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Picnic Food Ideas and Tips

Easy Recipes and Tips for Perfect Summer Picnics

By , About.com Guide

Summer picnics are for food, fun and laughter - not for messing in the kitchen for hours. With these easy picnic ideas and tips, you'llave all the fun with none of the hassle.

Get the party started with my sure-fire tips for grilling the perfect burgers. And make up a big batch of homemade lemonade with the kids, using my easy recipe. Fried chicken is the perfect picnic food because you can make it in advance and serve it cold if you like (or just warm in the oven for a few minutes before serving).

And don't forget the sides and salads. My easy picnic salad recipes include all the classics, like potato salad, cole slaw, broccoli salads and fruit salads. And no picnic would be complete without dessert. These easy summer desserts will have your guests going home happy -- guaranteed!

Take This Quiz to Learn How to Practice Picnic Food Safety

Beef burgers recipeStephanie Gallagher
What temperature should chicken breasts be cooked to? How long is it safe to leave potato salad out? Discover the answers to these questions and more by taking my Picnic Food Safety Quiz.

Tips for Grilling Burgers

tips for grilling burgersMark Weiss/Getty Images
If you want to go with a classic entree for your picnic, there's nothing better than burgers. These tips will tell you everything from how to choose the best meat for the juiciest burgers to how to season burgers properly to how to know when a burger is cooked through.

How to Make Fried Chicken

Fried ChickenStephanie Gallagher
I'm a big fan of make-ahead dishes. The only problem with some barbecues and summer picnic foods is that you have to make the main course at the last minute. With fried chicken, though, you can make it ahead of time and serve it cold. Or heat it up. The choice is yours. But you don't have to fuss at the last minute, so you have more time to be with your friends.

This step-by-step instructions show you how to make perfectly crispy, juicy buttermilk fried chicken.

Salad Recipes

Strawberry Spinach SaladStephanie Gallagher
Round out your picnic with these easy salad recipes. You'll discover vegetable salad recipes, fruit salad recipes, pasta salad recipes, potato salad recipes and more salads to fill out your perfect picnic.

How to Make Lemonade

LemonadeStephanie Gallagher
There is nothing quite like the sweet-tart taste of lemonade on a hot summer day. With these step-by-step directions, you can make your own homemade lemonade in minutes.

Easy Summer Desserts

Easy Summer DessertsStephanie Gallagher
Complete your picnic with something sweet. Choose from 10 easy summer dessert recipes, including homemade strawberry ice cream, blueberry pie, ice cream sandwich cake and the best chocolate chip cookies.

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