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

Spanakopita - Greek Cheese & Spinach Pie

This is probably one of the most comfortingly familiar dishes for on the go that immediately transports me to Corfu and two long, hot summers spent a few years back now. You’ll be hard pushed to find a bakery, patisserie or even supermarket on the Greek islands that doesn’t sell a version of the ‘cheese pie’.

I’ve played around with this dish a LOT over the years, and whilst you can add things like sautéed onions and garlic into the cheesy mix, as well as herbs like dill, mint or parsley, this simplified version below is the one that I prefer and that goes down well with adults and kids alike. It is also quicker to prepare, win, win.

You can serve this as an epic vegetarian main course, but I like to serve it alongside a host of other Greek dishes. It is also good cold, and makes for a really, great picnic dish – I take it along whole, and cut it into about 8 pieces when we find our picnic spot. 

Spanakopita - Greek Cheese & Spinach Pie

Spanakopita - Greek Cheese & Spinach Pie

Here’s how:

• 1/2 pack filo pastry
• Olive oil spray (you can also use a pastry brush and some poured olive oil)
• 200g Feta cheese (do not use ‘Greek salad cheese’ it is not good!)
• 150g Ricotta
• 25g Cheddar (or other hard cheese)
• 250g spinach leaves
• 2 eggs
• Fresh nutmeg
• Black pepper

Firstly pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees and use a generous amount of olive oil in a small-medium pie dish and brush all over to prevent any sticking.

Fill and boil the kettle and place the spinach leaves in a colander. Pour over enough freshly boiled water over the spinach leaves to just gently wilt and leave to drip in the sink.

Now to prepare the cheese mixture. Place the Feta into a mixing bowl and use a fork to roughly mash up a little bit. Now add the Ricotta and grate in the Cheddar. Season generously with black pepper – I omit from adding salt here as Feta tends to be quite salty, but add a pinch if you wish. Mix together roughly.

Now crack in the two eggs, which will enrich this mixture – and which is a very much Greek method of thickening things. Mix well and then grate over a really generous amount of the nutmeg – you want to be able to taste this in the final dish, so don’t be shy.

For the spinach, use a clean tea towel or some kitchen paper to really squeeze the excess liquid out of the wet leaves – try to get them as dry as possible to prevent any soggy bottom situations or from the pie being too wet. Once satisfied add to the cheese and egg mixture and stir it all until it is combined well and set aside.

Now it’s time to layer up the pie. Firstly add one whole sheet of filo over the pie dish long ways, and use your hands to gently press down into the base of the dish, so the excess filo pastry is hanging over the side of the dish. Be as gentle as possible here, as filo is incredibly delicate.

Now use the olive oil spray and spray all over the pastry (or use a pastry brush to gently coat) and then place another sheet over the pastry the width ways this time, repeating the process with pressing down, and then spraying with the oil.

Do one more layer long ways, and then you can spoon in the cheese and spinach mixture. Try to distribute it as evenly as you can. Once satisfied, take the excess pastry and layer it over the top of the pie, spraying any dry bits with the olive oil spray. (I appreciate this sounds like a lot of oil – but if you don’t follow this, the final pie can be really dry, and less appetising).

Take one final sheet of filo pastry, fold it half and place over the top of the pie, gently pressing it down to cover the entire pie. Give a final spray of oil and the pie is ready to bake in the oven. Pop it in for approximately 45 minutes – or until crisp and golden brown. If you have a speedy oven, check after 35 minutes to avoid burning.

Remove from the oven and allow to sit in the dish for five minutes, before using a palette knife to gently go around the outside of the pie, inside the dish, to prevent it sticking, then very carefully use a fish slice or spatula to help you remove the pie from the dish and place onto a wooden board or large plate to serve. Enjoy!

