For a romantic and memorable picnic, apart from choosing a delightful location, the selection of food needs to take top priority as well. Tastessence has put together a few suggestions on what you can pack for a romantic picnic with your beloved.
Quick Tip
While packing meats and mayonnaise-based dishes, make sure you store it on ice till you serve the meal. This small, yet vital, precaution helps avoid bacterial contamination in your food.
A romantic picnic is more than just finding the perfect spot; it’s about spending memorable time with your beloved, relishing on scrumptious food prepare by you.
But before you head out and have the time of your life, there are a few items you need to remember to pack. We have put together a picnic packing list for you so that even if an impromptu plan occurs, you know exactly what items to grab.
Once you have all the essentials ready, you can move on to planning a romantic menu for the two of you. Remember, the following food ideas are simply suggestions to help you plan the menu accordingly. Of course, you can always decide to put an entirely different menu, depending on both your likes and dislikes.
Refreshing Beverages
Pick drinks that complement the menu. Of course, rosé wine is always a favorite, but you don’t necessarily have to take it. Pick beverages that you two will enjoy together. Apart from bottled water (which is a must), you can pack fruit juices, craft sodas, and beer. On the other hand, to make the occasion extra special, try making these drinks to take along on your romantic picnic.
Non-alcoholic June Bug
Prep Time – 2 mins.
Cook Time – 3 mins.
Serving Size – 4
Ingredients:
- Ginger ale, 3 cups
- Orange sherbet, 3 scoops
- Grenadine, 4 tbsp.
- Orange juice, 4 tbsp.
Directions:
Combine ginger ale, grenadine, and orange juice together in a jar. To serve, pour 1½ scoops of orange sherbet in each glass. Pour the pre-mixed liquid on top, stir the drink, and enjoy. If you wish to prepare the drink with alcohol, add white rum.
Orange, Blueberry, and Strawberry Lemonades
Prep Time – 10 mins. each
Cook Time – 1.5 hrs. each
Serving Size – 4 each
Ingredients for Orange Lemonade:
- Cold water, 2 cups
- Orange juice, 1⅛ cups
- Sugar, ½ cup
- Lemon juice, ⅛ cup
- Lemon peel, grated, ½ tbsp.
- Orange peel, grated, 1⅛ tsp.
Directions:
In a saucepan, cook sugar and water on a medium heat. Keep stirring till the sugar dissolves completely. Remove the saucepan off the stove and let it cool down. Add the juices and peels into the syrup mixture, place a cover, and let it steep for about an hour. Next, strain the flavored syrup in 2 mason jars and store them in a cooler with ice.
Ingredients for Blueberry Lemonade:
- Cold water, ⅔ cup
- Vodka, 1½ oz.
- Agave nectar, ½ tsp.
- Blueberries, 15
- Lemon juice, 2
- Lavender sprigs, fresh, 3
Directions:
In a pot, muddle the lavender sprigs along with the blueberries. Add the lemon juice in along with agave nectar and vodka. Finally, add water and mix everything properly. Let the mixture steep for about an hour. Strain the lemonade into 2 mason jars and store them in the cooler.
Ingredients for Strawberry Lemonade:
- Water, 1 cup
- Strawberries, halved, 1 cup
- Lemon juice, 1 cup
- Sugar, ⅓ cup
- Orange juice, ¼ cup
- Sparkling water, 8 oz.
Directions:
In a saucepan, boil sugar and ½ cup water together. Stir occasionally until the sugar dissolves; set the saucepan aside. In a blender, combine ½ cup water with the strawberries. Blend for a few seconds and strain the mixture into 2 mason jars. Add the sugar syrup along with orange and lemon juices. Before serving, add sparkling water to it.
Delectable Food
In order to keep food fresh and prevent things from spilling, use either plastic storage containers or individual paper bags. Also, if you are planning on taking a French baguette along, do not put it in a sealed plastic container or wrap it with cling film. You can use parchment paper or butchers paper instead.
Appetizers
Rustic Gazpacho
Prep Time – 5 mins.
Cook Time – 10 mins.
