A Slimming World picnic is the ideal way to celebrate the sunshine – and we’ve got a basketful of healthy food ideas to help you enjoy delicious outdoor dining and still get a great result on the scales.
With Slimming World’s flexible Food Optimising plan, you never have to miss out on those fun, foodie occassions with family and friends – like picnics in the park or on the beach (or even in your own back garden!). Many go-to picnic foods, including things like chicken drumsticks (skin removed), boiled eggs and boiled or oven-baked new potatoes, are Slimming World Free Foods, meaning you can eat them until you’re satisfied, with no weighing, counting or measuring needed.
Even better, we’ve also got lightened-up versions of some classic choices, from Scotch eggs (recipe below) to sausage rolls (members will find this recipe on the exclusive member website).
If you’re in need of inspiration, we’ve pulled together a fantastic collection of picnic food ideas for you. So grab your chequered blanket and some paper plates and get stuck in!
Slimming World picnic ideas – your bite-size list!
- Scotch eggs
- Ham and egg muffins
- Margherita pizza slices
- Baked spaghetti pie
- Veggie pakoras
- Tuna niçoise salad
- Boiled eggs with cumin salt
- Sweetcorn and chive fritters
- Baked bean crustless quiche
- Roasted red pepper and chive falafels
- Strawberry cupcakes
Slimming World picnic ideas
Sticks and dips
Dips and crudités are great for packing more veg into your picnics. Slimming World Consultant Jesse (@jessefuller_sw) loaded up with sliced gherkins, plum tomatoes, carrot batons, slivers of roasted red peppers and sticks of reduced-fat cheese to dip into his Free houmous, as well as some home-made Scotch eggs and ham and pineapple muffins.
FIND THE RECIPE: How to make Slimming World houmous
Shake up your salads
A big bowl of colourful, satisfying salad is ideal for sharing outside with your favourite people – and we’re not talking about a few lettuce leaves and slices of cucumber and tomato. With so many Free Foods to choose from, a Slimming World salad can be as creative as you like. You could also try a trendy noodle jar, which makes the perfect, portable picnic dish – and this Asian-inspired noodle jar is vegan too!
MORE ON THE BLOG: Discover our colourful collection of summer salads
Smother your spuds
Potatoes also make a satisfying salad, and this rustic dish is completely Free on the Slimming World plan – no weighing, measuring or counting needed!
Super sandwiches
Sarnies are always a picnic winner and Christine (@chrissiepops_sw) has filled hers with cooked chicken slices, iceberg lettuce, red onion and tomato to create this tempting sandwich stack. You absolutely can still enjoy bread when you’re Food Optimising – or if you prefer you could give your butties a crunchy twist by using crispbreads or stuffing our tortilla-style omelette wraps with your favourite sandwich filling.
MORE ON THE BLOG: Three ways to fill your tortilla-style wrap
Pasta master
Pasta is ideal picnic fare, and brilliant for using up any leftover lean cooked meat, fish or veggies – just chop them up and stir them in. Slimming World member Lizzie has packed her pasta with lots of colourful vegetables and crumbled feta cheese on top.
MORE FOR MEMBERS: Slimming World members will find several pasta salad recipes on the exclusive member website, including a tuna, pasta and pesto salad and a tomato and roast garlic pasta salad with rocket
Filling frittatas
Quick, fuss-free and handy for using up whatever’s in the fridge, frittatas make a great al fresco lunch option. Annabel topped her spinach frittata with lean ham slices and fat-free fromage frais to serve up this sharing picnic platter.
TRY OUR RECIPE: Baked vegetable frittata
Picnic puds
And for those of you looking for a dessert to top off your spread, a slice of our brilliant banana bread, school cake or these sticky sweet potato brownies should go down a treat, no spoon or fork required!
Our members-only website and app are full of picnic food ideas, including our recipe for Free sausage rolls! Whether you join your local group or Slimming World Online, you’ll have more than 1,700 tried-and-tested Food Optimising recipes at your fingertips – everything you need to enjoy a fully loaded picnic, without packing away your weight loss plans.