On a gorgeous sunny day, there’s nothing more fun to do with family and friends than bundle up some delicious eats in a picnic basket, grab a large blanket and find a lovely spot under a tree at your favourite park, beach or special patch of nature. Preferably away from ants. The success of your picnic has a great deal to do with what you pull out of that basket, so here are 20 brilliant food ideas that will go down a treat with everyone.

Rolls and wraps

Subs, baguettes, rolls, wraps, sandwiches… call ‘em what you will, they’re a picnic staple. Here’s how to elevate yours from the mundane to the munch-tastic!

1. Chicken baguette

A chicken baguette is to a picnic what fish and chips is to a trip to the beach. And this one is super tasty. So there.

• See here for the Chicken baguette recipe.

2. Jazmin’s pizza subs

Meatballs, ham, pepperoni and cheese … are you drooling yet?

• See here for the pizza subs recipe.

3. Spicy lamb wraps

Cinnamon and all-spice give oodles of flavour to these health-packed lamb wraps – you’re only problem will be getting your mouth around them!

• See here for the Spicy lamb wraps recipe.

4. Easy tuna salad rolls

Don’t let the word ‘easy’ fool you – these tuna rolls are a gourmet and gastronomic delight and look very impressive (but yes, they are easy.)

• See here for the Easy tuna salad rolls recipe.

5. Pulled beef sliders

These beef sliders taste so dang good that your biggest challenge will be getting them to the picnic before somebody (quite possibly you) scoffs the lot.

• See here for the Pulled beef sliders recipe.

6. Bacon and cobb loaf

OK so it’s not really a sandwich, but you can’t go past hollowed out bread filled with a delicious dip!

• See here for the cobb loaf dip recipe.

Baked goodies

Quiches, pies, muffins, scrolls – your oven is your secret weapon when it comes to having no leftovers at your next picnic.

7. Pizza pinwheels

Who doesn’t like pizza at any time of day? Pull apart these delicious pinwheels and watch the kids dive on them like a flock of seagulls after a thrown chip.

• See here for the Pizza pinwheels recipe.

8. Mini bacon and egg pies

It’s a struggle for me to keep typing this and not bolt to the kitchen to whip up a batch of these babies right now. And I’m not even going on a picnic.

• See here for the Mini bacon and egg pies recipe.

9. Savoury muffins

If you struggle to get your kids to eat veggies, bung ‘em in a delicious baked treat like these savoury muffins and watch them scoff them down without question.

• See here for the Savoury muffins recipe.

10. Pumpkin spinach and feta rolls

Kids love sausage rolls, and these are a delicious vegetarian alternative that they may find are just as irresistible.

• See here for the Pumpkin spinach and feta rolls recipe.

11. Quiche Lorraine

As well as being brilliantly portable and not too messy to eat, quiche just rocks in general. This great recipe can easily adapt to use whichever veggies and fillings you prefer.

• See here for the Quiche Lorraine recipe.

12. Easy zucchini slice

As far as sneaky veggies go, zucchini is right up there, with its subtle taste easy to slip into the meals of unsuspecting children. This yummy slice is no exception.

• See here for the Easy zucchini slice recipe.

Fabulous finger food

The thing with a picnic, and correct me if I’m wrong, is the joy of constantly picking away at all the food around you. And when the delicacies on offer are this good, how can you possibly stop?

13. Spinach cobb dip

Those cobb loaves … just made for picnics, they are! This one features a hollowed out loaf that’s filled with a scrum-diddly-umptious dip, which is eaten with the chunks of bread pulled out of the loaf. Genius, folks, pure genius.

• See here for the Spinach cobb dip recipe.

14. Honey soy chicken

Gnawing on a chicken leg – it’s pretty much a picnic rite of passage, non? And when the legs in question are coated in this delicious honey soy marinade, well, you may just find yourself gnawing on several of them.

• See here for the Honey soy chicken recipe.

15. Cucumber and smoked salmon roll-ups

Light, healthy, fresh, tasty, easy. I’m sorry, was there a box we haven’t ticked for you?

• See here for the Cucumber and smoked salmon roll-ups recipe.

16. Glazed meatballs

These delicious glazed meatballs are so easy to make and the combination of soy, orange and honey give them a savoury-sweet flavour. Perfect for stuffing in a sandwich or eating with toothpicks.

• See here for the Glazed meatballs recipe.

Sweet treats

I know. After all that savoury munching, you really shouldn’t. But go on. We won’t tell.

17. Apple tea cake

So divinely perfect and wholesome, this would be right at home in an Enid Blyton novel.

• See here for the Apple tea cake recipe.

18. Damper

This traditional camping snack is so simple to make but kids always love it! Bring some butter and honey along to coat them in and expect sticky fingers!

• See here for the Damper recipe.

19. Choc-chip scones

Best hide these puppies at the bottom of the picnic basket, or you’ll have no chance of getting the kids to eat their zucchini slice first, delicious or not …

• See here for the Choc-chip scones recipe.

20. Quick chocolate cupcakes

Let’s face it, there’s no point worrying about your calorie intake now. Besides, these are ‘quick’ chocolate cupcakes, which makes the calories metabolise faster. Surely.

• See here for the Quick chocolate cupcakes recipe.