad roll ups

You can use any sliced meat and whichever veggies you prefer; we always go for sliced deli ham or home cooked gammon with carrot and cucumber matchsticks. Simply spread a tortilla wrap all over with the cream cheese, place the ham over the top, covering most, and then place the matchstick vegetables on top. Roll up tightly, wrap in cling film and place into the fridge until you’re ready to pack up your picnic. You can slice into three pieces to make little sushi sized pieces.

Top 10 Family Picnic Food Ideas - Ham, Cream Cheese & Salad Roll Ups

3. Tuna Salad Pitta Pockets

These are ridiculously easy to make and you can add whichever salad items your little ones enjoy – we like cucumber, carrot, red pepper and radish with sweetcorn thrown in with the tuna and a little mayonnaise. Simply toast the pittas, allow them to cool, cut in half and gently help to make a hollow, then fill with all of the above and pop into a plastic container for your picnic.

Top 10 Family Food Picnic Food Ideas - Tuna Salad Pitta Pockets

4. Spanakopita

This Greek filo pie is filled with a delicious combination of spinach and cheeses, namely feta and is super simple to make on the morning of a picnic or the night before. Spanakopita keeps well in the fridge and is nice hot or cold. I make one pie and cut into portions but you could make small individual pies too if you preferred. Here’s the instructions.

Top 10 Family Picnic Food Ideas - Spanakopita - Greek Cheese & Spinach Pie

5. Pesto Pasta Salad

My walnut pesto is always made in abundance over the summer months as me and the girls absolutely love it but you can make up this pasta salad with shop bought if you prefer.

You need about 250g of your children's favourite pasta shapes -  fusilli,conchiglie or farfalle all work well. Once the pasta is cooked add a heaped tablespoon of the pesto of your preference - giving a good stir to ensure all of the pasta gets a good coat, and the rest is down to you - it all depends on which salad items you and your family enjoy. I've made a simple one here with just some sweetcorn, red pepper and cucumber as this combination is always well received - but you could add spring onions, cherry tomatoes and even some sliced chopped ham or chicken if you wish. 

Top 10 Family Picnic Food Ideas - Pesto Pasta Salad

6. Chicken Souvlaki Skewers

My love for both Greek food in general and souvlaki knows no bounds, and these overnight marinated chicken skewers are absolutely ideal for picnics as they travel well, are good finger food and they’re just as tasty cold as they are straight off the BBQ or grill. Here is the recipe.

Top 10 Family Picnic Food Ideas - Chicken Souvlaki

7. Cheese Muffins

These are a lovely little savoury muffin, heavy with tangy Cheddar and whatever other cheeses you happen to have lurking in the fridge. They’re really easy to make and a great finger food too. Here’s how.

Top 10 Family Picnic Food Ideas - Cheese Muffins

8. Spiced Chicken Goujons

Another party favourite - I always make up a double portion when I prepare these, as they are great snacks to have in the fridge and are adored by children and adults alike. They transport well and are nice cold too so work well for picnics and the recipe is here.

Top 10 Family Picnic Food Ideas - Spiced Chicken Goujons

9. Fruit Kebabs

These are favourite summertime snack at our house, let alone out on picnics. The preference is to serve on skewers which the girls seem to love, preferably with some kind of dipping sauce such as a chocolate or caramel. You can use whichever soft fruit you prefer – strawberries, pineapple, mango, peach, blueberries, raspberries and watermelon all work well and go down a treat.

Top 10 Family Picnic Food Ideas - Fruit Kebabs

10. Blueberry & Lemon Curd Muffins

A picnic is all about having fun and sweet food and children do go hand in hand where fun is concerned – as long as it’s all in moderation, a sweet treat is absolutely fine in my eyes. The recipe for these two types of muffins can be found here. 

Top 10 Family Picnic Food Ideas - Lemon Curd & Blueberry Muffins

Healthy Cheese and Veggie Omelette Muffins

These healthy little breakfast bites are great for the January diet or generally for a quick, healthy and nutritious breakfast on the run. They're fab for little ones, my girls are big fans, and they're also good as a weaning finger food for tots.

