Healthy Summer Picnic Recipes

Find healthy, delicious summer picnic recipes, from the food and nutrition experts at EatingWell.

Staff Picks

Blueberry-Lemon Ricotta Pound Cake

Rating: Unrated
30
This healthy pound cake recipe isn't just delicious--it also only requires one bowl to make. For the best cake texture, be sure to beat the sugar and butter together long enough in Step 2 to look creamy--the time it takes to get there varies according to the type of electric mixer you have. Serve with brunch or alongside a cup of coffee in the afternoon.
By Stacy Fraser

Lemon-Raspberry Muffins

Rating: Unrated
13
The secret to the sparkling flavor of these delicately crumbed muffins is the strips of lemon zest finely ground into the sugar. Enjoy the muffins warm right from the oven.
By Marie Simmons

Avocado & Shrimp Chopped Salad

Rating: Unrated
7
The smoky flavors of grilled shrimp and corn in this healthy chopped salad recipe are a tasty match for the creamy cilantro dressing.
By Romney Steele

Japanese Cucumber Salad

Rating: Unrated
5
This Japanese-inspired cool, crisp salad is as elegant and well balanced as it is simple.
By Jessie Price

Chilaquiles Casserole

Rating: Unrated
55
Our version of this enchilada-style chilaquiles casserole is packed with nutritious beans and vegetables. Canned prepared enchilada sauce has great flavor and keeps the prep time quick. It can vary in heat level so find one that suits your taste. If you want to eliminate the heat altogether, try a green enchilada sauce (which is often milder than red) or substitute two 8-ounce cans of plain tomato sauce.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

No-Cook Black Bean Salad

Rating: Unrated
3
A classic black bean salad is a must for picnics and potlucks. This vegan version gets its creaminess from blended avocado. Any mix of salad greens will work well, but try arugula if you want to give this hearty salad a peppery kick.
By Hilary Meyer

Vinaigrette Coleslaw

If you prefer, make this salad with broccoli slaw mix instead of the coleslaw mix.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Vegetarian Taco Salad

Rating: Unrated
23
Nobody will miss the meat in this colorful, zesty vegetarian taco salad. The rice and bean mixture can be made ahead and the salad quickly assembled at mealtime. Recipe by Nancy Baggett for EatingWell.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Mini Berry Cream Pies

Rating: Unrated
3
Try this Mini Berry Cream Pies recipe the next time you want to whip up a quick healthy dessert. For this red-white-and-blue dessert, frozen mini phyllo cups work the best. Keep them nestled in their tray for easy transport to a picnic or potluck.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Spinach Salad with Beets, Beans & Feta

Rating: Unrated
2
Salty feta, briny olives and earthy beets give a Greek feel to this vegetarian spinach dinner salad recipe. We prefer the taste and texture of freshly cooked white beans, but you can skip that step and use 2 cups rinsed canned white beans instead. If you have a special olive oil, now's the time to break it out.
By Joyce Goldstein

Blackened Salmon Sandwich

Rating: Unrated
1
Blackened salmon is great in a sandwich with a spread of mashed avocado and low-fat mayonnaise plus peppery arugula leaves, cool tomato slices and zesty red onion. We grill our Cajun-style salmon so there is no need for any added cooking oil. Catfish makes an excellent stand-in for the salmon but you'll want to use a grill basket if you have one to keep the fish from breaking apart.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Chicken Club Wraps

Rating: Unrated
1
Whole-wheat tortillas provide a tasty twist in this quick grilled chicken breast recipe that combines all the elements of a classic club sandwich into a wrap. Serve with extra napkins.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Inspiration and Ideas

Almond Butter-Quinoa Blondies

Almond Butter-Quinoa Blondies

People likely won't even notice that these delicately nutty, just a little chocolaty, blondies are gluten-free. They use quinoa flour in place of all-purpose flour.
Cherry, Wild Rice & Quinoa Salad

Cherry, Wild Rice & Quinoa Salad

This whole-grain wild rice and quinoa salad recipe is perfect for toting to summer potlucks. If you can find red quinoa, it's particularly pretty.
Spicy Tuna Wrap

Spicy Tuna Wrap

Kid-Friendly Recipes for Summer Picnics and Cookouts

Kid-Friendly Recipes for Summer Picnics and Cookouts

Fresh Fruit Salad

Fresh Fruit Salad

Rating: Unrated
2
Spinach Salad with Warm Maple Dressing

Spinach Salad with Warm Maple Dressing

Rating: Unrated
2

Mediterranean Tuna Antipasto Salad

Rating: Unrated
14

Packed with protein and fiber, this tuna and bean salad is ready in a flash. For an extra kick, add a pinch of crushed red pepper or cayenne.

All Healthy Summer Picnic Recipes

Vegetarian Pinto Bean Sloppy Joes

Rating: Unrated
7
This vegetarian Sloppy Joe recipe uses pinto beans and a heap of veggies tossed in a sweet, tangy sauce for the filling of a tad messy kid-friendly sandwich you can make in your slow cooker.
By Carolyn Malcoun

Peach Custard Pie

Rating: Unrated
3
We use low-fat milk along with nonfat Greek yogurt in the creamy custard for this peach pie. The yogurt gives the custard a smooth texture without using cream or too many egg yolks. A slice is just as delicious served warm from the oven as it is chilled. For an added treat, serve topped with fresh blueberries.
By Jim Romanoff

Tomato, Cucumber & White-Bean Salad with Basil Vinaigrette

Rating: Unrated
3
This no-cook bean salad is a delicious way to use summer's best cherry or grape tomatoes and juicy cucumbers for a light dinner or lunch. Fresh basil elevates an easy vinaigrette recipe that dresses up this simple salad into something extraordinary.
By Carolyn Casner

