Plan a delicious menu of picnic food for even the pickiest eaters
When the weather is nice and the sun isn’t too hot, take the opportunity to take the whole family outside for a picnic. Pick out a clean and safe place in the park to lay out a huge blanket that will fit everyone.
Picnics are truly exciting for kids and just the thought of eating outside is enough to make them giddy. Take the time to pack only nutritious and easy-to-enjoy food that even picky kids would love. When it comes to picnic food, stick to a menu that won’t easily get spoiled under the heat of the sun and is a breeze to pack. Don’t forget to use spill-proof containers to avoid mess and spills. Bring extra bags to store your garbage when you leave the park!
If you don’t have an idea as to what to prepare, here are some hassle-free recipes that you can follow to make picnic food for picky kids:
Potato on Sticks
Servings: 8
Ingredients: 16 potato wedges, 4 cherry tomatoes, and 40 grams of cheese (gruyere or any kind), cut into slices.
Directions:
Cook potato wedges in the oven until crisp. Grab skewers and insert the wedges with slices of cheese in between. Place the skewered potatoes back in the oven to melt the cheese. Remove from the oven and top with one cherry tomato (or half) before packing.
Surprise Picnic Rolls
Servings: 8
Ingredients: 4 large crusty rolls, 1 ounce melted butter, 4 ounce ham (thinly sliced), 4 ounce cucumber (thinly sliced), 2 ripe but firm tomatoes, and 3 ounce Red Leicester cheese (thinly sliced.
Note: Replace the tomatoes and cucumber with other vegetables that your kids like.
Directions:
Use a bread knife and gently slice the top off each crusty roll to make a lid. Pull out most of the bread inside the roll to make room for the filling. Brush the inside of the bread as well as the lid with butter. Start layering the cheese, cucumber, ham and tomatoes inside the rolls. Press each filling gently as you go. Cover the bread roll with its lid and wrap securely with foil. Chill for about 20 minutes in the refrigerator before unwrapping and slicing in half. Rewrap, store, and consume within 2-4 hours.
Juicy melon swizzlers with caramel sauce
Serves: 4 to 5
Ingredients: ½ honey dew, ½ melon, and ¼ seedless watermelon (fruits can be replaced with mangoes or strawberries)
Sauce: ¼ cup dulce de leche and 4 teaspoons heavy cream
Directions: Make the sauce by mixing the dulce de leche and cream.
Using a medium-sized scooper, make about 18-20 balls from each melon fruit. Alternate the melon balls and thread five of them on a plastic straw. Repeat until all balls are threaded. Serve with the caramel sauce. Store the sauce in a spill-proof container.
Classic fried chicken
Serves: 8
Ingredients: 2 pounds chicken legs, 1 cup crushed corn flakes, 2 eggs, ¼ cup milk, 2/3 cup flour, 1 ½ cups oil, 1 tablespoon salt, and ¼ tablespoon cayenne pepper (optional)
Directions:
Heat oil to about 350 degrees Fahrenheit over medium to high heat. In a dish, mix flour, seasonings and corn flakes together. In another bowl, whisk eggs and milk together. Individually dip each chicken leg to the egg mixture before fully coating it with the corn flake mixture. Carefully fry the chicken until golden brown and cooked thoroughly.
We hope you find these ideas for picnic food easy enough to prepare. Have a great picnic with the kids!
For more related articles on your kid’s diet and activities, see:
Picky Eaters
5 low calorie yet delicious snacks
Healthy snacks your kids will love!