If you’ve been searching for picnic food ideas for couples for a romantic summer picnic, you’ll find delicious recipes here. These picnic date food ideas even include easy picnic desserts.
Picnic. Just the word is enough to conjure up memories of warm summer days, checked tablecloths, sun-warmed skin and delicious food.
Let’s face it, the word itself sounds like fun – kind of like a cheerleader at a football game, with excitement, enthusiasm and wholesome goodness all rolled into one.
Going on a picnic, however, is not as simple as throwing a couple of rapidly-hardening sandwiches in beeswax wrap, topping up the thermos with coffee, and considering it done.
No, planning your menu requires some thought, especially if your goal is a romantic picnic for two – which of course is why we’re here!
Here’s how to make your picnic date a success.
Planning your romantic picnic menu for two
Picnic date food is not like regular food. To have a successful picnic experience, the food needs to meet the following criteria:
- be easy to eat (think bite sized muffins, quiches, sandwiches or hand pies)
- be travel friendly (not requiring too many steps to put together when you get there and traveling well without collapsing)
- be able to be made ahead of time (even the day before if possible, to reduce stress on your actual picnic date)
- be delicious
These picnic food suggestions below have been carefully selected to meet at least two, if not all, of the above criteria.
Of course being delicious is a non-negotiable.
Picnic date food
A romantic picnic requires food that's perfect for two. These picnic food ideas for couples are just the thing.
Here's a range of bite sized snacks, tasty pies, paninis, and salads.
This baked chicken still has a crispy delicious coating and is just the thing to take on a picnic with the KFC coleslaw copycat recipe also featured here.
Mmmm. chicken and mozzerella... such a tasty combination even when cold.
These cucumber pinwheels made with lavash bread make a quick and easy addition to your picnic menu.
This salad has delicious Italian flavors with olives, mozzarella, pepperoni and more. It's a super tasty addition to your picnic date menu.
I am a KFC coleslaw addict! I could literally eat it all day every day. This is a tasty copycat recipe perfect for your romantic picnic.
This is a deliciously creamy, hearty, tasty potato salad - your husband won't be able to stop eating this one.
This chickpea salad is the king of make-ahead salads - I'm talking up to a week ahead.
I love pearl couscous, and the addition of sweetened cranberries, zucchini, tomato, parsley and pine nuts, tossed with a lemony turmeric dressing, make this salad a sophisticated picnic date food.
No picnic is complete without sandwiches, but these are THE best picnic sandwiches out there.
Make sure you make it exactly as it states so the flavors have time to develop.
These ham, carrot and cheese muffins make the perfect bite-sized picnic snacks.
And here's a tip: make them ahead of time and freeze them.
Then simply pack them into your picnic basket still frozen, so they help keep everything cool.
This combination of strawberry and spinach comes together to make a salad that's perfect for two.
Keep the dressing and cheese in separate containers until just before serving.
These picnic quiches are light and tasty and ridiculously easy to make. Sadly, they will never made my romantic picnic menu thanks to my husband's irrational hatred of eggs, but don't let that stop you.
This gluten free sweet potato slice is made even tastier with the addition of fresh rosemary.
This is another make-ahead picnic food you can enjoy cold.
These delicious taco hand pies are like a beef and bean cheesy burrito in pie crust... yummy!
If you love spicy goodness, you'll love these Mexican pinwheels. Needing two hours in the refrigerator minimum, make life easy on yourself and prepare them up to 24 hours in advance.
Easy picnic desserts
Of course, once you’ve finished all the savory treats, that doesn’t mean your picnic is over. There’s a range of delicious picnic desserts you can add to your picnic basket that are simple and easy to make.
These easy picnic desserts will finish off your picnic feast with some sweet, tasty, goodness.
These super cute cherry pies look like little hearts which make them the perfect romantic picnic food.
They are also simple to make, with only four ingredients.
This easy picnic dessert is vegan and gluten free.
This chocolate bark is crafted with dark chocolate and raspberries.
Is a romantic picnic complete without chocolate?
These ridiculously easy dark chocolate hearts are perfect for rounding off your picnic feast.
This super easy apple tart looks a lot harder to make than it actually is.
It's perfect if you need something simple that is quick to make.
Does anything say wholesome and tasty as much as homemade apple pies?
These old fashioned cookies are so quick to make, you'll be able to whip up a batch before you go off for your picnic feast and eat them still warm from the oven.
These cookies are soft and chewy. Try to resist eating them fresh out of the oven - you need them for your romantic picnic!
Made with fresh raspberries and white chocolate chips, these are a delicious addition to a romantic picnic.
If you’ve been searching for picnic food ideas for couples for a romantic summer picnic, you’ll find delicious recipes here.
This collection of picnic date food, which includes easy picnic desserts, has something for everyone.
Other delicious summer food you might like includes:
- mouthwatering summer appetizers
- scrumptious summer salads
- summer grilling recipes
- best cookout side dishes
Is a picnic on your summer bucket list? Check out other summer bucket list ideas.
Happy picnicking!