Some other Greek recipes you may enjoy:

• Souzoukakia
• Souvlaki
• Moussaka
• Briam - Summer Vegetable Stew
• Prawn Saganaki
• Pastitsio
• Greek Stuffed Tomatoes
• Greek Chicken Traybake
• Greek Salad

Spicy Beef Quesadilla with Avocado Salad

These Spicy Beef Quesadilla are a really comforting dish to have on a work/school night and the accompanying creamy little salad works perfectly with it.

I've used beef mince here but you could just as easily use turkey, lamb, pork or chicken mince - but the beef work well with the level of spicing I've used. If you don't like much heat, adjust the spices accordingly and maybe remove the red chilli.

The below serves a family of four with a couple leftover to fight over.

Spicy Beef Quesadillas with Avocado Salad

Here's how:

• Few sprays of Frylight Olive Oil or a drizzle of olive oil
• 450g beef or steak mince
• 1 large red onion
• 1 large clove of garlic
• 1 red chilli
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 2 tsp hot paprika
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tbsp tomato puree
• Pinch of sea salt
• Pinch of black pepper
• 1 red pepper
• 250g mushrooms
• Juice of half a lime
• 1 can red kidney beans

• x6 tortilla wraps
• 1 ball Mozzarella
• Handful of grated Cheddar

For the salad:

• 2 ripe avocados
• 8 sweet cherry tomatoes
• 1 small tin of sweetcorn (or one corn on the cob, cooked, and with the corn extracted)
• Pinch sea salt
• Juice of half a lime

Firstly prepare the beef by adding the Frylight or olive oil to a large wok or frying pan and placing on a low heat.

Peel and finely dice the onion, mince the garlic and slice the chilli (keep the seeds in for an extra kick) and add to the warm pan.

In the meantime, slice the red pepper and the mushrooms and set aside.

Once the onion mixture has begun to soften, add the mince to the pan, season well with the salt and pepper and use a wooden spatula to break up a little and ensure it cooks evenly all over.

After a couple of minutes in the pan, add the coriander, cumin, paprika and cayenne pepper and mix well.

Allow to cook until the meat is completely browned off and then add the red peppers, red kidney beans, mushrooms and the tomato puree; mix well and then allow to cook for another 10-15 minutes.

In the meantime prepare the salad by firstly removing the flesh of the avocados and placing into a small bowl. Use the back of a fork to carefully mash the avocado - you don't want a complete puree here, so go easy. Chop the cherry tomatoes up into small pieces and add to the avocado and then add the corn too. Squeeze over the lime juice, season with sea salt and mix gently and the salad is ready.

Now take the Mozzarella ball, and very thinly slice and set aside.

To make the quesadilla, firstly place the frying pan on a medium heat and add a couple of sprays of the Frylight.

Now place one tortilla wrap into the pan, with half on the pan side - you can use a knife or a spoon to prevent the other half going into the pan. Work quickly here. Now spoon over a generous portion of the spicy beef mix and ensure the half of tortilla is well covered. Top with a little Mozzarella and grated Cheddar, fold the other half of the tortilla over and fry for 3-4 minutes until nicely golden brown.

Now carefully use a fish slice and/or spatula to turn the tortilla over and cook on the other side until golden and the cheese has just melted.

Remove from the pan carefully placing onto a wooden board or plate and pop into the oven on a low heat to keep warm.

In the meantime, be assembling the next quesadilla in the pan repeating the process until all are cooked.

Now slice each quesadilla in half or smaller pieces for any little ones, and place onto a plate, stacked up with a couple of spoonfuls of the avocado salad. Enjoy!

Top Ten Things To Do In Madrid

Glen and I enjoyed a fabulous child-free four days in marvellous Madrid back in January and I've picked out the top ten things to do if you're there for a weekend of indulgence and exploration. As always there is a bit more of a foodie slant to my list, but there are plenty of other options too.

1. Food Markets

Madrid has a ton of different indoor food markets and we visited several during our stay, which all had their own individual charm. 

Our favourite by far was the Mercado San Miguel in the Centro area, which is set in an absolutely stunning and historic building - all wrought iron and clear glass windows and doors, making it an attractive proposition before you even arrive. 

