Perfect Family Picnic Food

To go along with our other Picnic Posts today, we thought we ought to give you some great things to pack the basket with for you and the kids.

Using mummy blogger Rebecca’s fun kid friendly recipes from www.cookingwithmykid.com, we created a fun family meal plan for your picnic in the park.

All of the recipes are easy and won’t consume a lot of your time, plus the kids can help out. Bake the night before and leave the rest for the morning creating a fun prelude to the picnic itself.

 

FRUIT SNACK: Festive Watermelon Stars

Fruit in kid friendly shape is sure to get the kids excited, plus nothing says summer like fresh juicy watermelon.

Rebecca suggests using baby seedless watermelon for its sweeter taste and using the left over watermelon chunks later in a fruit salad or with dinner.

What You Will Need
Seedless watermelon
Star shape cookie cutter

What To Do

1. Slice watermelon into 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick slices.

2. Lay flat and cut out star shapes.

 

REFRESHING DRINK: Fresh Strawberry Lemonade

Instead of pop or juice, making a fresh, fruit filled drink is a sure way to keep your little ones hydrated during a day in the sun. Pour the drink into a family sized thermos and it is sure to stay cool all day!

What You Will Need
1 1/2 cup strawberries (hulled + halved)
1/4 cup agave nectar
2 1/2 cups fresh water
juice of 2 large lemons
extra strawberries for garnish

What To Do

1. Blend strawberries, lemon juice and agave on high until quite smooth.

2. Pour into a pitcher and add water.

3. Whisk to combine and refrigerate until well chilled.

 

APPETIZING APPETIZER: Cheesy Corn on a Stick

Corn rolled in butter and cheese, quick fun and easy at its finest.

What You Need
4 ears of yellow corn (shucked)
2 to 3 tablespoons melted butter (or olive oil)
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
cayenne
8 bamboo skewers (pre-soaked in water for 1 hour)

What To Do

1. Break each ear of corn in half.

2. Bring a large pot of water to boil and boil corn for 5 minutes or until tender.

3. Drain corn and insert 1 bamboo skewer into each piece of corn.

4. Grill corn over medium-high heat until toasty.

5. Pour melted butter or olive oil on a small plate.

6. Pour parmesan on another small plate.

7. Remove corn one by one from the grill and roll each stick in melted butter and then in parmesan.

8. Serve with cayenne and invite guests to sprinkle to taste. Makes 8 sticks of corn

 

YUMMY LUNCH: Goat Cheese & Fig Finger Sandwiches

Egg and cress is fine and dandy, but why not expand your children’s pallet a bit? These quick and easy sandwiches are fun to make and the heart shape makes them the perfect size for little nibblers.

What You Will Need
cinnamon raisin swirl bread
goat cheese
fig spread
cookie cutter

What To Do

1. Spread a layer of goat cheese on one piece of cinnamon raisin swirl bread.

2. Add a teaspoon of fig spread on top of the goat cheese.

3 Spread and top with another piece of bread.

4. Cut out a heart shape and repeat

 

FOR DESSERT: Blueberry Cobbler Bars 

So far we’ve got strawberry, watermelon and lemon too, but one more fruity treat can’t hurt and with the lovely blueberry in season, your little ones are sure to snack while they bake.

What You Will Need
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup oat flour (you can make this by pulsing rolled oats into a food processor or coffee grinder until finely ground; 1 cup of oats makes 3/4 cup oat flour)
1/4 cup almond flour / meal
1/2 teaspoon apple pie spice
2 oz butter
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups fresh blueberries
1/4 cup granulated sugar (different from the one above)
2 teaspoons cornstarch

What To Do

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

2. Grease a square baking pan. In a medium bowl, stir together 1/4 cup granulated sugar, brown sugar, flours, and baking powder.

3. Mix in salt and apple pie spice.

4. Use a fork to mix in the butter, oil and egg. Dough will be sticky but will not all hold together – just make sure the butter is evenly distributed and mostly mashed in.

5. Pat a little over half of dough into the prepared pan to form the crust. Use your fingers to make sure all the spots are covered.

6. In another bowl, stir together the sugar and cornstarch. Mix with the blueberries to coat. Sprinkle the blueberry mixture evenly over the crust.

7. Crumble remaining dough over the berry layer.

8. Cook for 45 minutes or until slightly brown. Let cool completely before cutting into squares. Makes about 16 squares.

Thank you to Rebecca from www.cookingwithmykid.com for all the great recipes. Let us know if you give any of these a try and how your kids liked them. And, if you have any great kids recipes you want to share, send them to us at [email protected]