Food The Best Fall Picnic Menu Ideas and Recipes Grab a jacket and head to the park with these easy fall recipes and picnic food ideas. By Dawn Perry Dawn Perry Dawn is the author of Ready, Set, Cook; How to Make Good Food With What's on Hand. She served as the food director for Real Simple and has worked in the test kitchens of Everyday Food, Bon Appétit, and the meal kit delivery service Martha & Marley Spoon. Dawn is the author of Short Stack Editions' Cucumbers and her recipes and writing have been featured in the LA Times, The New York Times, and The Washington Post among other publications. She recently started Superkind Cookies, a premium cookie company shipping treats nationwide. Highlights: * Author of Ready, Set, Cook; How to Make Good Food With What's on Hand. * Former food director for Real Simple * Worked in the test kitchens of Everyday Food, Bon Appétit, and Martha & Marley Spoon * Recipes and writing have been featured in the LA Times, The New York Times, and The Washington Post Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines and Lisa Milbrand Lisa Milbrand Lisa Milbrand is a copy writer for Real Simple, with a passion for writing about food, travel, and hacks to make life easier. Loves fancy restaurants, good coffee and her family (of course); not a fan of waiting in lines. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Updated on August 18, 2021 Share Tweet Pin Email We rounded up our favorite fall picnic food ideas, ideal for heading to the park or simply enjoying in your own backyard. These recipes aren't just easy to make, they're also easy to pack up and carry in your picnic basket. All you'll need to bring along are a sturdy blanket, napkins, and forks—we specifically chose fall recipes that don't require a knife or spoon. They're perfect for taking along on an apple-picking or pumpkin-picking outing, at an outdoor get-together with friends, a fall tailgate, or if you're enjoying a little friluftsliv outdoors. RELATED: How to Pack a Picnic Basket for the Perfect Outdoor Feast 01 of 10 Turkey Sandwiches With Apple and Walnut Mayo Tina Rupp get the recipe Slices of crisp-tart Granny Smith apples add a touch of fall to turkey sandwiches. 02 of 10 Arugula Apple Salad With Spicy Toasted Pepitas Jennifer Causey get the recipe Pumpkin seeds and slices of apple give peppery arugula a fall makeover. 03 of 10 Pumpkin Cream Sandwiches BEATRIZ DA COSTA get the recipe These impressive looking goodies actually take just a half-hour to whip up for your fall picnic or tailgate. RELATED: Fun Fall Activities You Can Do Safely During the Pandemic 04 of 10 Mexican Hot Chocolate This mix makes for a sweet and comforting hot cocoa with a hint of cinnamon and spice. If you prefer more of a kick, up the cayenne to a rounded ¼ teaspoon. For an even richer treat, use half and half in place of milk. Once a batch is made, it only takes a few minutes to make a mug (or three), so it’s great to keep on hand all winter long. Serve with freshly whipped cream or marshmallows. Get the recipe:Mexican Hot Cocoa Mix. Grace Elkus get the recipe For a cozier picnic, a hot beverage is a must—and this take on the classic features cinnamon and a hint of spice. 05 of 10 Carrot Ginger Dip Caitlin Bensel get the recipe This vibrant dip is made with some of our favorite fall flavors: carrots, ginger and maple syrup. This picnic food idea tastes great cold or room temperature, which means it won't suffer from fridge to picnic blanket. Serve it with chips, breadsticks, or other veggies. 06 of 10 Broccoli and Mushroom Salad “This crunchy salad is best if it’s made the day before, but good luck waiting that long to eat it. As a kid, I remember peeling back the foil on the bowl and sneaking tangy florets. Don’t be tempted to use only olive oil—it will overwhelm the flavors of the vegetables.” — Dawn Perry, staff food editorGet the recipe. Chris Court get the recipe When you're preparing for a picnic, no matter the season, look for easy recipes designed to be made ahead. This crunchy salad is best if it's made the day before, but good luck waiting that long to eat it. It may sound humble, but the punchy garlic and dill-laced dressing softens the broccoli overnight so it's delightfully tangy and just tender enough the next day. 07 of 10 Chopped Winter Salad With Butternut Squash, Apple, and Feta Yunhee Kim get the recipe Start making this salad now, in the heart of fall, and enjoy it all the way through winter. It's comprised of all the best fall flavors: roasted butternut squash, crunchy sweet-tart apple, colorful radicchio, tender chickpeas and salty feta. It's a colorful salad that's as nice to look at as it is to eat. 08 of 10 Antipasti Sandwich Who said antipasti isn’t portable? This sandwich combines all the elements of a classic platter—cured meats, silky vegetables, salty cheese—in one compact package. And with flavors this big, a simple drizzle of olive oil and tart balsamic is the only dressing required. Get the recipe:Antipasti Sandwich. Sarah Karnasiewicz get the recipe All the elements of our favorite first course—salty cured meats, roasted red peppers, Parmesan, and pepperonici—get layered inside a crusty ciabatta roll for a portable sandwich you'll be craving long after you've packed up your picnic blanket. Try serving the same combination on a tender piece of olive oily focaccia. 09 of 10 Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake Bars Greg DuPree get the recipe These bars are the cheesecake-pumpkin-pie love child we've been dreaming of all summer. If you ask us, you can keep your PSL and just bake us a batch of these. For the easiest transport, let this fall recipe cool completely in the baking dish, wrap it up, and pack a knife to slice when you get to your picnic spot. 10 of 10 Molasses-Spiced Spiked Cider This cider is slightly sweet and tangy from the molasses, but filled with warm spice thanks to ginger and cinnamon. Serve on a cool fall night after dinner with a cinnamon stick in every cup. Get the recipe:Molasses-Spiced Spiked Cider. Caitlin Bensel get the recipe With a potential swing of 20 degrees, fall afternoons can be unpredictable. Best come prepared with a thermos full of warmly spiced, molasses-sweetened apple cider. Make the fall classic without the bourbon and bring a bottle along instead: Keep it virgin for the kiddos and spike it for the grownups. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit