Food is the main highlight of every picnic. Whether in the park or at some getaway beach, or even at your own backyard, food can make or break your picnic. Food completes the whole picnic experience and you want that to be as enjoyable as possible. So, choosing and preparing picnic food should be given proper attention and dealt with care and thought.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal live. John 3:16 (NIV)

There are certain foods that are usually prepared or packed in picnics. They are so common that they are usually labeled as classic picnic foods or traditional picnic foods. They are not the rules though; you don't necessarily have to have them if you personally don't like them. You can, of course, try to be contemporary and choose your favorite food instead. But there are some things you have to consider.

The first thing to keep in mind, and also a general rule, in choosing your picnic food is safety - food safety. Because it will take some time, say a few hours, before you eat your packed food, it is very important that your food does not spoil easily. Consider too, the weather; if it's especially hot on your picnic day, that can also speed up moisture and bacteria growth in your food.

Popular picnic foods are those not easily spoiled, not too messy to store, convenient and easy to prepare (with readily available ingredients), and of course, delicious.

Here are the top 3 picks recipes of popular picnic foods. These recipes are common and quite flexible. You can customize some ingredients according to your taste and preference. Some ingredients are optional; you can either skipped it or find an alternative instead. Of course, consider the number of servings you would like to make.

Picnic sandwiches
(hotdog sandwich, ham sandwich, egg sandwich, burger or chicken sandwich)
Buns or sandwich bread (you can also choose whole wheat bread)
(depends on your preference)
Hotdog
Ham (sliced)
Chicken fillet or patties
Egg (hard-boiled and mashed)
Beef burger (patties)
Cheddar cheese (slice or grated)
Lettuce
Tomato (sliced)
Cucumber (sliced)
Pickles
Ketchup
Mayo or mustard
Salt and pepper

If you're making hotdog, chicken, ham, or burger sandwiches, you can either grill or pan fry the meats. Either way, whatever kind of sandwich you are making, you basically stack the meat next to the bun. On top of that, stack the cheese, tomato, cucumber, pickles, and lettuce next to each other. Add ketchup and mayo. In a separate bowl, you can also combine these two and add salt and pepper to taste.

Coleslaw
3 cups cabbage, shredded
1.5 cups carrot, shredded
1 cup red onion rings
1 cup sour cream
4 tbsp vinegar (cane or red vinegar)
2 tbsp water

Mix cabbage, carrots, and onions in a bowl or plastic container. Cover bowl or container with plastic cling wrap and chill for at least one hour. On a separate container, mix well vinegar, water, and cream. Cover and chill. Make sure they're sealed tight in a covered container and put them inside the cooler too. Bring them out and

Fried Chicken
Fresh chicken (cut into parts)
Chicken breading / coating
Cooking oil (for frying)

Wash the chicken clean with tap water. Put them in a strainer and set aside to let excess water drip. Coat breading with ready-mix chicken breading (these are available in local groceries). Let it sit for a while (15 minutes at least). You can re-coat them if you like. Heat cooking oil in a frying pan until smoking hot. When the oil is ready, deep-fry the coated chicken parts until golden brown.

Lauren McNeal invites you to take a look at the latest picnic baskets offered at Epicnicbasket.com. Specialists in lunch bags, picnic supplies and outdoor gifts, you're sure to find something to your liking.

Article Source: EzineArticles.com

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