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Collage of 15 cheap picnic sides and main dishes.
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15 Easy and Cheap Picnic Recipe Ideas

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Planning a picnic at the park? Here are 15 cheap picnic ideas, and all of them are delicious family favorites! Make these recipes for easy picnic sides and main dish meals to enjoy with family or friends on your fun day out!

Collage of 15 cheap picnic sides and main dishes.

Our Favorite Cheap Picnic Ideas

Having a picnic at the park is a great way to spend quality time with family and friends without breaking the bank. With some simple planning, you can create a fun and memorable experience without spending a lot of money.

One of the best ways to save money is by bringing your own food! Using leftovers is an easy way to put together some cheap meals.

Consider making a crockpot ham or Dutch oven carnitas, then use the leftovers to create sliders or sandwiches. This is a kid-friendly, delicious, and budget friendly idea.

You could also take along a few of your favorite portable desserts. Just be sure to pack them in a cooler to keep them fresh.

overhead: people having a picnic in the park.

If you’re looking for cheap picnic ideas, consider simple snacks like fresh fruit, nuts, and crackers. You can even create a DIY trail mix by combining your favorite roasted nuts, dried fruits, and some chocolate chips or candies like M&Ms.

When it comes to picnic side dishes, there are plenty of options! Some of our favorite easy picnic sides are cold salads and pasta side dishes like cowboy salad and zesty Italian pasta salad. These dishes are not only easy to make, but they can also be made ahead of time, so you don’t have to worry about preparing them on the day of your picnic.

5 Cheap Picnic Ideas for Your Picnic at the Park

  • Make and bring your own food.
  • Pack simple snacks.
  • Bring along games and activities that everyone will enjoy.
  • Find ways to enjoy the great outdoors.
  • Go geocaching or have a scavenger hunt.

If you’re looking for some park picnic ideas, consider bringing some games and activities to keep everyone entertained. You can bring a frisbee, a football, or even a board game to play. Another fun idea is to bring a kite and fly it in the open space.

wooden tables with seats in a serene wooded area next to a lake.

With these tips, you can create a fun and budget-friendly picnic experience that everyone will enjoy.

Picnic Side Dish Ideas That Are Easy to Make in Bulk

Tuscan Bean Salad
This Tuscan bean salad is bright, fresh, and full of vegetables. You'll love the bold flavors combined with the creamy white beans. Great on its own or as a side.
Check out this recipe
a white bowl of tuscan bean salad with silverware to the right and a striped napkin on the left with the corner of another bowl of white bean salad showing on the top right
Quick Pasta with Peas
Pasta with Peas is a 20-minute recipe for a flavor-packed meal of pesto pasta with veggies! Also delicious cold as a rotini pea pasta salad!
Check out this recipe
Fork in a serving bowl of pesto pasta with veggies, garnished with fresh basil.
White Cheddar Mac and Cheese
White Cheddar Mac and Cheese is a rich, creamy, and easy to make mac n cheese casserole. This 30 minute recipe makes a great potluck dish!
National Pasta Day Recipe Roundup
Casserole dish of baked white cheddar mac and cheese.
Crock Pot Pinto Beans with Bacon
Enjoy the best of Southern comfort food with this recipe for Crock Pot Pinto Beans. Thanks to dried beans, this is a nutritious and filling, and budget-friendly dinner that the whole family will love.
Check out this recipe
a square photo of a green bowl of slow cooker pinto beans with bacon.
Tex Mex Cowboy Salad
For a delicious twist on Texas caviar, make a Cowboy Salad! With veggies, beans and corn, our Tex Mex salad recipe is an easy summer side.
Check out this recipe
Vegan chopped cowboy salad in a white bowl.

5 Easy Picnic Sides with Fruit

Think outside of the bowl here- fruit doesn’t necessarily have to be in the form of a salad to be portable!

Strawberry Blueberry Salad
Strawberry Blueberry Salad is an easy mixed berry salad with marshmallows tossed in a bright citrus poppy seed dressing. Perfect for July 4th!
Check out this recipe
Small cups filled with mini marshmallows and red and blue berries.
Bisquick Banana Bread
This Bisquick banana bread is the simplest quick bread recipe for a sweet, soft banana loaf in just 10 minutes, with or without nuts!
Check out this recipe
square photo of Bisquick Banana Bread with a bowl of butter and bread knife on top of a wooden board.
Cheesecake Salad
Red White and Blue Cheesecake Salad is the perfect fruity, no-bake dessert for summer. Make this 4th of July salad recipe- it’ll be a hit!
Check out this recipe
4th of July salad in a trifle bowl.
Layered red white and blue fruit salad on a table next to red white and blue checked kitchen towel.
Fruit and Cheese Skewers using our Christmas Tree Appetizer Board Ingredients)
Make the most festive appetizer with the Fruit and Cheese Christmas Tree Appetizer! It's easy to create and looks stunning at a party.
Check out this recipe
Christmas Tree Cheese Appetizer on a wooden board with a dark background.
German Apple Cake
This authentic German kuchen is a soft, rustic cake filled with juicy apples. Make this impressive apple cake for a sweet fall dessert!
Check out this recipe
Apple kuchen on a table next to a gingham check linen kitchen towel and a gold serving spoon.

Main Dish Recipes for Your Picnic at the Park

Quick Pesto Tortellini Salad
Pesto Tortellini Salad is a light, refreshing Italian dish for summer. Make our 20-minute recipe for an easy meal of tortellini pasta salad!
Check out this recipe
Bowl of cold pesto tortellini salad with a fork placed on top.
Sourdough Garlic Bread + Video Tutorial
Slices of soft sourdough garlic bread are incredibly delicious for sandwiches and garlic toast! This garlic sourdough recipe is a must-make.
Check out this recipe
Baked bread round on a plaid napkin.
Grilled Burgers on Homemade Hamburger Buns
For the best flavor and freshness, make these easy hamburger buns! They taste amazing and only take 30 minutes to make.
Check out this recipe
Homemade burger buns on a baking sheet.
Calico Bean Casserole with Bacon
Calico baked beans with ground beef is a hearty, delicious dinner or potluck dish. Use canned beans and the recipe is even easier to make!
Check out this recipe
Dish of baked beans with ground beef.
Better Than Chick Fil A Grilled Nuggets
Chick Fil A grilled nuggets are brined and seasoned for deliciously juicy bites. Use this copycat recipe to grill chicken nuggets at home!
Check out this recipe
Platter full of grilled chicken bites.
3 Ingredient BBQ Sauce
Make this tangy, honey BBQ sauce with 3 simple ingredients! It's perfect for dipping chicken tenders, fries, and so much more. Just stir and serve with this no cook recipe.
Check out this recipe
basting chicken with 3 ingredient bbq no cook sauce
Homemade Shake and Bake Chicken
Learn how to bake juicy, extra crispy, breaded Shake and Bake chicken in the oven or air fryer for panko chicken tenders in 25 minutes!
Check out this recipe
shake and bake chicken tenders placed on a parchment paper on top of a wood serving plate
shake and bake chicken tenders placed on a parchment paper on top of a wood serving plate
Spicy Honey Mustard
Hot honey mustard sauce is creamy, tangy, sweet and spicy, and perfect for dipping chicken tenders, fries, and so much more. Best of all, this classic recipe is easy to make with 4 ingredients!
Check out this recipe
a weck jar of hot honey mustard sauce
Crowd Pleasing Italian Sliders
Italian Sliders are the perfect mini sandwiches for game day, tailgating, holiday parties and potlucks. This recipe is a crowd pleaser!
Check out this recipe
Baked Italian sliders in a white baking dish.

Supplies to Take Along

titled graphic of cheap picnic ideas.

Mixing chopped red cabbage and cukes with creamy dressing in a large bowl.
Crunchy Cucumber Slaw PREVIOUS
Plated slice of sourdough cake with remaining apple cake in a baking dish behind it.

Easy Chicken Recipes

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Easy Chicken Recipes

Get our free digital cookbook with TFN’s favorite easy chicken recipes!