The atmosphere on a Thursday afternoon was electric - it was jam packed with tourists and locals alike; all being tempted by the many, many different types of food on offer. 

It isn't cheap, but it's super fun to hop from stall to stall trying different bites, and there are plenty of bars too offering beer, wine, cava or something stronger if you prefer. 

Our favourites here included this super creamy whipped burrata topped with jamon and cups of the most delicious jamon, that melted in the mouth. Well worth a visit and make sure you go hungry!

Burrata & Jamon at Mercado San Miguel

Jamon at Mercado San Miguel

Delicious olive, anchovy and roasted pepper morsel at Mercado San Miguel

2. Arts and Culture

You will be spoilt for choice in Madrid for galleries, museums and exhibitions - it's such a diverse and cultural city.

We enjoyed a few galleries but the absolute standout had to be visiting Museo Renia Sofia which is home to an astounding amount of fantastic pieces of art and photography from Dali to Picasso.

Picasso piece at Museo Renia Sofia

It's around 15 Euros per adult ticket - but they do have a free entry period in the evenings between 7-9pm if you're on a budget.

It's well worth the admission price especially to see Picasso's breathtaking Guernica in the flesh - the size and breadth are amazing. 

3. Chocolate & Churros

Chocolate & Churros at San Gines, Madrid

You will see dotted around the city a number of 'chocolateria'; but the oldest - dating back to 1890 is San Gines. 

We gladly joint the hoard of people queuing up to try the long doughnutty churros dipped in pure liquid chocolate - absolute bliss and a must-do for Madrid!

4. Take Your Own Walking Tour

Royal Palace, Madrid

Pack some comfy shoes or trainers as you really can see most of Madrid by foot - especially if visiting in a cooler month. 

Grab a map and make a plan of the places you're keen to see and attempt it on foot with some water on hand. 

There are plenty of bars, cafes and restaurants all over the city to sit and cool down and hydrate in and along the way. 

Places of interest you might want to nose at include The Royal Palace, City Hall, the Cibeles Fountain (where you see Real Madrid celebrating sometimes), and the many, many beautiful churches in and around Madrid, to name a few.

City Hall, Madrid

5. El Retiro Parque

Palacio De Cristal, Madrid

El Retiro Parque, Madrid

The El Retiro Parque is for me comparable to Central Park in New York as it seems to be it's own little city, with different areas and districts within it and tons going on within it's gates. 

It's an absolutely beautiful and completely green space with tons of grassy areas, playgrounds, a boating lake and of course the stunning Palacio De Cristal - or crystal palace which is beautiful inside and out. 

Within the park you'll see loads of street entertainers performing all sorts of different arts - from tai chi, skate boarding, dance, singing and many other things. It's a great, free place to visit in Madrid.

6. Enjoy Cava in the Sunshine

Cava in the Madrid sunshine

Cava is Spain's sparkling wine equivalent to Champagne, Prosecco and the like; and it is absolutely delicious and much more modestly priced than Champagne. 

It's an absolute must to enjoy sipping on a glass of cold, sparkling cava sitting outside in the sunshine of Madrid and will only set you back 5 or 6 euros.

7. Take a Tapas Crawl in La Latina

Pan con tomate with jamon, Lateral, Madrid

You can pick up good tapas all around the city when you enter a bar for a drink, however mine and Glen's favourite after four days was the little district of La Latina, especially if you're talking about after dark. 

Take a stroll along the Calle Cava Baja and you'll soon understand the appeal - even on a cold wintery January evening, the whole stretch of road which is adorned with bars and restaurants was absolutely heaving with happy Madrilenos and tourists alike. Spilling out of the bars into the street tons of people were enjoying plates of tapas, ice cold beer, wine and cocktails too. It's a buzzy atmosphere and the food along here was some of the best we had in the four days. 

