26 Recipes for Your Next Picnic or Potluck




Picnic.
Barbecue.
Cookout.
Grill out.
Hamburger fry.
Potluck at the park.

What do you call an outdoor gathering with food? I usually go with barbecue, although since I live in the (FINE. one of the?) BBQ capital, that can be a tad confusing.

Anyway.

Three of my friends and I have been trying to coordinate our husbands, children and schedules to get together for the first time in a long time. We’ve been trying to coordinate ourselves for weeks – and still, we don’t have a solid plan yet.

Full disclosure: this is mostly my fault. We had a plan for this weekend, and then my schedule got changed and got in the way. *SIGH* But before I messed it all up, we were debating between Mexican and burgers for the menu. And I was so excited for burgers. Because I was going to make a new salad for my friends!

[My friends love it when I try new recipes on them. Or maybe they don’t. But they act like they do. They’re good friends like that.]

Anyway. Again.

While I might not be making a new salad or attending a barbecue/cookout/picnic this weekend, YOU might be. And if you aren’t this weekend, then you definitely might be the week after – Labor Day weekend. So now’s the time to gather up some of those recipes to try, right?

I went through my favorite recipes – and my Pinterest boards, and then I asked a few friends for their favorite recipes for a picnic. So now without further ado – or additional anyways, here are more than 25 recipes for your next picnic or barbecue!

(And if your coming weekends are low-key, no problem. Just pin this for later!)

26 Recipes for Your Next Picnic or Potluck



For the main dish:

  • Bacon Burgers with Bacon Jam – If you’re of the opinion that bacon makes everything better, then these burgers are for you. And if you’re not, well, I don’t really know what to say to that.
  • Baked Chicken Taquitos – Hey look, we don’t HAVE to choose between Mexican and picnic menus! Seriously, though, these are delicious – and finger food is always good picnic food!
  • Meatball Skewers from Goodeness Gracious – These look so good! And, oh hey, it’s always a good thing to add some veggies to the mix, right?
  • Taco Salad Bags – I’ve linked to Dana’s taco salad bags before, because I think it’s such a great idea. And especially for a picnic with kids, this would be a great meal! (And yes…I do realize that I combined Mexican food and picnics again…it can’t be helped!)
  • Chicken Bacon Sub Sandwiches – My family members are picky enough that I would never presume to make the same sandwich for all of us (or one big one that can be cut up – those always look fun). But if I needed a main dish for a potluck picnic, I imagine a basket of these sandwiches from A Slob Comes Clean (or one of those big ones – hoagie, sub, what do YOU call it?) would be perfect.
  • Picnic Chicken – Because what’s a picnic without some fried chicken?
  • Slow Cooker Dr Pepper Pulled Pork – I’ve tried this and it IS really good. Grab a bag of buns, and you’ve got sandwiches!

Corn Casserole with Bacon



For the side dishes:

  • Loaded Baked Potato Salad – Hello? What is a potluck or picnic or cookout without a potato salad?!
  • Bacon Deviled Eggs – Ditto for deviled eggs, but why not add bacon? I hear it makes everything better…
  • Flag Fruit Kebabs – Why only make this for the 4th of July? Fruit is pretty and delicious any day of the year, you know!
  • Corn Casserole with Bacon – My brother’s recipe is perfect for any gathering. I mean, you wouldn’t want to make it for a small dinner of four. You’d be forced to eat it all. And that would just be … delicious … terrible. So make it for your barbecue. (Just make sure you’re at the front of the line!)
  • Beautiful Veggie Tray – It doesn’t take much extra time to arrange your veggies by color. I’m partial to the one I served at Annalyn’s Veggie Tales birthday party, but Pinterest also has tons of rainbow veggie trays for inspiration.
  • Watermelon on a Stick – Best. Popsicle. Ever.
  • Deviled Egg Pasta Salad – This is the recipe I was going to try. So it’s also the one I’m hoping to find a reason to try it soon anyway. {Who has a barbecue invitation for me?}
  • Ranch BLT Pasta Salad – This one from Cinnamon, Spice & Everything Nice looks really good, too. And what a delicious twist on the usual pasta salad!
  • Lemony Vegetable Quinoa Salad – Veggies and healthy grains? Well, yes, I do think this salad from Jessie is the perfect balance to some of these heavier dishes.
  • Slow Cooker Sweet & Tangy Baked Beans – I do love a touch of sweet in my baked beans, and Cris has a great recipe for making them in the Crock Pot.
  • Creamy Crock Pot Mac & Cheese – Recipes That Crock has a ton of great slow cooker recipes – and this mac & cheese would be perfect for a picnic or potluck.
  • Blue Ribbon Amish Dill Pickles – Shannan promises that a) you don’t need a canner and b) everyone will love these. I’M IN.

26 Recipes for Your Next Picnic or Potluck



For the desserts:

  • Mini Fruit Pizzas – It’s a cookie. But it’s covered in fruit. Can you say “guilt-free dessert” … and “just one more”?!
  • Pink Lemonade Cake (or Cupcakes) – They’re pretty and tangy and sweet and fun. What more do you need?
  • Monster Cookies – I love these flourless cookies for any get-together or gathering. Or breakfast.
  • Eclairs in a Jar – I know I just made s’mores in a jar. And I promise I’m not going crazy with this food-in-a-jar trend. But … eclairs … IN A JAR! I’m definitely making these soon.
  • Butterfinger Cake – Jessie shared this recipe a while ago, and I completely forgot about it until I looked at some of my Pinterest boards. I’ve already re-pinned it so it’s at the top of my board and my memory!
  • Chocolate Peanut Butter Campfire Burritos – It’s like a Reese’s. From the grill. In our mouths. Y-U-M.
  • Anything to do with S’mores – Of course.

What do you like taking – or eating! – to picnics?

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