26 Best Picnic Food Ideas for Kids

Picnics allow the entire family to enjoy their moments together outside the house and create a stronger bond than before. Along with planning games and other activities, picking the right food items for everyone can pretty much make or break the entire picnic. Plus, with kids being picky about anything and everything, you need to be smart with the picnic menu while keeping the cooking process minimal.

If you’re looking for picnic food ideas for kids, there are plenty of options to explore. From quick oven bakes to no-cook toddler food menus, there are several Pinterest inspirations for children’s picnic food that are sure to delight your family. Hope you like them!

Picnic Foods for Children With Recipes

Here we have a pretty great list of kid friendly picnic food:

1. Corn Cutlets

Grind corn into a paste without using any water during the process. Move this to a large bowl and mix well with ginger, coriander, fennel, chillies, mango powder and salt. Add rice flour and mix until it reaches a dough-like consistency. Shape and fry.

2. Kababs

In a blender, add minced meat, garlic, ginger, jeera, garam masala, chilli powder, salt, and coriander. Grind everything together. Refrigerate or freeze for 15 minutes until firm. Form your kababs and shallow fry.

3. Cheese and Strawberry Cream Sandwich

Mix cream cheese with some honey and then spread this mix over two slices of bread. Add sliced strawberries on one slice and cover with the other. Your sandwich is ready!

4. Chocolate Chip Cookies

Blend cooked chickpeas with vanilla and coconut oil and then slowly add in oats flour, coconut sugar, salt, apple cider vinegar and baking soda. Once the batter is formed, fold in the chocolate chips and bake for 20 minutes at 176 degree C.

5. Cheesy Chickpea Dip

Add cottage cheese, grated cheese and chickpeas to a food processor and blend well. Add a little milk if it is too thick and then season and add chives to finish. Eat these with chips or carrots and cucumber sticks.

6. Egg Bhurji

Sauté onions, tomatoes and any other vegetable you like in butter, then add the eggs and season well till cooked. You can eat this with bread or roti. 

7. Carrot Snack Sticks

Mix parmesan cheese with flour, salt and baking powder very well and then with your hands, mix in some shredded carrots. Add a bit of oil to the dough and knead it very well so you can roll it out, shape it and bake it for 15 minutes at 204 D Celsius.

8. Sweet Potato Fingers

Peel and slice sweet potatoes evenly and then coat them in ghee. Season and mix well so that the flavour spreads evenly among the fingers. Bake it at 218 degrees C for 15 minutes, and they are ready. You can also fry them. 

9. Sausage Pasta

Fry chopped sausages until cooked, and then add some onions and garlic in for a sauté. Add some tomatoes, basil and chicken stock and allow the broth to cook for five minutes before adding spinach. Leave it to simmer until cooked. Add this to boiled pasta and you are done.

10. Egg Sandwiches

Mix mashed boiled eggs with mayonnaise, a dash of mustard, chopped onions, garlic and coriander until you have a smooth, spreadable texture. Spread on bread and toast, and enjoy!

11. Veggie Rolls

Boil potatoes, French beans, carrots, peas and capsicum together and then mash them with coriander leaves, a pinch of chilli powder and salt. Take a bread slice and cut the edges. Roll it flat with a rolling pin, and add in some of the filling in the centre. Roll the bread tight, and put a small bit of corn flour and water mixture on the edge to seal the roll tight. In a pan, take some oil or butter and put in the roll to cook. It will be ready when the bread turns slightly brown.

12. Chicken Coconut Noodle Salad

Simmer chicken with lemon grass, ginger and coconut milk. Add salt after a few minutes and then simmer until the chicken is cooked. Let it get cold, and then shred the chicken into some cooked noodles. Stir peanut butter into the chicken broth and then add it as dressing for the salad.

13. Milkshakes

Make healthy milkshakes by whizzing frozen bananas, milk, strawberries, and a dash of vanilla extract together and bottle up this delicious beverage for the car ride over or place in a cooling box until ready to consume. This is healthier than fruit juices that come in a box.

14. Macaroni Salad

Mix chopped onions, eggs, green, red and yellow bell peppers and olives in a bowl. In another bowl, mix together a tablespoon of mayonnaise, a little bit of mustard and salt to make the dressing. Pour it into the egg and vegetable mix. Stir in the macaroni, and it’s done.

15. Fruit Salad

Throw together your favourite fruits and enjoy the juicy and cooling dessert. You can add some fresh yoghurt to enhance the taste of the fruit salad.

16. Nutella and Strawberry Bites

Spread Nutella on a neutral-tasting biscuit (such as graham crackers) and top them off with sliced strawberries. 

17. Banana Cake

Banana cake is a healthier way of making sure your kid eats their tasty food. Plus, this cake does not have an extensive recipe – it’s very simple and quick to prepare.

18. Mini Crustless Quiche

Loaded with veggies and flavour, these mini egg muffins are a creative change from vegetable sandwiches. You can use minced veggies of different colours and eggs to prepare a beautiful version of the quiche for your little ones. 