The recipe below is only for four muffins, but if you're into food prep, you could bulk cook and re-heat when you want - each eggy muffin is approximately 83 calories (MyFitnessPal). 

They're so easy that aside from putting into the oven - my two girls prepared them themselves this morning (they're four and almost two) so if you are challenged in the kitchen, these are a great starting point.

You can also add whichever vegetables you either have to hand or are your kids' preference - mine love broccoli, peppers and sweetcorn, but you could use any type of vegetable leaf here too, peas or anything you like.

Healthy Cheese and Veggie Omelette Muffins

Here's how: 

• x2 large eggs
• Splash of milk (about 50ml)
• 25g Cheddar
• !/2 red pepper
• Handful cooked broccoli florrets
• Salt & pepper, to taste

Pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees and line a muffin or cake tin with x4 muffin cases.

If you need to cook the broccoli, do so, and rough chop into small, bite-sized pieces and set aside. Chop the pepper into small pieces too and set aside.

Now in a jug, crack the two eggs, add the splash of milk and season to taste, then mix well and add the grated cheese, cooked broccoli and the pepper pieces. 

Healthy Cheese and Veggie Omelette Muffins

Pour into the four muffin cases and place into the oven to bake for 20-25 minutes or until firm and muffin-like. Enjoy! 

Banana and Berry Breakfast Muffins

I love making these with Bridget as they have all the fun of baking cakes, without some of the naughtier stuff and are a great breakfast alternative. 

They provide energy with their oaty goodness and the only sugars are from the honey, a drop of vanilla and the naturally occurring ones from the fruits. Adding in the chia seeds is like a little health boost for the children too - and they can't see them in the muffins so won't turn their nose up at them.

They are a great snack to pop into a lunchbox too and the below makes about 24 so these are perfect if you have a bunch of children round too and want a treat without oodles of sugar.

Banana and Berry Breakfast Muffins

Here's how:

• 200g plain flour
• 100g rolled oats
• 50g dessicated coconut
• 1 tsp bicarb
• 2 tbsp chia seeds
• 2 bananas
• 75g frozen mixed berries
• 4 tbsp natural yoghurt
• 85ml olive oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp honey

Firstly pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees and line a couple of muffin tins with cases.

Firstly weigh out all of the dry ingredients (four, oats, dessicated coconut, bicarb, chia seeds) into a large bowl, mix and set aside. 

Now in a smaller add the yoghurt, eggs, olive oil, vanilla and honey and combine well. It will be a bit of a miss-match at this stage, but make sure the egg yolks get broken up and this will be fine. 

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix well until you have a thick cake batter.

Now peel the two bananas and mash well into a small bowl, then fold into the cake batter.

Add the frozen in berries in last and mix to evenly distribute.

Place 1 large tablespoon of cake batter into each muffin case.

Place into the oven and allow to bake for 25 minutes, or until they are well risen, and the topping is a beautiful golden brown. Enjoy!

Mini Weaning Banana and Oat Breakfast Muffins

These are such a fantastic finger food for babies and toddlers in the weaning stage and I've experimented with a few varieties for both taste, texture and popularity amongst my two girls. These are definite winners. 

The original inspiration was from the 'queen of wean'; Annabel Karmel's, Banana Muffins, but I have played around with the ingredients, quantities, and also added natural yoghurt and energy-giving porridge oats, and am satisfied these are slightly less crumbly (and messy) than her fantastic version. These also work with peach puree and these go down well too!

I've also given ingredient quantities in tablespoon measurements here, because I do appreciate that not everyone jumps up at the crack of dawn, wanting to make muffins and the effort of measuring out and getting out scales might be off-putting. Not so with these, they take less than ten minutes to prepare and 12 minutes in the oven, plus cooling time. Win, win.

These freeze well, but frankly if you have more than one child and another adult in the house, keep them in an airtight container for up to three days - they won't last that long!

The below makes 18 mini muffins. 

