The best picnic foods are hand-held, mess-free and safe even if they sit in the heat. We rounded up a few options for everything from mains to dessert. Now pack up that basket and head to one of our favorite picnic sites in Little Rock. 

Mains

Crispy Picnic Chicken

via Cooking in Bloom

Ingredients:

  • 1 package raw chicken tenders or 2 boneless chicken breast cut into strips
  • 1 cup panko bread crumbs
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon parsley flakes
  • 1/2 cup Italian dressing

Dipping Sauce:

  • 1 tablespoon mustard (any mustard can be used here, we like Dijon)
  • 1/4 cup honey

For the full recipe, click here. 

Vegetarian Club

via Love & Lemons

Ingredients:

  • 8 slices Multigrain Bread, toasted
  • Several handfuls of watercress
  • 3 tomatoes, thinly sliced
  • 1 small cucumber, thinly sliced
  • 2 small avocados, thinly sliced
  • 8 ounces Marinated Tempeh Strips

White Bean and Sun-Dried Tomato sandwich spreads:

  • 1 15-ounce can white beans, drained and rinsed
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • Juice of 1 medium lemon
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 to 4 sun-dried tomatoes

For the full recipe, click here. 

Sides

Easy Fruit Salad 

via Delish

For the dressing: 

  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
  • Zest of 1 lemon

For the salad: 

  • 1 pound strawberries, hulled and quartered
  • 6 ounces blueberries
  • 6 ounces raspberries
  • 3 kiwis, peeled and sliced
  • 1 orange, peeled and wedges cut in half
  • 2 apples, peeled and chopped
  • 1 mango, peeled and chopped
  • 2 cups grapes

For the full recipe, click here. 

Cowboy Caviar

via Good Housekeeping

Ingredients:

  • 1/3 cup lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 clove garlic, grated
  • Kosher salt and pepper
  • 1 15.5 ounce can black-eyed peas, rinsed
  • 1/2 pound Campari or plum tomatoes, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
  • 2 scallions, finely chopped 
  • 1 yellow pepper, finely chopped
  • 1 large jalapeño, finely chopped
  • 1 cup fresh corn kernels, from about 2 ears
  • 1 avocado, cut into 1/2-inch pieces 
  • 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
  • Chips, for serving

For the full recipe, click here. 

Drinks

Old Fashioned Lemonade

via Country Living 

Ingredients: 

  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups fresh lemon juice (from about 10 lemons), plus 2 lemons, sliced
  • Berries and fresh mint sprigs, for serving

For the full recipe, click here. 

White Peach Sangria

via Southern Kitchen 

Ingredients: 

  • 1 (750-milliliter) bottle medium-bodied white wine, such as pinot grigio or albarino
  • 3/4 cup brandy
  • 3/4 cup honey
  • Juice of 1 orange
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 3 ripe peaches, pitted and diced
  • 1 cup raspberries

For the full recipe, click here. 

Desserts

Picnic Berry Shortcakes

via Taste of Home

Ingredients: 

  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 2 cups sliced fresh strawberries, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon grated lime zest
  • 2 individual round sponge cakes
  • 2 cups fresh blueberries
  • Whipped topping, optional

For the full recipe, click here. 

Chocolate Dipped Pretzel S’mores

via Tablespoon

Ingredients: 

  • 18 pretzels
  • 27 mini marshmallows
  • 9 squares of a Hershey's milk chocolate bar
  • 1 cup chopped chocolate
  • Sprinkles

For the full recipe, click here.