19. Fruit Skewers

Instead of taking whole fruits, knives, and vessels to the picnic, prepare fruit skewers firsthand and pack them for on-the-go. All you have to do is take fruit-lined skewers and enjoy. 

20. Homemade Flatbreads

Flatbreads are a simple and wholesome snack option for a picnic. Serve soft homemade pita bread or flatbread with vinegar-dipped salad, dips, and hummus and your little ones’ tummies are stuffed.

21. Coleslaw

Quick and easy to prepare, coleslaw is a preferred food option for a picnic. You can either buy it from a shop or make it at home and serve it with cold meats.

22. Cherry Pie

What’s more decadent than a seasonal cold cherry pie served on a summer picnic? Drooling, already? Then, make this kid-friendly picnic food and surprise everyone!

23. Mini Pizza Muffins

Mix flour, baking powder, milk, and a little oil to make a soft batter. Fold in chopped bell peppers, sweet corn, grated cheese, and a little pizza seasoning. Spoon the mixture into greased muffin cups and bake at 180°C for 15–20 minutes until golden. Let them cool before packing for your picnic.

24. Chicken Wraps

Cook boneless chicken pieces with a little oil, salt, pepper, and your favourite spices. Spread mayonnaise or hung curd over soft tortillas, then add the cooked chicken, shredded lettuce, and grated carrots. Roll the tortillas tightly, cut them in half, and wrap them in foil or parchment paper for easy packing.

25. Apple Cinnamon Muffins

Mash two ripe bananas and mix them with one egg, a little oil, flour, baking powder, finely chopped apples, and a pinch of cinnamon. Spoon the batter into muffin cups and bake at 180°C for 18-22 minutes until cooked through. Allow the muffins to cool completely before packing them for a sweet picnic treat.

26. Homemade Chicken Nuggets

Cut boneless chicken breast into bite-sized pieces. Dip each piece in beaten egg, then coat it with breadcrumbs seasoned with a little salt, pepper, and paprika. Arrange the pieces on a lightly greased baking tray and bake at 200°C for 18-20 minutes, turning halfway through, until golden and fully cooked. Serve with ketchup or a mild dipping sauce.

What Makes Picnic Food Perfect?

The best picnic food is easy to prepare, simple to pack, and enjoyable for kids and adults alike. Here are a few things to consider when choosing food for your next family picnic:

• Easy to Pack: Choose foods that fit neatly into lunch boxes or containers and are easy to carry without spilling.
• Mess-Free to Eat: Opt for finger foods, sandwiches, wraps, and bite-sized snacks that kids can enjoy without making a mess.
• Quick to Prepare: Pick recipes that require minimal cooking and allow you to spend more time enjoying the picnic.
• Nutritious and Delicious: Include a balance of fruits, vegetables, proteins, and kid-friendly treats to keep everyone energised and satisfied.
• Fresh and Safe: Choose foods that travel well and use an insulated cooler with ice packs for perishable items to keep them at a safe temperature.

How to Pack Picnic Food for Your Child?

Along with preparing the right picnic food for kids, it needs to stay in its best condition until you reach your location, too. Here are the dos and don’ts of packing food.

Dos

• Prepare your food ahead of time in a quantity that fits your containers.
• Pack sandwiches and rolls in separate coloured papers to keep vegetarian and non-vegetarian options clear.

Don’ts

• Avoid packing lightweight items with heavy ones since they will be smashed together.
• Keep foods in small portions so that they can be consumed easily.

FAQs

1. What are some nut-free snack ideas for kids with allergies?

Fruit kabobs, butter popcorn, cheese and crackers, yoghurt with granola, and sunflower seed butter sandwiches are some fantastic picnic lunch ideas for kids with allergies.

2. Can I prepare picnic snacks in advance?

Absolutely! Preparing picnic snacks is easy and time-efficient. You can cut fruits and vegetables a day before the picnic, make sandwiches and wrap them tightly and neatly, or prepare granola bars or trail mix before your picnic. All you’ll have to do is pack them and take it for the way.

3. How can I keep picnic foods fresh?

Prefer insulated lunch bags or ice coolers with ice packs to keep picnic foods for kids fresh and long-lasting. You can pack cut or whole fruits and vegetables in airtight containers or freeze juice boxes or yoghurt pouches in place of ice bags to keep other food items cool as well as juices.

4. What healthy drinks can I give to my child on a picnic?

Plain drinking water in water bottles, freshly homemade low-sugar lemonade, flavoured water with fresh fruit slices or cucumber slices, or 100% fruit juices are some healthy and tasty drink ideas for a picnic.

Packing together a great spread can be easy with picnic finger food ideas for kids. This can keep them fed and happy throughout, allowing them to play around with absolute ease and comfort.

Also Read: 

Amazing Kids Lunch Box Ideas
Healthy Rice Recipes for Children
Indian Breakfast Recipes for Kids
Healthy Soup Recipes for Children
Simple Recipes That Kids Can Make

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