With the summer holidays in full swing and the sunshine finally making a welcome appearance, it’s time to pack up a picnic and enjoy food and family time outdoors.
My children love going on picnic adventures, it seems nothing is more exciting to a child than being able to eat their lunch outside, like a real wilderness explorer!
But as a parent, picnics can be a potentially tricky affair; how do you provide food that’s fun for your children to eat but not overloaded with sugar, refined carbs and other artificial nasties?
My children and I put our heads together and created the simple picnic food ideas for kids list!
Finger sandwiches
Substitute white bread for wholemeal and finger sandwiches are a great picnic staple. Fill them with healthy ham or chicken salad or mix up some tuna and sweetcorn.
Egg Muffins
Think of them as quiche, but much more fun for little fingers! Egg Muffins are quick and simple to make and you can add in a variety of delicious layers. Best of all pop them in a sealed container and they’ll keep in the fridge for up to three days.
Ingredients (makes approx. 16)
- Olive oil
- 8 thin slices of lean ham, chicken or turkey
- 8 eggs
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 3 tablespoons of Quark
- Leftover cooked vegetables – chopped
- Freshly ground pepper
- Small bunch of chives, chopped
Method
- Dip some kitchen roll into the olive oil, and wipe inside the muffin trays
- Line each muffin tray with the slices of ham, and drop the chopped cooked vegetables into the bottom.
- Beat your eggs with the quark. Add the freshly ground pepper, turmeric and chives.
- Pour the egg mixture into the muffin trays.
- Bake at about 180C for about 15 minutes, until the muffins have risen and the tops are golden.
- Allow to cool for a few minutes before turning out.
Rainbow Salad Jars
There’s nothing more fun than eating your lunch out of a jar, especially when the filling is as refreshing and tasty as these. Start at the bottom with chunks of pepper, tomato and cucumber and then pile in mixed beans, grated carrot, sweetcorn, red onion and olives, finally top with leafy greens like baby spinach, rocket, chopped lettuce and a few basil leaves for extra flavour.
Celery sticks with cream cheese
These colourful little sticks are a perfect combination of crunch and cream. To make, simple wash and chop your celery sticks into xx length pieces. Then use a table knife to smooth a generous dollop of cream cheese into the groove.
Tri-colour veggie sticks
When it comes to picnic snacks, the brighter the better I say. Eating a ‘rainbow’ diet helps to ensure that you’re getting a wide variety of vitamins, minerals and nutrients from your food. I chop carrot, cucumber and red pepper into grabbable sticks and serve with sour cream or hummus. You could also use baby corns or celery.
Fresh fruit pots
Keep it simple by packing little pots of fresh fruit for your children to snack on. Small, bite-sized fruits like grapes, strawberries, blueberries and raspberries are our favourite.
And don’t forget…
- Drinks! Make sure you all get enough to drink, especially if it’s a sunny day!
- Paper plates and cups, disposable cutlery if needed
- Napkins and wet wipes, we always need both
- A bin bag or carrier bag for rubbish
- A foldable blanket
Let’s hope the sun stays around for the rest of the summer!
Like this? For a sweet end to your summer picnic, why not try my healthy, high protein flapjack recipe?