Here in Florida, it is still quite warm, but we can soon look forward to more temperate days. I know for my friends in states farther north, you are probably starting to have nice fall weather. This means it is the perfect time for a vegan picnic!

Vegan Picnic Ideas

Picnics are usually done outdoors, without lots of room for preparation or complicated foods. Basically, you need options that are easy to transport and store. 

Enjoy this collection of dishes and drinks that are portable but satisfying, and also aesthetically pleasing. Have some outdoor fun with your family or friends before the cold weather sets in!

Picnic Drinks

The most important of any outdoor event is being able to stay cool and hydrated. So therefore, here are some picnic drinks for you to choose from.

Cherry Lemonade

Cherry lemonade in glasses on a grey background

When it’s hot out, one thing that comes to your mind is fresh juice. No need to worry… your new favorite cherry lemonade is here to fulfill your desire.

This Cherry Lemonade is made from lemons, cherries, and water, and with certain sweeteners such as organic cane sugar or agave.  Your recipe is going to be more delightful by using fresh locally-grown cherries and lemons. I assure you that you will enjoy this recipe, filled with flavorful goodness.

Watermelon Lemonade

watermelon lemonade in pitcher

Watermelon lemonade is tasteful, refreshing, thirst-quenching, and just the drink you need this summer to beat the heat. With just three ingredients. This drink is by far the easiest and tastiest one you will try this summer!

Made with watermelon, lemon juice, and agave syrup, this drink is tasteful, refreshing, and a perfect drink you can enjoy on hot summer days. Whether it’s BBQ or a pool party, this drink will become an instant hit!

Mango Lemonade

mango lemonade in a container with glasses poured

Mango lemonade is something you can have to enjoy your hot summer days. It is a perfect tropical beverage that is full of minerals and vitamins to help you cool down. Its sweet and tart flavor is very delightful, and it’s super easy to make.  

Mango lemonade is something that is a fruity twist to traditional lemonade. All you need to add mangoes to the usual lemonade recipe. It is much healthier than artificial mango lemonade juice as they are loaded with chemicals and doesn’t taste like natural drinks. It is also made with natural organic sweetener, which has its standout benefits.

Strawberry Açaí Lemonade

strawberry acai lemonade on a grey background

Are you truly ready for summer without a refreshing cool drink like this Strawberry Acai Lemonade? Definitely not! You and your whole family will absolutely love this drink.

It’s summertime! I don’t know about you, but I am so ready for some summery drinks. This drink should be familiar to many Starbucks fans, and it’s because this Strawberry Acai Lemonade really is a summer refreshment in a glass.

I wanted to capture the taste of a strawberry açaí refresher, but without using syrup. You see, I wanted to make it so you can use whatever sweetener you prefer. I love this recipe with stevia or organic cane sugar.

Blackberry Lemonade

blackberry lemonade

Homemade blackberry lemonade made with fresh summer berries and delicious lemons is an ideal drink for those humid summer afternoons. This fresh juice is a quick and tasty way to take advantage of ripe summer blackberries, with the perfect combination of sweet and tart!

Pineapple Mango Juice

mango juice

Homemade Pineapple Mango Juice is a delicious and refreshing tropical delight, made from real fresh pineapples and mangoes. It is sweet, but a little tangy, with the correct balance of tart from the fresh pineapples.

This Pineapple Mango Juice is a great treat to serve at breakfast, brunch, outdoor gatherings, dinner, or any time you want a delicious sweet drink. I especially love that it can be made in less than a minute with a simple mix in the blender.

Blueberry Lemonade

blueberry lemonade

It’s summer and the blueberry season is here! Hooray! It is the time when we can enjoy the wonderful blueberries. We can make a lot of exciting snacks, desserts, and refreshing blueberry lemonade drinks with these.

Homemade blueberry lemonade is genuinely made with fresh summer berries adding juicy lemons to enhance the flavors. This fresh juice is very easy to make and a tasty way to feel the ripe blueberries with the perfect mixture of sweet and tangy.

Vegan Picnic Food Ideas

Now, on to the food. I’ll list sandwiches, finger foods, easy-to-serve salads, and other light dishes. I want to include all sorts of options for every need. Let’s start off with easily served light dishes.

Italian Pasta Salad

Italian pasta salad, in a white bowl

This flavor-packed Vegan Italian Pasta Salad is vibrant and delicious, loaded with cucumber, olives, tomatoes, red onions, and herbs. It is perfect for barbecues, potlucks, or any special events!

Jam-packed with flavor, this pasta salad is vibrant, tasteful, and a perfect treat for your lunch and parties. Give yourself a healthy treat with this refreshing and flavorsome salad.

Vegan Macaroni Salad

macaroni salad in a white bowl

This quick and easy recipe for Vegan Macaroni Salad, creamy and simple macaroni with fresh and crispy celery, red onions, and bell pepper, is perfect for a summertime backyard cookout or your next potluck!

