Summer Picnic Ideas

Butterball’s Master Chef Tony Seta, one of only 62 Master Chefs in the nation, has over 25 years of experience cultivating creative and signature items for chain restaurants and food manufacturers. We asked him how he likes to picnic and here are a few of his chef-tastic suggestions.

3 Rules

Keep it Seasonal: Build your picnic menu around seasonal items. Purchase in-season and/or local fruits, vegetables and herbs to blend into your everyday recipes.

Keep it Simple: Pre-slice your breads at home and bring along a few condiments for easy DIY sandwich-making. Also, pre-cook, pre-slice and chill your own meat for a hassle-free picnic experience.

Keep it Fresh: It’s difficult to keep warm food at the right temperature during transport, so stick to cold and chilled items instead. Be sure to separate sandwich ingredients during transport so they arrive in the best condition and include ice-packs in containers that hold proteins.

A Family Affair

Make everyone happy: Bring along fun sandwich options like butter lettuce, hard-cooked eggs, creative condiments and artisan bread to add flavor to everyday sandwiches. By separating sandwich items beforehand, kids and adults can pick and choose their own condiments and ingredients. If you’re grilling franks or burgers for the little ones, consider buying a heartier bun that you can turn into more grown-up fare.

Make it Fun: For an activity both kids and adults are sure to enjoy, try incorporating a hands-on recipe into your picnic using kid-friendly ingredients, like this Turkey Pretzel Roll-up

Turkey Pretzel Roll-Up

Sunset for Two

Make it Sweet: Create an easy gourmet dish by smoking turkey over sweet maple chips at home. Be sure to slice the turkey and chill below 40°. When you’re ready to eat, add the turkey to a slice of bread with a creative condiment and you’ve got a delicious treat for two. For a fresh dessert, bring along angel food cake for two. Dress with fresh fruit, toss with Limoncello and add a touch of honey for sweetness.

Make it Special: Bring along a bottle of white wine. Dry Riesling pairs excellently with spring and summer ingredients.