It’s July and that means its National Picnic month! Picnics are the perfect way to enjoy a delicious outdoor dining experience with friends and family.
Whether you’re planning to dine at the beach or a favourite park, it’s essential to bring the right foods. We have you covered with some great dining el fresco fool-proof tips and recipes to help ensure your next picnic is a success.
Tips for picnic success
Planning ahead
Start by creating a menu as an essential first step for a successful picnic. It’s also worthwhile to invest a little time in advance to food prep the evening before your outing to ensure you’re prepared. If you’re looking for a super easy picnic option, try roasting a whole chicken the night before. You can add the chilled, cooked chicken to salads, wraps or sandwiches.
Bringing foods that require minimal assembly
At parks and beaches there is often limited access to a barbecue, so consider bringing foods that do not require a lot of on-site cooking. For example bring a salad that only requires the addition of dressing. Or pack finger foods such as cooked chicken strips with a savoury dip, bite sized chicken meat balls or cooked chicken burgers that only require assembling.
Packing foods that can be served cold
Bringing foods that can be kept cold in a cooler helps to ensure food safety while dining outdoors. Excellent choices include cold pizza or chicken sandwiches. Remember food that has been exposed to warm temperatures for more than one hour needs to be discarded. To help keep your food chilled fill your cooler full of ice and keep it in a shady spot, avoiding direct sunlight. Keep second servings tucked away in your cooler and only take out the amount you and your guests plan to eat.
Looking for recipes for your picnic menu? Here are a few favourite Manitoba Chicken recipes to try!
Our Chicken Melon & Avocado Salad is the perfect salad to bring along to a picnic on the beach or at the park. Pack the chicken, veggies and fruit in a large container with a lid and the dressing separately. Once ready to dine, simply add the dressing to the salad and combine.
Our Chicken Empanadas are very versatile and can be served hot or cold. Preparing these empanadas the night before can help make your picnic a stress free occasion.
Chili Chicken Burgers with Slaw
For advance picnic prep marinate, cook, slice and chill your chicken breasts. The day of your picnic pack chicken cold on ice, along with sliced buns and undressed slaw. Build your chili chicken burgers right at your picnic site.