family picnic

You can make these easy falafels in minutes for a delicious quick dinner. Top with chilli sauce, yoghurt, pickles or hummus to customise. It's a simplified falafel recipe for those on a budget with limited kit – it's so much cheaper than buying ready-made. See also our <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/chickpeas_with_harissa_99809">easy chickpea stew recipe</a> and <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/easy_hummus_96922">easy hummus recipe</a> for more ways to shuzsh up that tin!


Falafel

400 grams/14 ounces tin chickpeas

spring onions, finely chopped

tsp cumin

lemon, zest only

dessertspoons plain flour

salt

black pepper

olive oil

lemon, juice only

½ cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced

tomatoes, roughly chopped

round lettuce, washed, leaves

pitta breads

plain yoghurt

chilli sauce

hummus

Three easy, tasty ways with a chickpeas tin- falafel, hummus and with harissa.

Pimp my chickpeas tin

This is an easy banana bread recipe that gives perfect results every time. Be sure to use really ripe bananas - the blacker the better.

Each serving provides 334 kcal, 5g protein, 53g carbohydrates (of which 30g sugars), 11g fat (of which 6.5g saturates), 2g fibre and 0.8g salt.

Banana bread

flour

tsp bicarbonate of soda

110 grams/4 ounces butter, plus extra for greasing

caster sugar

free-range eggs

bananas,

85 milliliters/3fl oz buttermilk (or normal milk mixed with 1½ tsp lemon juice

tsp vanilla extract

Take these loaded sandwiches to work, school or on a picnic for a tasty and filing lunch.

Chicken, bacon, mozzarella and guacamole sandwich

mini chicken fillets

tbsp finely crushed black peppercorns

rashers back bacon

avocado, roughly chopped

½ red onion, finely chopped

½ lemon, juice only

red chilli, finely chopped

½ tsp ground cumin

coriander

salt and black pepper

bread

mayonnaise

tomatoes,

Mary Berry's quick savoury muffins are superb with soup, salads or for eating on the go. The cheese is lovely and oozy if you serve them warm. Eaten cold, they are still fragrant, with a nice saltiness from the cheese and olives. 

For this recipe you will need a 12-hole muffin tin and muffin cases.


Mary Berry's cheesy muffins

275 grams/9¾oz self-raising flour

tsp baking powder

grams/1¾oz butter, melted

free-range egg, beaten

250 milliliters/9fl oz milk

75 grams/2⅓oz Gruyère cheese, grated

basil, leaves only, chopped

75 grams/2⅓oz pitted black olives, chopped

tbsp sun-dried tomato paste

This simple pasta salad is perfect for lunch or as a barbecue side dish. To make it vegan, omit the feta.

Each serving provides 567 kcal, 22g protein, 70g carbohydrates (of which 10g sugars), 20g fat (of which 9g saturates), 7g fibre and 2.5g salt.

Easy pasta salad

pasta,

½ unwaxed lemon, finely grated zest and juice

¼ red onion, finely chopped

olive oil, ideally extra virgin

cucumber,

grams/3½oz cherry tomatoes, quartered

grams/½oz fresh basil, roughly chopped

60 grams/2¼oz feta, crumbled (optional)

black olives (optional)

sea salt and black pepper

This quick and easy recipe will show you how to make homemade tzatziki, a great accompaniment to Greek dishes. 

Tzatziki

Greek-style yoghurt

cucumber

lemon juice

garlic cloves, grated finely

extra virgin olive oil

paprika,

A jar of this fresh-tasting smoked mackerel pâté is great to serve as a starter or to pack for a picnic. This no-cook starter is unbelievably easy to whizz up and costs very little. 

Smoked mackerel pâté

mackerel

tsp horseradish (or 2 tsp horseradish sauce)

Dijon mustard

tbsp crème fraîche

grams/2½oz unsalted butter, chopped

spring onions, chopped

sourdough bread,

Filled with colourful chunky vegetables and large enough to serve a crowd, this would make a decorative addition to an Easter feast. Roasting the vegetables, and including Gruyère with its distinctive flavour, ensures that it is very moreish too.

For this recipe you will need a 28cm/11in loose-bottomed  fluted tart tin and some baking beans.

Roasted vegetable quiche

225 grams/8 ounces plain flour,

butter,

egg,

onions, quartered, then halve each quarter lenghtways

baby courgettes, halved lengthways

spinach

300 milliliters/10fl oz double cream

180 grams/6½oz gruyère cheese (or vegetarian alternative), grated

This frittata recipe is super flexible. You can use just about anything that's leftover in the fridge.  

Each serving provides 337 kcal, 21g protein, 15g carbohydrates (of which 5g sugars), 21g fat (of which 7g saturates), 4.5g fibre and 1g salt.

Anything-goes frittata

tbsp extra virgin olive oil

grams/3½oz cooked sweet potato,

grams/3½oz (¼ head) broccoli, stem sliced and remainder cut into small florets

red pepper, seeds removed,

leek,

(50 grams/1¾oz) frozen peas

100 grams/3½oz feta, roughly broken

eggs

green salad leaves,

Use up anything you've got in the fridge to make a veggie frittata for a healthy dinner.

Anything goes frittata

These sticky Chinese chicken drumsticks are full of flavour and super easy to make. Serve with a simple salad for a mouth-watering midweek meal. 

Five-spice chicken drumsticks

tbsp groundnut oil

garlic cloves, chopped

tbsp grated fresh root ginger

Shaoxing rice wine

tbsp light soy sauce

five-spice powder

tbsp honey

chicken drumsticks, skin on

These spicy Jamaican patties are a traditional staple in the Caribbean. They make a great picnic or barbecue addition.

Jamaican beef patties

300 grams/10½oz plain flour, plus extra for dusting

1½ tbsp Madras curry powder

1½ tbsp ground turmeric

tbsp rapeseed oil

onion, finely diced

garlic cloves, crushed

tsp Madras curry powder

2½ tbsp snipped chives

1½ tbsp chopped thyme leaves

300 grams/10½oz lean beef mince

125 milliliters/4fl oz beef stock

tsp molasses sugar (or dark brown sugar)

orange juice

lime juice

honey

1½ tsp caster sugar

1½ tsp grated ginger

heritage tomatoes, sliced

oranges,

¼ red onion,

For James Martin’s easy quiche Lorraine, choose between making your own proper homemade pastry or a taking the shortcut with a quick shop-bought version.

Each serving provides 698 kcal, 27g protein, 25g carbohydrates (of which 3g sugars), 54g fat (of which 30g saturates), 2g fibre and 2.2g salt.

Quiche Lorraine

175 grams/6 ounces plain flour,

250 grams/9 ounces cheddar, grated

tomatoes, sliced (optional)

streaky bacon, chopped

eggs,

100 milliliters/3½fl oz milk

200 milliliters/7fl oz double cream

thyme

Nadiya's pepperoni and cheese sharing bread has all the flavours of pizza, but is easier to eat!

Pepperoni pull apart

400 grams/14 ounces self-raising flour,

oregano

tbsp caster sugar

fast-action dried yeast

300 milliliters/10fl oz warm water

sriracha sauce (or any chilli or tomato sauce)

cheese (any cheese of your choice)

80 grams/2¾oz thinly sliced pepperoni, about 16 slices

basil leaves

tbsp olive oil,

Fragrant strawberries plus tangy homemade lemonade, topped up with sparkling water, make this strawberry lemonade a super refreshing summer drink.


Strawberry lemonade

450 grams/1lb ripe strawberries, plus extra to serve

lemons

litre/1¾ pints sparkling water

lemons, sliced

mint leaves

This easy hummus recipe is great to make sandwiches for your lunchbox, or simply to serve with breadsticks or pitta.

Each serving provides 378 kcal, 13.5g protein, 47g carbohydrates (of which 1.5g sugars), 13.5g fat (of which 2g saturates), 7g fibre and 0.9g salt.

Quick hummus

chickpeas

tbsp tahini (sesame seed paste)

water

paprika

pitta bread

Learn how to make hummus in minutes with this easy video recipe.

How to make hummus

An easy cherry loaf cake that's moist and tender with ground almonds that just needs a cup of tea. Remember to coat the cherries in a little flour so they don't all sink to the bottom of the cake. 


Easy cherry cake

natural coloured glacé cherries

plain flour

175 grams/6 ounces caster sugar, plus 1½ tbsp

tsp vanilla extract or almond extract

tsp finely grated lemon zest

1½ tsp baking powder

75 grams/2½oz ground almonds

tbsp milk

almonds

Light, fluffy and extra lemony, these easy lemon muffins have an extra citrus hit thanks to a simple glaze made with lemon juice and sugar.

Lemon muffins

275 grams/9¾oz plain flour

grams/1¾oz almonds

lemons,

150 milliliters/¼ pint semi-skimmed milk

grams/3½oz unsalted butter, melted

milliliters/2fl oz sunflower or vegetable oil

vanilla extract

grams/1¾oz golden caster sugar

This healthy banana muffin recipe makes eating cake for breakfast guilt-free! Ripe bananas add sweetness to muffins, so you don't have to use much sugar. Wholemeal flour give the muffins plenty of fibre, keeping you full for longer.

Equipment: You will need a six-hole muffin tin.

Each muffin provides 206 kcal, 4.5g protein, 30g carbohydrate (of which 13g sugars), 7.5g fat (of which 0.8g saturates), 1g fibre and 0.4g salt.


Healthy banana muffins

Top 20 family picnic recipes from across the web

The most viewed family picnic recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine

Top Tags

Falafel

Banana bread

Chicken, bacon, mozzarella and guac...

Mary Berry's cheesy muffins

Easy pasta salad

Tzatziki

Smoked mackerel pâté

Roasted vegetable quiche

Anything-goes frittata

Five-spice chicken drumsticks

Jamaican beef patties

Quiche Lorraine

Pepperoni pull apart

Strawberry lemonade

Quick hummus

Easy cherry cake

Lemon muffins

Healthy banana muffins

Antipasti orzo salad

Gluten-free cheese scones

Top 20 family picnic recipes from across the web

The most viewed family picnic recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Falafel

Banana bread

Chicken, bacon, mozzarella and guac...

Mary Berry's cheesy muffins

Easy pasta salad

Tzatziki

Smoked mackerel pâté

Roasted vegetable quiche

Anything-goes frittata

Five-spice chicken drumsticks

Jamaican beef patties

Quiche Lorraine

Pepperoni pull apart

Strawberry lemonade

Quick hummus

Easy cherry cake

Lemon muffins

Healthy banana muffins

Antipasti orzo salad

Gluten-free cheese scones

The most viewed family picnic recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine