The Perfect Picnic Salads

Kortney is your typical atopic triad who manages asthma, eczema…

We believe the perfect picnic salads actually contains very little lettuce. When planning a picnic menu, you want to pack foods that are robust and can safely sit around on a warm summer day. Lettuce is prone to wilting, so it is not the best candidate for a picnic salad. If you are truly in need of a green salad, we suggest using a sturdy green like in this Strawberry Kale Salad.

Building a picnic salad requires a hearty base, fresh flavors, and if possible a delightful hidden surprise like pairing watermelon with balsamic or asparagus and potatoes.

Tips for the perfect picnic

Before we get to the perfect salad, you need to prepare for your picnic. We asked our community for their best picnic tips.

Make something delicious that everyone will love, and make a dish that is okay at “room” temperature.
– Kristina Sloggett, SpaBettie

Put a plastic container 3/4 full of water into the freezer the night before a picnic to make a big block of ice. It keeps food cool in a cooler for a long time!
– Cathy Brak, Cathy’s Gluten Free

Bring multiple plastic bags! One to put away all the garbage. One to contain all the dirty dishes/cutlery. Wet wipes or even a wet dishcloth in a container are super helpful. An elastic band to hold your hair because it will inevitably get windy.
– Candy Wong, @DessertByCandy

My favorite picnic tip is to tuck an activity in my basket, just in case we want to be outside longer or there’s a lull. Dominos or cards are great for adults, bubbles or a nature scavenger hunt if we have kids. And wine! Always bring wine.
– K.C. Cornwell, GF Foodie

My biggest tip is to bring tick spray as ticks have been out in full force.
– Sandi Gaertner, Fearless Dining

Picnic Salads Featuring Potatoes

Vegan Potato Salad Recipe (Top 14 free)

One of our favorite ways to bring extra color to a picnic plate.

Lemon Piccata Potato Salad (Vegan, contains cashews)

A bright version of the classic picnic favorite.

Sweet Potato Salad with Chili-Lime Dressing (Top 9 free & Gluten-free)

This salad is even better served at room temperature!

Picnic Salads Featuring Pasta

Gluten-Free Macaroni Salad (Contains Mayo – check out our vegan mayos to find the right one for you)

This easy deli-style Gluten-Free Macaroni Salad makes a delicious picnic side.

Antipasto Salad (Free from all nuts, soy, seeds, seafood, egg)

Loaded with grilled vegetables, cherry tomatoes and cannellini beans.

Spinach Orzo Pasta Salad (Free from all nuts, soy, sesame, Vegan)

Full of fresh herbs this pasta salad tastes better the longer it has time to marinate.

Homemade Garam Masala-nut free

Avocado BLT Pasta Salad (Top 8 free & Vegan)

Everything you love in a BLT with pasta! Crunchy with bits of bacon, and delightful.

Picnic Salads Featuring Fruit

Avocado, Cucumber, And Grapefruit Salad With Dill (Top 8 free, Vegan)

Full of different textures this salad is a treat as a dessert or paired with something savory.

Watermelon Salad (Top 8 free, Vegan)

A perfect fruit salad that surprises the taste buds with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.

Strawberry Kale Salad (Top 8 free, Vegan)

No missing out on something green with this refreshing and zingy kale salad.

A few things for your perfect picnic

Kortney

Kortney is your typical atopic triad who manages asthma, eczema and multiple food allergies. Kortney is a co-creator of the online community Allergy Travels and co-host of The Itch Podcast. She wants to spread joy in a community that can easily see the hard side of life with atopic disease and believes that you can have a full life with food allergies, it may just be lived a little differently!