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Home » Spring Picnics

Delicious Spring Picnic Ideas

Published: Mar 4, 2021 · Modified: Feb 16, 2024 by Kate O'Malley · This post may contain affiliate links. See end of article for more information · Leave a Comment


When the warm weather starts and the first tiny wildflowers bloom, it’s time to start thinking about beautiful spring picnics.

A spring picnic with flowers in a basket leaning against a bicycle.
Jump to:
  • What Makes Spring Picnics Great
  • Spring Picnic Recipes
  • Spring Picnic Essentials

What Makes Spring Picnics Great

Spring is the most beautiful picnic season. While cozy winter picnics are great, spring and summer picnics are one of life’s greatest joys.

Like the fall picnic season, spring is a celebration of seasonal produce and a colorful change in the landscape.

So dust off your favorite picnic basket and coziest picnic blanket and start thinking about your favorite alfresco locale to enjoy the full bloom of spring on a wonderful picnic.

If you’re planning a group picnic this spring, see my top picnic games to make the most of the great weather and see my Picnic Checklist with a free printable download to help make your group picnic planning a breeze. .

Picnic setting with spring flowers, bread, cherries and wine.

See my Easter Picnic Ideas for gorgeous spring Easter recipes and fun Easter-themed cakes and decorations. I also have some delicious Picnic Brunch Recipes perfect for spring breakfast picnics.

Spring Picnic Recipes

Spring is a celebration of seasonal produce as we head into the warmer weather. This time of year offers us an exciting array of ingredients for fresh and vibrant salads, light sandwiches, and beautiful spring desserts.

As always, these spring recipes emphasize easy-to-make and easy-to-transport dishes for beautiful picnic feasts.

Food Safety Tips: As the weather starts to warm, food safety is a greater consideration. See my tips for keeping food cold and how to keep food warm for a picnic to ensure your picnic food is always at its best.

Ricotta Asparagus Tartlets
These quick, easy, and elegant Ricotta Asparagus Tartlets are the perfect welcome to spring and a gorgeous finger food idea for spring picnics. This dish can be served hot or cold and is ready in under an hour.
Get the Asparagus Ricotta Tart Recipe
Slices of asparagus and prosciutto tart on a wooden board with a jar of balsamic sauce.
Green Pea and Mint Dip
With light and fresh seasonal flavor, you can whip up this bright and cheery dip in less than 20 minutes. You can even use frozen peas for an impromptu picnic dip if you don't have any fresh peas on hand.
Get the Pea and Mint Dip Recipe
Bright green pean and mint dip on a picnic table with bread and carrots.
Spring Asparagus Galette with Peas and Bacon
Add a touch of seasonal French charm to spring picnics with this Asparagus Galette– spring veggies, bacon, and creamy cheese in a crispy crust.
Get the Asparagus Galette Recipe
A cooked asparagus galette in a cast iron pan with bacon and peas.
Dill Pickle Potato Salad
This zesty potato salad with crunchy pickles is a fresh addition to any spring picnic. A great make-ahead salad if you need to feed a crowd.
Get the Dill Pickle Potato Salad Recipe
Dill pickle potato salad on a serving plate with wooden serving spoons on a white picnic table.
Easy Whipped Feta Dip
This creamy whipped feta dip is one of the easiest and most versatile. Whip it up in minutes and use it as a spread, a dip, or drizzle it over a fresh spring vegetable platter. Garnish with lemon zest for a fresh citrus spring flavor.
Get the Whipped Feta Dip Recipe
Bowl of whipped feta dip with bread slices.
Veggie Pinwheels with Cream Cheese
These healthy, fragrant veggie pinwheel sandwiches will make a bright and cheery addition to any spring picnic spread. They're also super easy to make, and you can make them ahead of time for a no-stress appetizer.
Get the Veggie Pinwheel Recipe
A ladies hands arranging pinwheel sandwiches on a wooden board.
Easy Homemade Pesto Cheese Bread
This Basil Pesto Cheese Bread recipe shines for its fresh, homemade appeal. A blend of fresh aromatic herbs with salty feta and melty cheddar wrapped in an easy to make, freshly baked loaf.
Get the Pesto Cheese Bread Recipe
A person is holding a piece of bread with cheese and pest in a basket.
Pesto Orzo Salad with Prosciutto
This Pesto Orzo Salad with Prosciutto recipe stands out for its vibrant, garden-fresh flair. An effortless salad that celebrates the simplicity and sophistication of Italian cuisine.
Get the Pesto Orzo Salad Recipe
Pesto Orzo salad with parma ham, tomatoes and olives on a white plate.
Crispy Air Fryer Scotch Eggs
The Scotch Egg is the quintessential British pub snack. It is also one of the best picnic finger foods around. These air fryer Scotch Eggs can also be baked or deep fried in the traditional manner.
Get the Scotch Egg Recipe
A plate with scotch eggs, one is cut in half showing the yolk.
Chicken Salad Tea Sandwiches
Everyone loves tea sandwiches, especially for a picnic, and these Chicken Salad Tea Sandwiches are a fresh and breezy addition to any spring picnic menu.
Get the Chicken Salad Tea Sandwich Recipe
Stacked chicken salad sandwiches with crusts removed on a wooden board, garnished with fresh herbs.
Chicken Waldorf Salad Sandwich
A timeless classic, the Waldorf Salad becomes a very elegant picnic dish in a sandwich. This Chicken Waldorf Salad Sandwich make a delightful tea sandwich for a spring picnic.
Get the Chicken Waldorf Salad Sandwich Recipe
A chicken Waldorf salad sandwich with grapes and lettuce on a plate.
Vegan Couscous Salad with Tofu
Tossed with fresh herbs and vegetables, finished with a light lemon dressing, this Herbed Couscous and Tofu Salad is a fresh and hearty salad that is so easy to make.
Get the Couscous Salad Recipe
Bowl of salad with couscous and tofu.
Classic Grilled Chicken Club Sandwich
A timeless sandwich that elegantly combines grilled chicken and crispy bacon is hard to resist. Serve it as a whole sandwich or cut into triangles for a finger food sandwich with universal appeal.
Get the Grilled Chicken Club Sandwich Recipe
A sandwich on a plate with a toothpick in the middle.
Roasted Red Peppers
Roasted red peppers are one of the easiest and most adaptable ingredients in your picnic arsenal.
They keep well, travel well, and work well with many dishes – add them to mezze platters, put them in salads, sandwiches, or tarts; they make a great side to grilled meats and even whip up nicely into a dip or sauce.
Get the Roasted Red Pepper Recipe
Roasted red peppers on a kitchen countertop, with some on a plate and others in a jar.
Slow Roasted Vine Tomatoes
Another great go-to ingredient for picnic recipes is slow-roasted tomatoes. They can bring a whole new flavor profile to so many picnic dishes – add them to salads or sandwiches, use them in tarts and frittata's, or serve them on a mezze plate with dips and roasted peppers. Fresh tomatoes are lovely; roasted tomatoes are a whole other world.
Get the Roasted Tomato Recipe
Roasted tomatoes and garlic on a baking sheet.
Raw Veggie Wraps with Avocado
Make the most of fresh spring vegetables with these simple, yet delicious raw veggie wraps with avocado. Super convenient and easy to manage, these wraps make a fresh and healthy alternative to traditional sandwiches.
Get the Veggie Wrap Recipe
Raw veggie wraps cut in half showing fillings.
Roast Beef Sandwich with Slow Roasted Tomatoes
The roast beef sandwich is another one that makes it in all my seasonal picnic lists – why? Because it's a classic, of course, and it has no seasonal boundaries. A well-made roast beef sandwich can be a thing of magic. A perfectly rare roast beef sandwich is a thing of beauty, and this little beauty has slow-roasted tomatoes to make it even better.
Get the Roast Beef Sandwich Recipe
Roast beef sandwich cut in half with slow roasted tomatoes.
Easy Smoked Duck Summer Rolls
Look no further than a rice paper roll for an Asian-inspired spring picnic dish that is fresh and a little bit fancy. I have gone with slices of smoked duck with fresh, crispy veg for a little bit of sophistication, but feel free to fill as you please to suit the season.
Get the Duck Rice paper Rolls Recipe
Asian style rice paper rolls on a white plate.
Creamy Pesto Potato Salad
Embrace the arrival of fresh seasonal basil with this deliciously creamy Pesto Potato Salad. All the goodness of a traditional creamy potato salad bursting with fragrant basil.
Get the Pesto Potato Salad Recipe
Bowl of pesto potato salad.
Creamy Crunchy Coleslaw
A spin on the traditional salad, this coleslaw is loaded with seeds and nuts for a crunchy twist to the creamy original. This hearty salad can even be served as a main dish with some sides.
Get the Crunchy Coleslaw Recipe
Bowl of crunchy coleslaw on a table.
Easy Mushroom Quesadillas
Spring is also the season for mushrooms. Why not add a Mexican touch to seasonal produce with these easy-to-make and very portable Mushroom Quesadillas.
Get the Mushroom Quesadilla Recipe
A plate of freshly cooked mushroom quesadillas with dipping sauces.
Simple Chicken Soup
If you're picnicking on the chilly side of spring, there's nothing more comforting than a thermos of homemade chicken soup. Serve it as a starter or as the main with crusty bread or cheesy croutons.
Get the Chicken Soup Recipe
Two bowls of chicken soup with bread on a table.
Easy Homemade Lemonade
Spring is a beautiful season for homemade lemonade, as the lemons are at their best. Three ingredients and 15 minutes is all it takes for delicious homemade lemonade.
Get the Homemade Lemonade Recipe
Four glasses of lemonade garnished with mint leaves and lemon slices.
Raspberry Cupcakes With Lemon Mascarpone Frosting
Ready in under an hour, these gorgeous Raspberry Cupcakes combine fresh fruit flavors with a light and creamy Lemon Mascarpone Frosting. These beautiful cupcakes will bring a burst of sunshine to any spring picnic.
Get the Raspberry Cupcake Recipe
Raspberry cupcakes with lemon frosting on a cooling rack with raspberries and a lemon on the table.
Orange Upside Down Cake
While oranges are available year-round, this is a perfect picnic cake for any season. However, it really shines in late winter to early spring when citrus fruits are at their peak, adding a fresh note to your spring picnic menu.
Get the Orange Upside Down Cake Recipe
An orange upside down cake and a cup of coffee.
Easy White Chocolate Fudge
This easy White Chocolate Fudge recipe is quick to make with only 4 ingredients. Use this recipe as the base and switch out almonds for any nut of your liking, or feel free to experiment with different additions to suit the season.
Get the White Chocolate Fudge Recipe
Squares of white chocolate fudge with almonds on baking paper.
Blackberry Lemon Crumb Cake Recipe
If you want a scrumptious and easy picnic dessert made with fresh ingredients, look no further than this lemon blackberry crumb cake.
Get the Blackberry Cake Recipe
Photo credit: chasingdaisiesblog.com
Chewy Lemon Sugar Cookies
Love chewy cookies with a crunchy exterior? These Lemon Sugar Cookies, rolled in powdered sugar before baking, offer a crispy crackled texture and a burst of fresh lemon zest in every bite.
Get the Lemon Cookie Recipe
A stack of golden lemon sugar cookies on a small plate, with lemons blurred in the background.
Easy Avocado Chocolate Truffles
Add healthy chocolate decadence to your spring picnic with these oh-so-simple dark chocolate avocado balls. Sweet, creamy chocolate balls, you would never know that avocado steps in for heavy cream in this no-bake recipe.
Get the Chocolate Avocado Truffle Recipe
Chocolate avocado truffles in a paper bag.
Easy Mini Plum Tarts
You can whip up these little picnic lovelies in under half an hour for a flaky, creamy, sweet season picnic dessert. Topped with spring plums, you can use any stone fruit your heart desires.
Get the Plum Tart Recipe
Photo credit: itsnotcomplicatedrecipes.com
Mini Bundt Cakes with Citrus and Vanilla
Somewhere between a fluffy layer cake and a dense pound cake, these mini bundt cakes have notes of vanilla and the freshness of orange and lemon zest.
Get the Mini Bundt Cake Recipe
Photo credit: www.urbanblisslife.com

