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  6. 26 Low-Carb Recipes to Pack for a Picnic

26 Low-Carb Recipes to Pack for a Picnic

Alex Loh
Alex Loh Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD April 07, 2021
Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD
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a bowl of zucchini noodles and vegetables

Eat outside with these healthy, portable recipes that are appropriate for a picnic. Whether it's a sandwich, side dish or dip that can be paired with veggies, these picnic recipes are low in carbohydrates. Recipes like Zucchini Noodle Pasta Salad and Fresh Fruit Salad are tasty and easy to pack in a basket for a fun meal.

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Pickle Sub Sandwiches with Turkey & Cheddar

pickle sub
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Cut down on carbs by swapping out the bread for slices of pickle to make these fun turkey and Cheddar sandwiches. Roma tomatoes are the perfect oblong shape for these mini sandwiches but feel free to use regular tomatoes--simply cut the slices in half so they fit nicely on the pickle sandwich. These sandwiches are an easy lunch, but they're also great on a party tray for a casual get-together.

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Avocado-Yogurt Dip

<p>Update your guacamole recipe by adding protein-packed yogurt to make a healthy dip recipe. For an extra kick, add minced jalapeño or your favorite hot sauce for some zing! Serve this healthy dip recipe with crunchy vegetables, pita chips or pretzels, or use as a sandwich spread.</p>
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Update your guacamole recipe by adding protein-packed yogurt to make a healthy dip recipe. For an extra kick, add minced jalapeño or your favorite hot sauce for some zing! Serve this healthy dip recipe with crunchy vegetables, pita chips or pretzels, or use as a sandwich spread.

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Fresh Fruit Salad

<p>This refreshing fruit salad is a classic combination that will be the favorite at any potluck or cookout. Serve with a creamy yogurt dressing to take this side (or dessert) to the next level.</p>
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This refreshing fruit salad is a classic combination that will be the favorite at any potluck or cookout. Serve with a creamy yogurt dressing to take this side (or dessert) to the next level.

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Turkey & Cheddar Lettuce Wraps

Turkey & Cheddar Lettuce Wraps
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Crispy green lettuce leaves hold the filling inside this low-carb turkey wrap. It's perfect for lunch or a quick, easy dinner on the go.

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Zucchini Noodle "Pasta" Salad

Zucchini Noodle
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This healthy zucchini noodle salad has all the flavors you love in a classic Mediterranean pasta salad but we've swapped in zoodles for wheat pasta, which makes the salad lighter, lower in carbs and gluten-free. Serve it with grilled chicken or fish for a light and healthy summer dinner.

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Vinegary Coleslaw

<p>Forget mayonnaise-laden coleslaw. The bright, clean flavors in this version go well with everything from tacos to barbecue.</p>
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Forget mayonnaise-laden coleslaw. The bright, clean flavors in this version go well with everything from tacos to barbecue.

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Cucumber Turkey Sub Sandwich

two sandwich halves on a board
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When you're craving a sub but you don't want all the carbs, these turkey-and-cheese deli sandwiches on cucumber rolls are a healthy alternative. Hollow out a cucumber and fill it up with your favorite sandwich fillings for a crisp sub with less carbs and calories. Plus, you can easily pack these up for work, school or a picnic--no soggy bread!

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Classic Hummus

<p>It's easy to make hummus at home with just a few pantry items. Serve drizzled with your best-quality extra-virgin olive oil and chopped parsley. Mop it up with warm whole-wheat pita bread or cut-up vegetables.</p>
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It's easy to make hummus at home with just a few pantry items. Serve drizzled with your best-quality extra-virgin olive oil and chopped parsley. Mop it up with warm whole-wheat pita bread or cut-up vegetables.

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Smashed Cucumber Salad with Lemon & Cumin

bowl of Smashed Cucumber Salad with Lemon & Cumin
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Don't skip salting the cucumbers in this quick cucumber salad recipe--just 10 minutes pulls out some of their excess moisture, concentrating the flavor and keeping the salad from being watered down. Serve as a healthy side dish at a summer cookout alongside burgers and hot dogs.