In the bars you'll be presented with a plate of tapas 'gratis' or complementary with your drinks, but there are some cracking restaurants along the Calle Cava Baja too. 

We really enjoyed some spectacular dishes in Cava Baja 17 and they were completely different to what we'd had elsewhere too - a little cheesy empanada was a nice beginning but then we had soft, flavourful Iberico pork topped with goat's cheese on fresh crusty bread which was great; and our favourite dish which was so unusual and so delicious was the bread again but this time topped with cod fish and then a honeyed aioli - it was stunning. 

Cod & Honeyed Aioli and Iberico Pork & Goat's Cheese, Cava Baja 17, Madrid

You don't have to limit your tapas choices to this area though; we didn't have a bad meal anywhere in Madrid - we enjoyed a fairly fancy tapas meal in a more up-market setting at Lateral Castellana 42, some lovely authentic tapas in Alahambra in the Centro district washed down with Fino sherry, and a relaxed but delicious array of tapas in Downtown Madrid at Aceytuna on Calle Fuencarral for only 40 euros with beers included. 

Blistered Padron Peppers at Aceytuna, Madrid

However my favourite dish of the four days was an inexpensive 'gambas al ajillo' - succulent juicy prawns in sizzling garlic oil cooked to absolute perfection and served with bread to mop up the juices in a very casual little cafe in the Sol area, called Las Bravas. We'd walked for a couple of hours and stumbled upon this little gem, full of locals and couldn't resist after seeing that being delivered to another table. Well worth a visit.

Gambas al ajillos, Las Bravas, Madrid

8. Enjoy a La Liga Game

Wanda Metropolitano, Madrid

Views from Wanda Metropolitano

As a pair of football fans, Glen and I were lucky that a local derby took place during our stay and we we managed to source a pair of tickets for around 70 euros for the pair. 

We watched Athletico Madrid versus Getafe CF at the incredible Wanda Metropolitano stadium. We've both been to some of the UK's best football stadiums between us but both agreed the Wanda Metropolitano was something special. The structure, layout, the fact there was no queuing once inside as there was ample bars, food stalls and most importantly staff - making the visit super easy. 

The structure also has huge (intentional) gaps so you are able to look out over stunning scenes of Madrid. We travelled on the Metro with tons of passionate Madrilenos on the way to support their teams and it was fabulous to soak in that atmosphere.

9. Go Dancing

As a rare few days without our two children, Glen and I indulged in plenty of beer, wine, cava and cocktails during our four days in Madrid. On the weekend evenings, I was keen to go dancing and for that we found the Chueca area to be the best bet. Known for being the LGBTQ friendly area of Madrid, Chueca is home to tons of bars and a handful of clubs, pretty much the Soho of Madrid for me. 

We enjoyed a few drinks in different upmarket bars such as D'Mystic and then ended up in a gay club called Black & White which I thoroughly enjoyed. I danced the night away while Glen was propped up the bar. Great stuff.

10. Start the day well

Breakfast at The Cappuccino Grand Cafe, Madrid

With most city breaks we tend to pack in a lot during the day and in Madrid, we did 90% of that on foot. With that in mind, we made sure to have a hearty breakfast each day to set us up for the day and there are some really good breakfast spots in Madrid.

Pan con tomate is a common breakfast item - sometimes with a fried egg on top, and you'll pick that up almost anywhere, as with a tortilla. But there is a fairly new breakfast and weekend brunch scene emerging in Madrid and we found a really great spot. 

The Cappuccino Grand Cafe opposite El Retiro Parque was home to our favourite breakfast of the stay. Despite being January, it was warm enough to sit out on the terrace to have our breakfast and I enjoyed delicious thick and creamy yoghurt topped with soft fruit and Glen had Egg's Royale - with smoked salmon, a rich Hollandaise sauce and a whole avocado - absolutely winning. This was a great people watching spot too.

There are tons more things you could pack into a mini break to Madrid but these were our favourites. Please do share any top tips as we will certainly return.