15 Easy + Cheap Picnic Ideas (Recipes)

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.

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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 with cola glaze or Dutch oven pulled pork , then use the leftovers for Dutch oven pulled pork 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.

For cheap picnic ideas, consider simple snacks like fresh fruit, nuts, and crackers. You can create a DIY trail mix by combining your favorite roasted nuts, dried fruits, and 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.

Tuscan Bean Salad

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!

Quick Pasta with Peas

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 delicious comfort food meal or side dish. Use our recipe and tips for the best white macaroni and cheese!

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.

Crock Pot Pinto Beans with Bacon

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.

Tex Mex Cowboy Salad

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!

Strawberry Blueberry Salad

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!

Bisquick Banana Bread

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!

Cheesecake Salad

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.

Fruit and Cheese Skewers using our Christmas Tree Appetizer Board Ingredients

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!

German Apple Cake

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!

Quick Pesto Tortellini Salad

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.

Sourdough Garlic Bread + Video Tutorial

Grilled Burgers on Homemade Hamburger Buns

Make the best homemade burgers with this quick burger buns recipe. Soft and fluffy buns are ready in 30 minutes and you can even freeze them for later.

Grilled Burgers on Homemade Hamburger Buns

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!

Calico Bean Casserole with Bacon

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!

Better Than Chick Fil A Grilled Nuggets

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.

3 Ingredient BBQ Sauce

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!

Homemade Shake and Bake Chicken

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!

Spicy Honey Mustard