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Classic Deviled Eggs

<p>We love the taste of dill relish in the filling of this deviled egg recipe, but if you like a sweeter deviled egg' opt for sweet relish instead. Our secret to healthy, creamy deviled eggs with fewer calories is to swap out half the full-fat mayo for nonfat Greek yogurt.</p>
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We love the taste of dill relish in the filling of this deviled egg recipe, but if you like a sweeter deviled egg' opt for sweet relish instead. Our secret to healthy, creamy deviled eggs with fewer calories is to swap out half the full-fat mayo for nonfat Greek yogurt.

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Shrimp Cobb Salad

4069761.jpg
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Cooked peeled shrimp is perfect for quick and healthy meals--here we use it in place of chicken in our simplified Cobb Salad.

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Creamy Cucumber Salad

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This creamy cucumber salad is an easy side dish for any summer BBQ. Bright dill and white-wine vinegar add fresh tartness to cucumbers and red onions. Enjoy this salad the day you prepare it so the ingredients don't turn watery.

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Smoked Salmon Breakfast Wraps

<p>This take on lox and cream cheese uses whole wheat tortillas instead of the traditional bagels.</p>
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This take on lox and cream cheese uses whole wheat tortillas instead of the traditional bagels.

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Pimiento Cheese Dip

<p>Aleppo pepper, a mild and fruity chile, is unusual yet a good fit for pimiento cheese in this easy twist on the classic Southern cheese dip. Ancho chile or even hot sauce works as well.</p>
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Aleppo pepper, a mild and fruity chile, is unusual yet a good fit for pimiento cheese in this easy twist on the classic Southern cheese dip. Ancho chile or even hot sauce works as well.

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Tomato-Basil Zoodle Salad

Tomato-Basil Zoodle Salad
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Spiralized zucchini noodles make the perfect base for this colorful and flavorful salad--think pasta salad without all the carbs! It comes together quickly for a light lunch or easy side. Add grilled chicken, shrimp or chickpeas to make a heartier meal.

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Cherry Chicken Lettuce Wraps

<p>This chicken salad is made with a blend of light mayonnaise and fat-free Greek yogurt. Served on butterhead lettuce leaves instead of bread, and topped with sweet cherries and crunchy almonds, this recipe is a great choice for a light lunch.</p>
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This chicken salad is made with a blend of light mayonnaise and fat-free Greek yogurt. Served on butterhead lettuce leaves instead of bread, and topped with sweet cherries and crunchy almonds, this recipe is a great choice for a light lunch.

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Amish Broccoli Salad

<p>This creamy broccoli and cauliflower salad has a fabulous crunch. The salad holds well and is perfect for potlucks and picnics. Our version has considerably less sugar than most Amish salad recipes and is lighter because we use a mixture of low-fat Greek yogurt and mayonnaise for the dressing.</p>
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This creamy broccoli and cauliflower salad has a fabulous crunch. The salad holds well and is perfect for potlucks and picnics. Our version has considerably less sugar than most Amish salad recipes and is lighter because we use a mixture of low-fat Greek yogurt and mayonnaise for the dressing.

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Purple Fruit Salad

<p>Serve this refreshing fruit salad featuring juicy plums, grapes and berries on its own or with other colorblock fruit salads (like red, green and orange) for a fun, crowd-pleasing rainbow side dish.</p>
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Serve this refreshing fruit salad featuring juicy plums, grapes and berries on its own or with other colorblock fruit salads (like red, green and orange) for a fun, crowd-pleasing rainbow side dish.

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Creamy Spinach Dip

Creamy Spinach Dip
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Try this light spinach dip made healthier with reduced-fat cream cheese, nonfat yogurt and low-fat cottage cheese instead of full-fat cheese, mayonnaise and sour cream. It will save you a whopping 84 calories and 10 grams of fat per serving when compared to traditional versions. Serve it with pita chips and crunchy vegetables or spread it on a sandwich.

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Anchovy & Cherry Tomato Salad

<p>This anchovy and tomato salad recipe has very few ingredients but absolutely sings with flavor when it's made with cherry tomatoes picked at their ripest. For the prettiest salad, use a combination of orange, yellow and red tomatoes.</p>
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This anchovy and tomato salad recipe has very few ingredients but absolutely sings with flavor when it's made with cherry tomatoes picked at their ripest. For the prettiest salad, use a combination of orange, yellow and red tomatoes.