Serving Size – 2
Ingredients:
- Water, ½ cup
- Extra virgin olive oil, 2 tbsp.
- Sherry vinegar, 2 tbsp.
- Red and yellow chilies, diced, 2 tsp.
- Tomatoes, cut in chunks, 3
- Garlic cloves, smashed, 1
- Green bell pepper, cut in chunks, ½
- Cucumber, diced, ½
- Celery, diced, ½
- Salt, for taste
- Hot sauce, for serving
Directions:
In a blender, combine tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, garlic, water, oil, and vinegar together. Blend everything together till it is coarse purée. Season with salt, and place it in the refrigerator or a cooler. To serve, garnish with diced celery and chilies.
Ranch Spinach Dip
Prep Time – 5 mins.
Cook Time – 30 mins.
Serving Size – 2
Ingredients:
- Sour cream, 16 oz.
- Frozen spinach, thawed and chopped, 10 oz.
- Water chestnuts, 8 oz.
- Ranch dressing, 1 oz.
- Herb crackers, for serving
Directions:
In a bowl, combine all the ingredients together, except for crackers. Place the bowl in the refrigerator or in a cooler for 30 minutes. Serve it with herb crackers.
Salads
Potato and Bacon Salad
Prep Time – 5 mins.
Cook Time – 45 mins.
Serving Size – 2
Ingredients:
- Potatoes, small, ½ lb.
- Mayonnaise, ¼ cup
- Dijon mustard, 1½ tsp.
- Parsley, chopped, 1½ tsp.
- Eggs, 2
- Bacon slices, 2
- Celery stalk, diced, ¾
- Salt and black pepper, for taste
Directions:
Cover the potatoes in a pot with water, and cook them for about 20 minutes. In another pot, place eggs in cold water, bring to a boil, and remove the pot off the stove. Cover the pot and let the eggs stand in hot water for about 10―12 minutes. Check if the potatoes are tender; drain the water and set the potatoes aside to cool. Next, remove the eggs from hot water and place them in a bowl of cold water. Peel the eggs and place them in a bowl to mash with a fork. Add mustard, mayonnaise, celery, salt, and black pepper. Toss it properly and place it aside.
Now we will cook the bacon slice. You can either cook it in the microwave, place it on a skillet to make it crisp, or bake it in the oven. Once the bacon slice is cooked, crumble it with the egg-mayonnaise mixture. Peel the potatoes, and cut them into small cubes. Add them to the egg-mayonnaise mixture, and sprinkle chopped parsley on top. Place the salad in 2 plastic containers and store them in the cooler.
Tabbouleh Salad
Prep Time – 10 mins.
Cook Time – 50 mins.
Serving Size – 2
Ingredients:
- Bulgur wheat, 2 oz.
- Couscous, 2 oz.
- Olive oil, 3 tbsp.
- Parsley, chopped, 1 tbsp.
- Mint, finely chopped, 1 tsp.
- Lemon juice, 1
- Tomatoes, chopped, 1
- Cucumber, chopped, 1
- Garlic clove, crushed, 1
- Salt and black pepper, for taste
- Feta cheese, crushed, for serving
Directions:
Boil some water in a pot. Meanwhile, rinse bulgur wheat with cold water a few times or until the water runs clear. Drain the water out and transfer it to a bowl. Pour some hot water in the bowl along with 1 tbsp. olive oil. Cover the bowl with a plate, and let it soak for 30 minutes. In another bowl, place couscous in and pour hot water over it along with 1 tbsp. olive oil. Cover the bowl with a plate, and let it soak for about 50 minutes. Once bulgur wheat and couscous is ready, place them in a bowl and use a fork to fluff up the grains; add tomatoes and cucumber to it. In a small bowl, whisk lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, salt, and black pepper together. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss properly. Transfer the salad into 2 bowls and garnish with parsley and mint.
Sandwiches
Chicken Panini on Ciabatta
Prep Time – 10 mins.
Cook Time – 20 mins.
Serving Size – 4
Ingredients:
- Ciabatta bread, 1, 16 oz.
- Grilled chicken, strips, 12 oz.
- Pesto sauce, ½ cup
- Provolone cheese, slices, 4
- Lettuce leaves, 4
- Tomato slices, 4
Directions:
You can either get a big loaf of ciabatta bread, cut it horizontally, and then prepare individual serving pieces, or buy 4 individual-sized bread portions. Place the bread on your workstation, and spread the pesto sauce on the bottom half. Layer lettuce leaf, provolone cheese, tomato slice, and chicken strips over the bottom of the bread; do the same to prepare the sandwiches. You can either grill the panini for 5 minutes on each side, or take it as is.
Tomato-mozzarella Sandwich
Prep Time – 5 mins.
Cook Time – 10 mins.
Serving Size – 2
Ingredients:
- Italian loaf bread, ½ lb.
- Mozzarella cheese, slices, 2 oz.
- Balsamic vinegar, ¼ cup
- Red pepper flakes, ⅛ tsp.
- Basil leaves, chopped, 3
- Tomatoes, sliced, 1
Directions:
Slice the loaf lengthwise, and layer it with basil, tomato slices, and mozzarella cheese. Cut the bread into 2 sandwiches and wrap them with butchers paper. To prepare a dipping sauce, whisk red pepper flakes with balsamic vinegar and store it in a plastic container.
Sensuous Desserts
Chocolate-covered strawberries, lemon bars, brownies, cookies, macarons, and cupcakes―all these yummy and sinful desserts are perfect to carry to a picnic. Of course, the choices are many, and you have to finalize the menu that is fun, easy-to-eat, and fantastic. So, how about we change things up a bit, and give you a couple of ideas that are slightly out of the box.
Melon Balls with Honey
Prep Time – 5 mins.
Cook Time – 2 hrs, 10 mins.
Serving Size – 6 cups
Ingredients:
- Pineapple juice, 1 cup
- Raspberry vodka, 1 cup
- Triple sec, ½ cup
- Honey, 6 tbsp.
- Watermelon, seedless, 1 small
- Cantaloupe, 1 small
- Honeydew, 1 small
Directions:
Slice all the fruit in half, remove the seeds, and set them aside. With a melon baller, scoop out the melons, and place them in large bowl. Once the melon balls are ready, pour pineapple juice, raspberry vodka, and triple sec in. Toss everything together, place a lid, and let the melon balls soak up the liquids; place the bowl inside the refrigerator or inside the cooler. To serve, pour honey on top of the melon balls and enjoy.
Fig, Nut, and Seed Bread with Ricotta and Orange Slices
Prep Time – 15 mins.
Cook Time – 1 hr, 15 mins.
Serving Size – 16 slices
Ingredients:
- Black tea, strong and hot, 13½ oz.
- Self-raising wholemeal flour, 7 oz.
- Sultanas, 5 oz.
- Mixed nuts, 3½ oz.
- Porridge oats, 2 oz.
- Ricotta, 2 oz.
- Pumpkin seeds, 1 oz.
- Sesame seed, 1½ tbsp.
- Golden linseed, 1 tbsp.
- Baking powder, 1 tsp.
- Egg, large, 1
- Orange, peeled and thickly sliced, 1
Directions:
Preheat the oven at 320°F. In a large bowl, combine freshly-made black tea, figs, sultanas, and oats together; set it aside. Take a 1 kg loaf tin and line it with parchment paper. In a bowl, mix flour, baking soda, nuts, and seeds together. In a small bowl, beat the egg properly and add it to the black tea-fruits mixture. Now, combine the dry ingredients with the wet as you whisk everything together. Once the batter is ready, pour it into the loaf tin and drizzle extra nuts and sesame seeds on top. Place the tin in the oven and bake for about an hour. After the hour is up, place an aluminum foil on top and bake for another 15 minutes. Once the loaf is ready, bring it out of the oven and let it cool down so that you can remove it from the tin. To serve, cut the loaf into thick slices, spread ricotta all over it, and place an orange slice on top.
If you plan on taking raw meats, poultry, or seafood and are using an outdoor grill, pack it neatly and place it at the bottom of the cooler. Also, regardless of location, make sure you don’t leave any trash behind after enjoying a lovely picnic.