27 Mother’s Day Picnic Recipes To Perfect This Spring

Dining alfresco is one of the best parts about spring’s arrival. However, it can be tricky to know which foods can be served outside, and which are best enjoyed at the table indoors. We’ve rounded up some of our favorite picnic recipes, from sandwiches and wraps to fruit salad and cookies, that are easy to whip up and transport—and that are special enough for a Mother's Day meal. Just take this simple pasta salad, for example. It's super versatile—it can be adapted with different dressings, vegetables or other additions. Whether you serve it cold or at room temperature, this crisp side dish is flavorful and refreshing.

Ready in just 35 minutes, these sweet and savory muffins are great for breakfast, lunch or dinner. They’re easy to snack on, but they make a great side dish when slathered with homemade orange butter.

This spinach artichoke pasta salad transforms a classic dip into a fresh, creamy dish packed with tender pasta, greens and tangy artichokes. Easy to toss together, it’s a flavorful side that works for everything from casual lunches to warm-weather gatherings.

This is the most delicious way to clean out your vegetable drawer that we can think of. The flavorful quiche is packed with veggies—and it’s versatile enough to use whatever you have on hand. The buttery crust adds crispy crunch to every bite.

Chewy, tart lemon bars are perfect for a picnic because they’re refreshing and fruity. The simple crust is pleasantly moist and crumbly, and it helps keep the tart lemon filling in place. Serve with a fresh dusting of confectioners' sugar.

This lightened up wrap recipe is extra refreshing on a warm day. The romaine lettuce leaves act as the wrap for the simple sandwich, and a bit of parchment paper helps it all stay in place while you’re on the go. Serve with homemade sriracha mayonnaise for a bit of spice.

A crisp and hearty salad is perfect for a picnic. It’s fresh, easy to toss together, and can be served cool, warm or at room temperature. This green salad gets extra flavor from shallot, Dijon and creamy, tangy goat cheese.

These salted butterscotch blondies are rich, chewy and packed with deep caramel flavor, finished with a touch of salt for the perfect sweet-savory balance. Easy to bake and even easier to love, they’re a crowd-pleasing treat for any occasion.

Deviled eggs are the perfect party food, and picnics are no different. Although the classic recipes are a fan favorite, this easy spin is a fun way to add extra flavor. Lemon adds bright freshness, and capers add complex, briny flavor. Before serving, garnish parsley and paprika.

These easy sandwiches are a fun way to enjoy caprese salad without the need for plates, knives or forks. Ciabatta loaves are the perfect vessel for devouring the smoky sandwich that’s bursting with fresh mozzarella, juicy tomato and peppery arugula.

These cute little cakes are the perfect way to impress the extra-special mom in your life. Peanut butter and jelly is a timeless combination, and baking those flavors into cake form makes them even more delicious. Garnish with freshly-dusted confectioners' sugar before serving.

A picnic alfresco isn’t complete without a cool and refreshing drink. This bubbly sangria is packed with fruity strawberries, blueberries and oranges, and it gets an extra splash of fruity flavor from the addition of orange liqueur. It’s one of the easiest cocktail recipes you can make, and it takes just five minutes to pull together.

Tiny, delicate tea sandwiches belong at a picnic. This recipe will walk you through two easy sandwiches—a smoked salmon and cucumber tea sandwich and an egg and bacon sandwich. Each of which are moist, flavorful and perfect for serving a crowd.

Nothing says sunshine like snacking on shrimp cocktail alfresco. That’s why we love this easy recipe that takes the traditional shrimp cocktail and serves it in fun phyllo cups. These crunchy cups are easy to find in the grocery store, and they’re the perfect vessel for serving savory shrimp.

If you love to enjoy an afternoon tea or coffee, these tea cookies are a must-have. Store-bought puffed pastry combines with lemon juice and confectioner’s sugar to make these sweet and simple snacks that can be enjoyed any time of day. Five minutes is all you need to prep the ingredients, and 15 minutes in the oven cooks them to crispy, golden perfection.

Picnics require foods that can be eaten by hand, so we love these individual avocado toasts that are ideal for eating without silverware. The pumpernickel bread adds a dark, caramelized flavor, and fresh dill brightens up every bite.

Fresh veggies have never looked better than they do here, paired with a bright and refreshing dill-yogurt dip. Be sure to choose a colorful array for the prettiest presentation.

This healthy salad feeds a crowd, which means it’s the perfect thing to bring to a spring picnic. Cucumbers and tomatoes make it perfectly juicy, and mint adds unbeatable freshness. The best part? It only takes 35 minutes to prepare.

Nothing rounds out a picnic better than a bucket of homemade fried chicken. Even cold it’s incredibly juicy and delicious. With this honey sweet-and-savory version, wait to drizzle with honey until right before serving.

It's just not a picnic without a glass of lemonade. To give this classic sip a nice twist for Mother's Day, make a syrup with fresh ginger beforehand. Added to the lemon juice and topped with a bit of club soda, it makes for a mocktail-style drink that Mom is sure to love.

Fresh fruit is perfect to enjoy on a picnic, because it tastes great when cold or at room temperature. It’s versatile too, and this recipe can be adapted with any fresh and flavorful fruit you have on hand. Grated ginger adds deep, complex flavor.

This super simple frittata recipe takes just five minutes to prepare and can be ready in under a half hour. It’s packed with flavor from fresh herbs like dill and chives, and smoked salmon adds smoky, savory bits in every bite. Serve with crunchy potatoes or a crisp salad.

Bring along these travel-friendly jars, filled with your favorite picnic sides. They're easy to make and pack — and can effortlessly feed several people, depending on the size of the jar.

Peppers are the perfect vessel for stuffing. In this recipe, each individual pepper gets stuffed with tasty additions like tomatoes, orzo and Serrano ham. Capers add salty bites of flavor, and parsley adds bright freshness.

This ham and cheese quick bread recipe is easy to prep in advance and serve the next day. Each bite is filled with bits of deli ham and gruyere cheese, so it’s slightly sweet and pleasantly savory. A honey mustard glaze is the perfect way to top it all off.

These tasty cookies look like absolute perfection, and they taste like them too. However, mastering perfect macarons can be tricky—the impressive cookie can be finicky. Don’t worry, this recipe breaks down every step needed to craft the perfect almond macarons filled with rich, creamy chocolate.