What to Bring on a Picnic: Snacks Edition

There are few things more idyllic than grabbing a best friend, a blanket you don’t care about, and a whole bunch of your favorite foods and heading out to a beautiful park to bask in the sun and stuff yourself with snacks. And if you’re wondering what to bring on a picnic, naturally, we’re here to help. Yes, any snack can be one of the best picnic snacks if you plan accordingly, but some snacks just hit different in the great outdoors. Here are our picks for the best picnic snacks, from salty to sweet to bougie.

 Honey Dijon Kettle Chips

Who goes on a picnic without chips? Couldn’t be me. And if I am going to be bringing chips anyway (as is the law), may as well bring the best Kettle Brand chip flavor out there: Honey Dijon. Sporked Contributor Danny Palumbo said these chips were “just so sweet, tangy, and mustardy. The flavor is almost caramelized—it’s powerfully rich and deliciously savory.” In other words, they’re one of the best picnic snacks and you should have them in your picnic basket.

Read the full ranking of the best Kettle Brand chip flavors

Old Croc Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Sometimes it isn’t a “junk food and chill” picnic. Sometimes it isn’t even a “grab sandwiches and chill” kind of picnic. Sometimes, it’s a bougie, fancy, well-deserved, charcuterie board picnic date. And whether that’s with your s/o or your besties, one of the top snacks for a picnic date (especially a charcuterie-centric one) is this delicious cheddar from Old Croc. Managing editor Gwynedd Stuart called this cheese “special-occasion sharp cheddar,” and I fully agree. This aged cheese has “those tasty little crystals” as Gwynedd called them, and just an overall aura of quality and fanciness. Add it to your list of what to bring on a picnic; you won’t be disappointed.

Read the full ranking of the best cheddar cheese

La Terra Fina Artichoke & Jalapeño Dip

Everybody has a different idea of what to bring on a picnic. Some people want tasty, healthy foods you can snack on for hours while you chat. Others like an elevated charcuterie extravaganza. And others still want a boatload of delicious snacks you can really dig into and then digest while lying on your janky beach towel and staring up at the sky. All are valid picnicking methods to be sure, but if you aren’t yet sure what the vibe will be, bring along some of this dip. It’s great for dipping veggies and pita chips, it would go great on a charcuterie board, and if the vibe is just good, tasty food, this is absolutely one of the best snacks for a picnic with some good ol’ fashioned tortilla chips.  Our tasting team described this dip as rich, tangy, and bright. “If you’ve had the artichoke and jalapeno dip from Trader Joe’s,” Sporked’s Jordan Myrick wrote, “this is similar but 100 times better.” What more do you need to hear? Throw this in the basket.

Flipz Milk Chocolate Covered Pretzels

There are few things as versatile as chocolate-covered pretzels. They can be a snack, a dessert, an addition to a charcuterie board, or a whole meal (in a pinch…we don’t advocate for strictly eating a diet of chocolate-covered pretzels, though we do think that would be fun). So whether you’re looking for the best picnic snacks for a lunch date with your gal pals or a Hinge date with a stranger, these pretzels can be a great fit for either. Not to mention these are just so. dang. good. Jordan pointed out that “the ratio of chocolate to pretzel is perfect,” adding that the sweet and salty components are perfectly balanced. Have I mentioned these are perfect?

Related: Best Chocolate Covered Pretzels: The Top 4 Will Make You Flipz

Mezetta Garlic Stuffed Olives

Sure, you might be stuck picnicking in the crummy park near your apartment, but you can pretend you’re in a Tuscan olive grove if you pack these salty babies. These were the best olives Danny tried during his green olive taste test—”pickled, pungent, firm, salty, oily, and briny,” as he put it. They feel fancier than other olives, too, thanks to the big, bold flavor of the garlic clove that’s been nestled where the pit used to be. Throw some in a baggie and impress your picnic pals.

Related: Best Green Olives for Snacking, Charcuterie, and Getting Your Brine Fix

Coca-Cola

Every picnic needs some interesting, non-water drinks involved, and Coca-Cola is the perfect drink for when you want to feel like an all-American, sunglassioed, Santa-themed(?) polar bear while you lounge out in the grass. And I don’t know about you, but I always want to feel that way. So get you and your buds or you and your special someone some Coca-Cola (and 3D glasses? And scarves?) and head out on the town. There is literally no picnic where Coca-Cola wouldn’t go well with the food and I will stand by that. Plus, it’s just so good. Jordan holds that “the original Coke is the most delicious thing in the entire world.” And I agree wholeheartedly.


About the Author

Jessica Block

Jessica Block is a freelance contributor to Sporked, a comedian, a baker, a food writer, and a firm believer that Trader Joe's may just be the happiest place on earth. She loves spicy snacks, Oreos, baking bread, teeny tiny avocados, and trying new foods whenever she can. Also, if you give her a bag of Takis she will be your best friend.

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