Healthy Picnic Food for the Park or Beach
Summer’s here to stay, and eating al fresco is definitely in the cards. Be it at the beach or at the park, there are some fundamental ingredients to a successful picnic: good weather, best friends, a large blanket — oh, and a delicious selection of food of course!
When considering what foods to put in your basket, it can get quite tricky to find the right balance between health, prep, ease, and taste. That’s why we’ve come up with a list of healthy picnic food that is quick to make, easy to transport and will be surefire crowd-pleasers.
We’ve got you all set for mains, snacks, dessert and even drinks. You’ll find everything from classic sandwiches to wraps, and muffins through to dips and smoothies.
Healthy picnic recipes from the 8fit app
Mains
Avocado, cucumber and chicken sandwich
Healthy eating just became so much more fun with this stacked avocado and chicken sandwich. Filled with cucumber and avocado, this sandwich has it all — the perfect contrast of texture and balance of ingredients. Plus, it’s quick, mess-free to make and super convenient to pack for any destination.
Cashew and vegetable wrap
Wraps and roll-ups are a picnic’s best friend! Shareable, easy to store, and you can fill them with just about anything. These juicy wraps are enveloped in homemade cashew and chickpea spread, while you get a pop freshness with the carrots, cucumber, and tomato.
Mini sweet potato and spinach frittata
Well how about that, our favorite food portioned into perfect little muffins. Getting creative with your eggs means you won’t get bored quickly, and having individual frittatas are an egg-cellent addition to a picnic spread. These ones are chock-full of sweet potato, spinach, and cheddar cheese.
Thai peanut quinoa salad
As you can imagine, salad jars are among the best healthy picnic foods to equip yourself with, as they’re especially practical and impressive-looking! This one is the result of our collaboration with plant-based blogger, The Colorful Kitchen. It’s got crunchy veggies like cabbage, carrot and bell peppers as well as protein from the quinoa and peanuts. Topped with a good drizzle of classic Thai dressing, transporting you to the beaches of Koh Lanta with each bite.
Snacks
Chicken, cheese, and grape snack
Use last night’s leftover chicken to create these dainty snacks. Grab the chicken, cheese, and grapes, then use a toothpick to skewer them all together. Not only do they look really pretty but will deliver mouthfuls of varied textures.
Avocado feta dip with carrot and celery
Simple, homemade dips are a fun addition to a healthy picnic menu. Our dips are a great alternative to sour cream or mayo-based dips and spreads. Try this easy one made with avocado, feta and spring onion. Trust us, everyone will be asking you for the recipe afterward — they’ll also eat more veggies too!
Paleo salmon sushi
Cucumber skins stuffed with a rich, garlicky salmon and avocado filling. How delicious does that sound? The cucumber vessel holds its shape and makes it easy to pass around to friends and family. Besides, the leftover cucumber can be chopped or blended into a refreshing drink.
Avocado, tomato, and cheese skewers
These skewers will give your guests the impression that you really went to great lengths to put them together — but they’re quick, easy and done in 1-2-3 steps – ’cause that’s how we roll! See it as an enticing salad-on-a-stick that’ll be gobbled up by even the least health-conscious person at your picnic.
Desserts
Mango coconut chia yogurt
Dessert jars are perfect for containing creamy and liquid-rich sweet treats, so there’s no fear of leakage. We’re head-over-heels in love with this mango-coconut yogurt, it includes chia seeds and almonds. All you need to do is roughly chop the mango and layer it with the other ingredients, no baking required.
Apple almond energy balls
Energy balls are quick and fuss-free to make as there’s no cooking involved. Make a big batch of these apple, oat and almond butter ones. Then pack them into a tupperware container with sheets of baking paper between layers to make sure they don’t stick.
Drinks
Mango strawberry smoothie
Whether you’re at the beach or the park, get a good dose of tropical vibes a with this mango, coconut, banana and strawberry smoothie. Use our in-house yoga teacher Emily’s handy travel tip of freezing the smoothie beforehand. Grab it just before you leave, and it’ll be defrosted just in time for you to enjoy it in the sunshine.
Herb, berry and lemon iced tea
Flavored water or iced tea is the ideal top-off to your healthy picnic menu. It’s so quick to make, looks colorful and there couldn’t be a healthier option. The subtle flavor will keep your taste buds refreshed and the rest of your body hydrated in the summer sun. Try this twist on an iced tea – where frozen berries serve as ice cubes!
Give these healthy picnic foods a go
From savory to sweet and satisfying to light, we’ve shared all our healthful picnic secrets with you. Now it’s up to you to turn our tips into the most fun and flavorful outing this summer!