Tomato-Corn Pie

Rating: Unrated
9
Tomatoes and corn have a natural affinity for one another: the slight acidity of tomatoes balances the sweetness of the corn. Here they partner in a delicious quiche-like pie. The dough is very forgiving and bakes up into a sturdy shell that's great for just about any savory pie or tart. Perfect for a summer brunch or try it with a tossed salad for a light supper.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Dairy-Free Banana Rice Pudding

Rating: Unrated
2
This rice pudding is dairy-free, but the bananas and rice milk make it so creamy and rich-tasting, no one will know the difference.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Roasted Tofu & Peanut Noodle Salad

Rating: Unrated
4
Top this vegetarian noodle salad recipe, which is tossed with loads of veggies and ample peanut sauce, with chopped roasted peanuts for added crunch and protein.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Quinoa Lasagna

Rating: Unrated
12
This healthy quinoa lasagna recipe has a layer of quinoa (rather than noodles) along with vegetables, cheese and herbs. Though it tastes like comfort food, don't worry, this quinoa lasagna recipe is not too heavy--you'll still have room for dessert. To save time, use your favorite jarred tomato sauce in this vegetarian lasagna. (Adapted from “Quinoa Revolution” by Patricia Green and Carolyn Hemming; Pintail Books, 2012.)
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Muffin-Tin Strawberry Shortcakes

Skip rolling and cutting dough and use your muffin tin in this healthy strawberry shortcake recipe. Look for lemon curd in the store near jams and jellies or skip it and combine the berries with 2 tablespoons sugar in Step 4.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Blueberry Muffin Bars

Rating: Unrated
2
With all the supersize muffins out there, portion control can be a challenge. These let you enjoy the flavors of a blueberry muffin, and easily keep track of what you eat.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Greens with Parmesan Vinaigrette

Rating: Unrated
3
Make a simple vinaigrette more interesting with freshly grated Parmesan.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Pesto Pasta Salad

Rating: Unrated
1
A creamy pesto sauce turns this simple pasta salad into a delightful dinner. Adding broccoli to the pasta cooking water just before the pasta is done is a convenient way to briefly cook it so that it turns a vivid shade of green and softens slightly.
By Carolyn Casner

Parsley Tabbouleh

Rating: Unrated
3
Serve this tart, parsley-dominated tabbouleh at your next backyard gathering.
By Jessie Price

Slow-Cooker Brisket Sandwiches with Quick Pickles

Rating: Unrated
2
Make your BBQ or cookout easy with this slow-cooker beef brisket recipe. Rauchbier, a smoky German beer, gives this fork-tender brisket real pit-barbecue flavor, but you can use any beer that suits your taste, or even substitute beef broth, to achieve mouthwatering results. While the brisket is cooking, whip up the quick pickle recipe and stir together a garlic mayo to top off the sandwiches.
By Carolyn Malcoun

Purple Fruit Salad

Rating: Unrated
2
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.
By Carolyn Casner

Watermelon Gin Fizz

Rating: Unrated
1
This pretty pink cocktail would be perfect for a bridal shower luncheon. Any leftover pureed juice is refreshing on its own.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Classic Dill Chicken Salad

Rating: Unrated
1
We lightened up the creamy dressing in this healthy chicken salad recipe with a combo of mayonnaise and plain Greek yogurt. Dill, grapes, celery and walnuts make up this classic chicken salad but feel free to experiment with your favorite fruit, vegetables and herbs. Serve it open-face on toasted bread or scoop it on top of fresh salad greens.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Roasted Vegetable Sandwiches

Rating: Unrated
3
These hearty sandwiches may be assembled ahead of time and are perfect for a summer picnic
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Cherry Crisp

Rating: Unrated
3
A fruit crisp offers the luscious flavor of a fresh fruit pie without the fuss of making a crust. Celebrate the arrival of cherries with this rich-tasting crisp. The nut-studded topping works great with other fruit combinations too.
By Patsy Jamieson

The EatingWell Cobb Salad

Rating: Unrated
2
This Cobb salad is true to the original with all the good stuff--chicken, eggs, bacon, avocado and a tangy dressing. But we cut the saturated fat in half and doubled the amount of healthy monounsaturated fat. We've left the blue cheese optional, but the salad is so nutritious you might just want to go ahead and indulge yourself with a little bit anyway.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Creamy Coleslaw

Rating: Unrated
2
Red and green cabbage and bright orange carrots make a colorful, healthful combination. For an especially nutty flavor, use Savoy instead of regular green cabbage.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Italian Pesto Chicken Salad

Rating: Unrated
4
Prepared pesto is the secret ingredient in this lightened-up, healthy creamy chicken salad recipe. For the prettiest dressing, go for a bright-green colored pesto. Serve the salad open-face on toasted bread or scoop it on top of fresh salad greens.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Carrot-Cucumber Salad

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.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Ranch Dip & Crunchy Vegetables

Rating: Unrated
1
Adults and kids alike love the tanginess of this ranch-style dip. By using nonfat buttermilk and low-fat mayonnaise for the creamy base we've cut the fat substantially and eliminated the saturated fat. It only takes 15 minutes to make and keeps for 3 days so it's perfect for a healthy snack in a pinch.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

8-Layer Taco Salad

Rating: Unrated
3
This gorgeous and colorful 8-layer taco salad recipe is made healthier by using ground turkey in place of beef, adding Greek yogurt and bumping up the amount of vegetables. Serve this salad in a clear glass bowl and you'll have an eye-catching party-worthy dinner or potluck side in just 30 minutes.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen
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