Mini Weaning Banana and Oat Breakfast Muffins

Here's how:

• 1 banana
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 4 tbsp wholemeal flour
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp porridge oats
• 2 tbsp natural yoghurt (full fat)
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp bicarb
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Firstly pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees and line a baking tray with mini muffin or cupcake cases. 

Peel and mash the banana well in a small bowl and set aside.

In a mixing bowl whisk the egg and sugar together and then add the oil, vanilla extract and yoghurt and mix well. 

Now sift in the wholemeal flour and add the bicarb, cinnamon and porridge oats and stir again till all is combined.

Spoon the mixture into the muffin cases to about even level, about a heaped teaspoon into each is perfect for small bites.

Place into the oven on the middle shelf and bake for 12 minutes or until the tops are golden brown and a cocktail stick goes in and comes out clean.

Mini Weaning Banana and Oat Breakfast Muffins

Set aside and leave to cool for at least five minutes before serving. Enjoy! 

Mini Weaning Banana and Oat Breakfast Muffins

Cheese Muffins

After Christmas, there is usually a stack of odds and ends of cheese left in the fridge and these cheesy breakfast muffins are a great way of using them up and serving up a delicious baked breakfast treat that are sure to be loved by all the family - they are great for toddlers too as a finger food if just one is eaten as you do need a little salt here for these savouries.

You could use almost any cheese in this quick and simple recipe but milder creamy ones may be a little too subtle. I recommend using some Cheddar, Red Leicester and a Goat's which will add a lovely oozy gooey quality too. 

Cheese Muffins

Here's how:

• 200g self raising flour
• 75g plain flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tbsp mustard powder
• 1 tsp Worcester Sauce
• 150g natural yoghurt
• 125ml whole milk
• 1 egg, beaten
• 150-200g cheese (selection of your choice but here I used Strong Cheddar, Red Leicester and a Welsh Goat's cheese) - grate some and tear/chop some into the little cubes
• 1/2 tbsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp black pepper

Firstly pre-heat the oven to 180 and place 12 muffin cases into a tin and set aside.

In one bowl combine all of the dried ingredients (flours, mustard powder, baking powder, salt, pepper, thyme) and mix well.

In a different bowl mix all of the wet ingredients (everything else) and the cheese well. 

Add the dried ingredients slowly to the wet mixing well until all is combined and then spoon out equal amounts into each muffin case.

Place into the oven to bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown on the top. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least ten minutes before serving - but be warned these are completely addictive if enjoyed warm. Enjoy!

Lemon Curd and Blueberry Muffins

These are a lovely baked treat of twelve muffins - you can use lemon curd or blueberry jam as I have here, but they work equally well with other jams too and are utterly delicious with a cup of tea.

They are a perfect distraction for children to make during the summer holidays too and a great introduction to baking. They are also very easy to make just needing a basic muffin recipe.

Here's how:

• 150g caster sugar
• 200g self raising flour
• 1 egg
• 75ml olive oil
• 160ml milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 75g lemon curd
• 75g blueberry jam
• Handful of blueberries to decorate

Firstly pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees. Also line a muffin tin with twelve muffin cases.

Sieve the flour into a bowl and add 100g of the caster sugar.

In a separate bowl mix together the vanilla, olive oil, milk and egg and once combined slowly mix into the dry ingredients.

Once completely combined half fill each muffin case with some mixture. Now put a teaspoon of lemon curd into half of the muffin cases and a teaspoon of blueberry jam into the other six. Now finally top each muffin with more muffin mixture to cover the jam and lemon curd.

Place into the oven to cook for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown and nicely risen.

Remove from the oven and set aside.

With the remaining lemon curd, place into a ramekin or small bowl and place into the microwave for ten seconds or so to completely melt. Then using a pastry brush, brush the six lemon curd-filled muffins with the melted curd. Now scatter half of the remaining caster sugar.

Now repeat the process with the blueberry jam - melt in the microwave and brush over the remaining muffins and then scatter with sugar. Then use the blueberries to decorate. 

These will keep in a cake bow for two days but are best served warm with a cup of tea.