With great weather up ahead, you and your family should head out and get some sunshine. There are so many outdoor activities to consider for a fun time with the people you care about – and among them is a picnic.
Practically every community offers nice picnic spots. If you don’t feel like making the drive, you can even have it in your own backyard.
Not too excited about the preparation? You don’t have to slave away in the kitchen for your picnic food. Just put some ice-cold sparkling natural mineral water in the cooler and wrap up some no-cook treats, and you’re ready to go.
You will find that there are so many no-cook picnic foods that are so easy to make, do not spoil easily, and most importantly, quite yummy. Here are some of them.
1. Pasta salad
Yes, you have to cook the pasta but it’s no big production at all. You can even use leftover pasta if you already have it.
This salad is a complete meal. You can add anything you want from olives to tomatoes, cheese, arugula, canned meat, and many others.
As for the dressing, you can just bring small bottles of them and add to your salad as you like. Avoid mayonnaise, however, because it tends to spoil easily.
2. Cheesecake in a jar
This only requires seven ingredients and you can prepare this easily as it requires no baking.
You will just need:
- Graham crackers
- Melted butter
- Heavy whipping cream
- Cream cheese
- Sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Fruit pie filling or any topping of choice
Refrigerate your cheesecake in a jar before leaving for your picnic and it will still be delightfully cool when you eat it at your picnic spread.
3. Marinated cheese cubes
Add a touch of sophistication to your picnic by cutting up into cubes whatever sharp cheese you have at home and dunking them in olive oil infused with spices and herbs. You can eat these on their own, add them to your salad, or place on a cracker or slice of bread.
Marinated cheese cubes taste even better when prepared three days or so before your picnic but they’re still tasty even if you prepare them the day of the picnic.
4. Sandwiches
You can’t go wrong with sandwiches for a picnic. You can have them set and ready to pack in no time.
No-meat, no-cook fillings can be: veggies and pesto, hummus, peanut butter and banana, cheese and apple, your favorite salad or even just the plumpest beefsteak tomato set between two slices of hearty bread.
Remember that your choice of bread can make or break a sandwich! So make sure to go to a bakery carrying products from premium bread suppliers so you can choose the best bread for your picnic sandwiches.
5. Whole-grain crisps or crackers
These great finger snacks are perfect on their own. They can also be paired with your favorite dips and served with raw vegetable and fruit sticks.
For picnics with kids, crisps make a nice little “side” for sandwiches and other healthy, on-the-go snack ideas for your little ones such as bagel and goat cheese, fruits and yoghurt and soups in a cup.
6. Salsa
If you want to make your picnic spread healthier and more colorful, salsa is a definite must-have. It’s just a few fresh ingredients that you can put in a food processor.
You can place it in a small Mason jar and serve it along with your potato or corn chips. You can also use salsa to bring more flavor and kick to your sandwiches. There are so many recipes for salsa and you don’t have to cook any of them.
7. Fruit skewers
This is another colorful addition to any picnic spread. Slice up seasonal fruit, rub lemon juice on them to prevent oxidation, and then stick them through bamboo skewers.
These refreshing desserts are quick to prepare and they won’t spoil easily. If you want to make them even sweeter, bring along a bottle of chocolate or caramel syrup.
These no-cook treats make picnics so much easier to prepare for. And if you’re really not keen on spending a lot of time in the kitchen, you can purchase most of them from food distributors online and just have them delivered to your home.
So, enjoy a great weather day – have fun in the sun with your friends and family. Set up a picnic with great ease with the no-cook food options shared here.
AUTHOR BIO
Jad Asaad is the Marketing Manager at Horeca Trade LLC with more than eight years of experience in digital, online and offline marketing. He started his career in Beirut working in a creative agency and then moved to Dubai to further expand his career. He created and implemented award-winning high-impact digital and offline marketing campaigns that consistently generated revenue streams and improved performance in targeted segments.