Sunday, May 24, 2009

Top 15 Cheap Picnic Foods


In our household, Summer is synonymous with picnics. Lots and lots of picnics from Memorial Day straight through Labor Day! Here is a list of some of our favorite cheap eats for picnic food. 
  1. German Potato Salad -- Potatoes are very inexpensive. Season boiled potatoes with white wine vinegar, olive oil, parsley, and bits of bacon. Chill overnight, and serve cold.

  2. Veggies and Dip -- Your best cheap options here include carrots and celery with homemade ranch dip.

  3. Pasta Salad -- There are all sorts of variations on this. Our favorite is the tri-colored pasta with Italian salad dressing, halved cherry tomatoes, and black olives.

  4. Hot Dogs -- Hot Dogs are also very inexpensive, and they are a picnic/BBQ classic.

  5. Deviled Eggs -- Eggs are a good, cheap source of protein, and deviled eggs are an easy picnic food to prepare. 

  6. Fresh Fruit -- Our favorites include watermelon, apples, grapes, and strawberries.

  7. Corn on the Cob -- Very inexpensive. We break the cobs in half so they stretch even further. Many times the kids don't eat an entire ear of corn.

  8. Baked Beans -- Beans are also a cheap food, and canned baked beans are frequently on sale during the summer months.

  9. Jell-O -- I have purchased Jell-O for as little as $0.25 a box. We love to make parfaits with alternating scoops of red and blue Jell-O topped with whipped cream and a cherry. 

  10. Iced Tea/Lemonade -- Skip the soda, and opt for ice water, iced sun tea or homemade lemonade instead.

  11. Rotisserie Chicken -- For around $5.00, a rotisserie chicken can be a real bargain. Serve cold for a picnic, and save leftovers to make chicken salad, or stock for soup.

  12. Cheese and Crackers -- A store like Big Lots has good deals on chips or crackers. Opt for hard cheeses that hold up better in the heat.

  13. Garden Salad -- Iceberg lettuce, a diced up tomato, shredded carrots, and a sliced cucumber make for a quick, easy, and cheap garden salad. Top with red wine vinegar and olive oil.

  14. BLT Sandwiches -- Pack sliced bread, cooked bacon, lettuce, and sliced tomato for people to build their own BLT sandwiches.

  15. Waldorf Salad -- This is one of our summer time favorites. You can find the recipe here.

5 comments:

Anna said...

I got hungry just reading this list.

Valerie @ Inner Child Fun said...

Ivy, I know what you mean! Yummm!

Anonymous said...

great!!! Thanks for this post. Like to through a picnic.

Mutuo

sunnymama said...

Some yummy inexpensive ideas! Thanks for the link to the waldorf salad, that really does look good. I'm going to make some :)

Bird Stalker Photography said...

love summertime picnics

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