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Vegan Creamy Coleslaw

<p>Classic coleslaw goes vegan in this easy barbecue side dish recipe. Eggless or vegan mayonnaise's mild flavor is indistinguishable from regular mayo in this coleslaw flavored with Dijon and cider vinegar. Look for it in the condiment section of large grocery stores or natural-foods stores.</p>
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Classic coleslaw goes vegan in this easy barbecue side dish recipe. Eggless or vegan mayonnaise's mild flavor is indistinguishable from regular mayo in this coleslaw flavored with Dijon and cider vinegar. Look for it in the condiment section of large grocery stores or natural-foods stores.

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Creamy Buffalo Chicken Salad

<p>In this Buffalo wings-inspired chicken salad, Greek yogurt replaces more than half of the mayonnaise. We like the flavor of Frank's RedHot hot sauce, but Sriracha and Tabasco are delicious options too. Serve this healthy chicken salad as an open-face sandwich or scoop it on top of fresh salad greens.</p>
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In this Buffalo wings-inspired chicken salad, Greek yogurt replaces more than half of the mayonnaise. We like the flavor of Frank's RedHot hot sauce, but Sriracha and Tabasco are delicious options too. Serve this healthy chicken salad as an open-face sandwich or scoop it on top of fresh salad greens.

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Spicy Avocado Hummus

<p>Guacamole meets chickpeas for a Cali-Middle East mashup in this healthy avocado hummus recipe. Jalapeños can be hot or not so much--taste and adjust for your palate.</p>
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Guacamole meets chickpeas for a Cali-Middle East mashup in this healthy avocado hummus recipe. Jalapeños can be hot or not so much--taste and adjust for your palate.

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Carrot-Cucumber Salad

<p>Carrot salads are refreshing, and this one--with cucumbers, red onion and a zesty cilantro-chili vinaigrette--is sure to become a new favorite. It's excellent served with grilled fish.</p>
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Carrot salads are refreshing, and this one--with cucumbers, red onion and a zesty cilantro-chili vinaigrette--is sure to become a new favorite. It's excellent served with grilled fish.

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Chicken, Charred Tomato & Broccoli Salad

<p>This simple but substantial main-course salad gets its goodness from smoky skillet-blackened tomatoes and a dressing prepared right in the pan--maximizing all the flavor from the tomatoes.</p>
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This simple but substantial main-course salad gets its goodness from smoky skillet-blackened tomatoes and a dressing prepared right in the pan--maximizing all the flavor from the tomatoes.

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Red Fruit Salad

<p>Serve this refreshing fruit salad featuring juicy watermelon, grapes and berries on its own or with other colorblock fruit salads (like green, purple and orange) for a fun, crowd-pleasing rainbow side dish.</p>
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Serve this refreshing fruit salad featuring juicy watermelon, grapes and berries on its own or with other colorblock fruit salads (like green, purple and orange) for a fun, crowd-pleasing rainbow side dish.

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    1 of 26 Pickle Sub Sandwiches with Turkey & Cheddar
    2 of 26 Avocado-Yogurt Dip
    3 of 26 Fresh Fruit Salad
    4 of 26 Turkey & Cheddar Lettuce Wraps
    5 of 26 Zucchini Noodle "Pasta" Salad
    6 of 26 Vinegary Coleslaw
    7 of 26 Cucumber Turkey Sub Sandwich
    8 of 26 Classic Hummus
    9 of 26 Smashed Cucumber Salad with Lemon & Cumin
    10 of 26 Classic Deviled Eggs
    11 of 26 Shrimp Cobb Salad
    12 of 26 Creamy Cucumber Salad
    13 of 26 Smoked Salmon Breakfast Wraps
    14 of 26 Pimiento Cheese Dip
    15 of 26 Tomato-Basil Zoodle Salad
    16 of 26 Cherry Chicken Lettuce Wraps
    17 of 26 Amish Broccoli Salad
    18 of 26 Purple Fruit Salad
    19 of 26 Creamy Spinach Dip
    20 of 26 Anchovy & Cherry Tomato Salad
    21 of 26 Vegan Creamy Coleslaw
    22 of 26 Creamy Buffalo Chicken Salad
    23 of 26 Spicy Avocado Hummus
    24 of 26 Carrot-Cucumber Salad
    25 of 26 Chicken, Charred Tomato & Broccoli Salad
    26 of 26 Red Fruit Salad

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    26 Low-Carb Recipes to Pack for a Picnic
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