Portable Labor Day Picnic Favorites (That Taste Even Better Outside)

The days that can entail plans for a picnic are numbered, and Labor Day might be your last opportunity for a true eat-outside affair this year.

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Italian Combo and Broccoli Rabe Pressed Hero

FNK_PorkAndBroccoliRabePressedSandwich_H

Food Network Kitchen’s Pork and Broccoli Rabe Pressed Sandwich for Summer Slow Cooker/Zucchini Fries/Picnic Brick-Pressed Sandwiches, as seen on Food Network.

Photo by: Renee Comet ©2016, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved

Renee Comet, 2016, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved

The days that can entail plans for a picnic are numbered, and Labor Day might be your last opportunity for a true eat-outside affair this year. End the summer season the right way with our tips for  how to plan the perfect picnic, plus our full lineup of picnic-perfect recipes.

If you haven't gone for one of our brand-new  Brick-Pressed Sandwiches just yet, what are you waiting for? The impressively jam-packed sandwiches, like this Italian Combo and Broccoli Rabe Pressed Hero number (pictured above), rely on the force of gravity, which helps load as many ingredients as humanly possible into one sandwich — and they might just be the feed-a-crowd element your picnics have been missing.

Corn Salsa

Photo by: Alice Gao ©2014, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved.

Alice Gao, 2014, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved.

Kick off your end-of-summer picnic with Trisha Yearwood's chunky  Corn Salsa, loaded with white and yellow corn, jalapenos, chiles and scallions. Simply whip it up at home and pack it away in Tupperware (and don't forget the bag of tortilla chips).

Layered Picnic-in-a-Jar

Photo by: Alice Gao ©2014, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved.

Alice Gao, 2014, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved.

Sure, you could pack your picnic loot in a basket, but who really owns one of those unwieldy, woven things? Not us. Instead, layer all the goods in individual jars for Melissa d'Arabian's mess-free, on-the-go  Layered Picnic-in-a-Jar.

Broccoli Salad

Photo by: Matt Armendariz ©2014, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved

Matt Armendariz, 2014, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved

When it comes to offering up something fresh at your outdoor picnic, a wilted, leafy green salad just won't do. Instead, you can look to broccoli: It's a sturdy vegetable that's happy to be dressed at home, and it will remain good and crunchy till chowtime. Trisha's Broccoli Salad is fresh, substantial and flavorful, scattered with smoky bacon, nutty sunflower seeds and chewy raisins.

Warm Picnic Burritos

Photo by: Matt Armendariz ©2013, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved.

Matt Armendariz, 2013, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved.

Gone are the days of taking limp sandwiches and cold sides to a picnic. Outdoor eating calls for an exciting alternative that's just as easy to make: zesty, on-the-go Warm Picnic Burritos that are filled with shredded beef marinated in chile-lime sauce.

Classic Lemon Bars

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Squares of dessert topped with powdered sugar

And when it comes to dessert, you'll want something that's sweet, sliceable and easily portable. Food Network Magazine's Classic Lemon Bars are just the thing, and they've got that sunshine-y appeal that'll have you feeling the summertime vibes all day off long.

Check out even more Labor Day recipe ideas from our friends of #SummerSoiree:

A Mind "Full" Mom:  Easy Slow-Cooker BBQ Drumsticks

In Jennie's Kitchen:  Salted Thyme Chocolate Chip Cookies

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