The summer is quickly approaching, and for many that means casual outdoor dining. A picnic should be a fun and easy way to enjoy a meal with family and friends out of the house. If you’re eating a gluten and dairy free diet, deciding what foods to pack or eat at a picnic can be a little tricky.
When it comes to deciding what to eat at picnics, you have a number of quintessential options: salads, sandwiches, and wraps. We have our favorite essential gluten-free picnic recipes we love to make, but generally we like to choose recipes that are:
- Easily portable. Delicate recipes aren’t the best place for a picnic!
- Weather-resistant. Generally, we like to stick to plant-based foods for picnics that can withstand the heat of the sun and won’t spoil quickly.
- Made for sharing. Recipes like big salads, dips, and baked goods are wonderful for family-style eating.
- Simple to prepare. We want to spend more time outside, not endless hours in the kitchen.
- Allergen-friendly. Our favorite recipes are always gluten-free and dairy-free. We also aim for egg-free, grain-free, nut-free and soy-free options too.
- Delicious cold or room temperature. We prefer making recipes that are tasty when taken right from the bag or cooler.
- Light yet satisfying. We don’t want to feel bloated and stuffed to the gills by a huge meal. Our essential picnic recipes combine a multitude of macro and micro-nutrients, but won’t make us feel overfull.
The great thing about picnicking is that you can do it practically anywhere you can throw a blanket down. If you can’t make it to a park or a field, your yard, porch, or any flat surface with a little grass, some sun (or shade, if you prefer) will do! The important thing is that you enjoy the gorgeous weather and, of course, eat lots of tasty bites.
Here are a few of our favorite picnic recipes:
Spiralized Cucumber Summer Salad
Honey Lime Rainbow Fruit Salad
To fill out your picnic, bring some fresh fruits and vegetables to snack on. All fruits and veggies are naturally gluten and dairy-free, so cut up some veggie sticks or pack your favorite fruits to round out your meal.
Be sure to pack drinks for you picnic that are gluten and dairy-free. Water, juice, sparkling water, wine, and cider are all naturally gluten-free. If you pack beer, be sure to find a gluten-free beer. You can also make your own tasty drinks at home to pack, like homemade lemonade or fruit and herb infused water.
We hope that you’ll try some of these recipes next time you decide to take a trip out to picnic with your family and friends.
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