Simple But Tasty Vegan Picnic Ideas

Summertime means it’s picnic season! And picnics are an excellent opportunity to showcase some yummy vegan foods. Picnics aren’t the place for elaborate dishes and complex recipes. You want something you can whip up quickly that is easy to eat and share with your friends. Plus, you want to bring a crowd-pleaser that everyone will enjoy. 

We’ve got some fantastic vegan picnic ideas so you won’t run out of options, no matter how many picnics you attend this summer! 

baguette for a vegan picnic

Baguette with vegan dips

A great vegan picnic idea that takes zero prep time is a fresh baguette with vegan dips. There are a number of delicious vegan dips that make the perfect companion to a soft, locally baked baguette. Who doesn’t love a warm baguette? Here are some vegan dips that pair well:

sandwiches for a vegan picnic

Vegan Sandwiches

Peanut butter and jam isn’t the only vegan sandwich option anymore. There are tons of ways you can make delicious vegan sandwiches that will impress all your omnivorous friends. First, let’s start with the bread. The bread can make or break a sandwich, whether it’s vegan or not. Aim to use fresh sourdough from a local bakery to really take your vegan sandwich to the next level. When you get that right, you can play around with other ingredients and recipes. Here are some of our favourite vegan sandwich options:

guacamole for a vegan picnic

Tortilla chips with salsa and guacamole 

What are picnics without some chips and dips? Salsa and guacamole are both already vegan and can be eaten with corn or wheat tortilla chips. 

Both salsa and guacamole are easy to prepare with basic ingredients and can be made in a heartbeat (or you can pick them up at any grocery store).

Rich, spicy salsa needs fresh cherry or grape tomatoes, red onions, jalapeno peppers for the heat, and fresh garlic cloves. Use cilantro, fresh agave, ground cumin, and lime juice to season your salsa and kick it up a notch. 

Guacamole starts with perfectly ripe, mashed avocados. Then add diced red onions, cherry tomatoes, cilantro, and some lime juice for extra tang! 

olives for a vegan picnic

Olives 

Marinated mixed olives make a delicious side dish for picnics since people can pick at them throughout the day. They require little to no prep since you can pick them up locally from a bakery or shop.  

If you do want to marinate them yourself, you can use herbs and spices to give them a more vibrant flavour. You can use garlic, lemon, rosemary, thyme, bay leaf, and olive oil to make the marinade. Then simply toss your olives and leave them to marinate in the fridge for a few hours.

pasta salad for a vegan picnic

Pasta salad 

Pasta salad is a great option for picnics since it doesn’t need to be heated and is relatively easy to serve. There are no limits to the different types of vegan pasta salad you can make, including mixing up different kinds of noodles, veggies and dressings. We love a broccoli pasta salad with red pepper pesto or a rainbow pasta salad with farfalle noodles, various coloured peppers, cucumbers and a vinaigrette.

The best thing about a pasta salad is that you can whip it up with pretty much any ingredients you have in your kitchen, so it’s a great way to use up any veggies that are sitting in your fridge. 

fruit salad for a vegan picnic

Fruit salad

Fruit salad is so fresh, juicy and sweet, making it the ultimate vegan picnic snack for a sunny day. It’s another option that doesn’t have a specific recipe, so you can improvise and make it with whatever fruit you have in your fridge. We recommend strawberries, kiwis, blueberries and mango, but you can add whatever you like. 

You can season your salad using maple syrup, lime juice, and poppy seeds to add some extra zing. It’s both delicious and super healthy, giving everyone a good dose of vitamin C. 

muffins for a vegan picnic

Zucchini muffins

Someone always needs to bring a dessert option to a picnic, and these vegan zucchini muffins are a great option. They are egg-free, gluten-free, nut-free, and can be made without using processed sugars. 

To make these muffins, you first need to make vegan buttermilk using almond milk and lemon juice. Then you prepare the zucchini by shredding it, stirring in flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Add coconut sugar to the buttermilk, and then mix it with the dry ingredients, and you’re ready to bake! You can also add in vegan chocolate chips or pecans if you want to add extra texture. The muffins are baked for about 30 minutes at 350°F (180°C). 

If you are in Whistler why not pick up one (or a few) of our vegan cinnamon buns!

Vegan picnic ideas

The next time you attend a picnic, you can rest assured that you have many delicious vegan food options in your repertoire. Whether you’re in a rush and need to pick up guacamole and chips or have the time to bake some muffins, there are various vegan picnic ideas to suit precisely what you’re looking for. Always remember to source ingredients locally and buy them in season as it guarantees ultimate freshness and supports the local economy.