Picnic Sandwiches - Yay!!

Picnic Sandwiches are any kind of sandwich that's easy to pack, easy to eat, and easy to clean up after. Oh, and of course it has to be delicious – I think that goes without saying. With warm weather coming soon, there are a few other things you should keep in mind.

If you're going to use mayonnaise in any of your sandwiches, be sure and have plenty of ice packs on hand. And eat them as soon as you take them out of the picnic basket or cooler. The best way to solve this problem, however, is to substitute something in place of the mayo.

Many vegan sandwich spreads would be perfect in this situation as there is no dairy products to go bad or spoil. Try a vegan mayo, dressing, spread, or sauce in place of the traditional mayonnaise.

Mayo Substitutes for Picnic Sandwiches

Try mustard. There are so many to choose from. Dijon, spicy, brown, or your regular yellow mustard. You could even try honey, or any of the specialty mustards, that you can find. Be adventurous.

You can try vegan butter or maybe something exciting like cranberry sauce. Hummus would also work, or even a nut spread would work, depending on the type of sandwich you're making. Any spread that doesn't contain eggs should work just fine.

Meat or Cheese Sandwiches...?

If you're going to have meat, like cold cuts, in your sandwiches, keep them in the cooler or basket with plenty of ice till serving time. The same applies to sides like salads that normally contain eggs or mayo. Keep them on ice. Or as with the spreads, look for vegan salad recipes instead. You'll still need to keep them cool, however, there's less chance for spoilage.

For drinks, try those individual drink boxes. Freeze them first. By the time everyone's ready to eat, the drinks will be thawed out and ready to drink. Plus they'll do double duty by serving as ice packs for keeping food cool.

Picnic Sides

Try sides like cheese cubes or slices, (check out the new vegan options). If you going to have cheese, crackers are a must. Veggies with dips (again opt for a vegan dip), like carrot, or celery sticks, cherry tomatoes, snow peas, broccoli and cauliflower cut into bite sized pieces, and cucumber slices with balsamic vinegar. Pickles, speared, or sliced into chips will also make great sides.

And all kinds of fruit, from watermelons, honeydew, cantaloupe, and don't forget the mangos; can be cut into bite-sized pieces. Did I say fruit salad? No, but that sounds like a great addition for a picnic.

A bowl of fruit would work as well. If you get bags of smaller sized apples, bananas, and oranges, you'll perfect sized snacks for your meal. Clementines are already small, so there's another perfect sized fruit snack for your picnic. And of course a few bunches of grapes will round out the meal.

Chips, pretzels, and tortilla chips with salsa can round out any meal, especially a picnic where finger food is king. 

Best Picnic Sandwiches

So what kind of sandwiches will you take for your picnic? Here are a few we think would be perfect.

• Turkey Grape Pita
• Asian Chicken Wrap
• Barbecue Beef Wrap
• Inside-Out Sandwiches
• Lawash Wrap Recipes

We suggested these because they are wraps. Wraps are a neat sandwich option for eating on the go. Everything is neatly tucked inside your bread, so you can eat without everything falling out. 

The same thing with pita, although you just need to make sure your filling isn't too juicy, or you will end up with a little spillage. Slipping each pita in a wax paper baggie will help if this is a problem.

Best Breads for Picnic Sandwiches

When you go on a picnic, you want to use sturdier breads, like sourdough or ciabatta rolls. We've always loved both of these options just for sandwiches in general. For picnics, though, we like them even more. 

You can easily scoop out a bit of bread from the ciabatta roll and add your filling, wrap it in wax, parchment, or freezer paper. You'll have a neat and handy sandwich!

Sourdough would work well for cold cuts with sliced cheese. When you get to your destination, add a few sliced tomatoes, lettuce, and a pickle or two that you've prepped and placed in separate containers.

Vegan Picnic Sandwiches

There are some vegan or plant-based sandwich options you might like to try for your picnic. Fillings like smashed chickpeas are a great substitute for tuna or chicken.

Tempeh slices, tofu slices, and sliced mushrooms, are easy substitutes for bacon. Pulled jackfruit can substitute for pulled pork. And black bean burgers are a delicious option when you want something besides beef.

• Smashed Chickpea Salad Sandwich
• Smoky Tempeh Sandwich with Micro Greens
• Vegan BLT with Avocado
• Vegan Pulled Pork (Jackfruit) Sandwich
• Black Bean Burger

A Few Spread Suggestions

Here are a couple spread suggestions that would be perfect for making sandwiches or using as a dip for your veggie sticks, broccoli, or cauliflower. Try them out for your next sandwich.

• Herbed Lentil Spread
• Hummus Recipes

Well, if you start now, you may be ready in time for a quick picnic lunch, or possibly a picnic dinner. Or maybe you'll have to wait until tomorrow. Just remember, any day is a great day for a picnic, even if it's on a blanket spread out on the living room floor! So try one of our picnic sandwiches, or share one of yours.

Here's a link I found for 50 vegan picnic ideas. (Link opens a new window).

A quick word. This page may contain affiliate links. 

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