Spring Picnic Essentials

These stylish and practical spring picnic essentials make your spring picnics a breeze.

  • Hip couple enjoying champagne at a beach picnic.
    13 Stylish & Practical Picnic Wine Coolers & Wine Totes
  • Pretty picnic table and chairs setting in front of a lake.
    11 Practical & Portable Folding Picnic Tables
  • Picnic basket with red check lining on green grass
    The Best Insulated Picnic Baskets to Keep Your Food Fresh
  • A check picnic blanket with food and drinks on it.
    The Best Waterproof Picnic Blankets

Spring is one of the most beautiful picnic seasons. Warmer weather, spring blooms, and a bounty of delicious, fresh ingredients to explore. I hope these Spring picnic ideas help make your spring picnic season a breeze.


More Spring Picnic Ideas & Tips

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    Chewy Lemon Sugar Cookies
  • Three glasses of pink strawberry lemonade in a line with squeezed lemons and strawberries scattered around.
    Blended Strawberry Mint Lemonade
  • Ricotta Bruschetta topped with roasted red peppers and bacon.
    Roasted Red Pepper Bruschetta with Bacon
  • A cooked asparagus galette in a cast iron pan with bacon and peas.
    Spring Asparagus Galette with Peas and Bacon

About Kate O'Malley

Picnic enthusiast, passionate cook, and the creative force behind Picnic Lifestyle. With a globe-trotting background and a keen eye for local ingredients, she's mastered the art of crafting delectable picnics and portable feasts (especially for long travel days). Kate's passion for al fresco dining comes alive in this guide, curating perfect picnics for every occasion.

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