For this easy macaroni salad recipe, I also share a homemade oil-free vegan mayonnaise recipe but you may substitute it with your favorite brands like Vegenaise or Just Mayo if you prefer. I like this mayonnaise recipe because it is oil-free and super creamy.

Vegan Potato Salad

vegan potato salad in a white bowl on a wooden background

This creamy Vegan Potato Salad is full of flavor with just the right amount of mayonnaise, celery, onion, relish is all you need for your next potluck.

I love a creamy potato salad but I’m so happy I don’t have to mask the eggy flavor of a traditional potato salad recipe. My healthy Vegan Potato Salad recipe tastes fresh and clean, with a delicious blend of flavors that’s just right.

It is made with simple ingredients that are easy to digestion. I deliberately omitted mustard from my recipe because I find it to be harsh on my stomach, but feel free to make this recipe your own by substituting your favorite ingredients.

Jerk Potato Salad

This incredibly flavorful vegan potato salad uses Yukon gold potatoes combined with jerk sauce and other spices to enhance the flavors, and will surely be a huge hit for your dinner table.

This recipe is trouble-free and takes less than 20 minutes to make overall. It will be a perfect side dish that can really go well with any of your main dishes. Even if you are on a weight loss or healthy diet, it is the best salad recipe you can add to your healthy diet routine. 

As a Jamaican, I love to make this vegan jerk potato salad for our family gatherings as they all love to have it with the main dish. It is so addictive that it has a rich texture and creaminess with just enough of the delicious jerk sauce flavor to make your dish pop out.

Dill Potato Salad

Dill potato Salad

Enjoy this creamy Vegan Dill Potato Salad, made with boiled red potatoes. This vegan potato salad, loaded with celery, red onion, and dill pickle, in a creamy vegan mayonnaise, is the perfect side for a potluck or family cookout.

I love making chilled salads for our family gatherings, and the Vegan Dill Potato Salad is a frequent choice. 

My dill potato salad recipe is so addictive. The richness and creaminess, with the delicious dill flavor, will make any main dish pop. 

Mexican Street Corn Salad

Mexican street corn salad

This Vegan Mexican Street Corn Salad is so flavorful and easy to prepare in 10 minutes. The perfect summer salad made with sweet corn, tomatoes, red bell pepper, and red onion with a flavorful smoky homemade vegan chipotle ranch dressing. 

Mexican street corn salad, also called Esquites or Vasito De Elotes (little corn cups in English), is the salad version of the popular Mexican street corn.

Vegan Waldorf Salad

Waldor Salad

This Vegan Waldorf Salad is bursting with fresh flavors of apple, celery, grape, walnut, and raisins in a creamy mayonnaise dressing, the perfect salad for summer cookouts or the holiday menu.

I love this creamy salad and the amazing crunch of walnuts, celery, and apples. It is the perfect mix of sweet, tangy, and savory, It is so easy to prepare, the salad will be ready in no time.

Cucumber Avocado Salad

cucumber avocado salad

This cucumber avocado salad is the perfect combination of crunchy and creamy,  the perfect cooling salad for hot summer days.

Chunks of crunchy cucumbers, creamy avocado, bold red onion, and cilantro are all tossed in a creamy vegan sour cream dressing, this is the best salad for a potluck, picnic, or family BBQ that is incredibly addictive.

There is nothing like eating salads with sun-ripened cucumbers in the summertime. They are crunchy and perfect to fight the summer heat.

Jicama Pineapple Salad

jicama pineapple salad

The refreshing jicama, combined with sweet raisin and tart pineapple tidbits, will make this Jicama Pineapple Salad one of your favorite side salads.

The refreshing jicama, combined with sweet raisin and tart pineapple tidbits, will make this Jicama Pineapple Salad one of your favorite side salads.

Vegan Picnic Sandwiches

The sandwich is literally the perfect vegan picnic food. You can bring the ingredients separately and have everyone make their own, or pre-make the sandwiches and have them in a basket or individually wrapped. Also, there are so many options! Here are a few of my favorites:

Vegan BLT Sandwich

This Vegan BLT Sandwich is so easy to prepare but tastes so amazing. Enjoy each bite of smokey tofu bacon, crisp lettuce, juicy tomato, creamy avocado, and onions on gluten-free bread with vegan garlic mayonnaise.

My Vegan BLT Sandwich was inspired by the TTLA sandwich which became popular when actress Tabitha Brown recorded a  live video on Facebook of her eating the Whole Foods TTLA sandwich, she had just started her vegan journey and was raving about how delicious the sandwich was while she ate it.

Vegan Chicken Salad Sandwich

This Vegan Chickpea Salad is so flavorful and packed with nutrients. It is made with smashed chickpeas and has the classic chicken salad flavors. Try it nestled between slices of gluten-free bread with lettuce and tomato for your and your family’s lunches today! You will all love this flavor-packed recipe, and it is full of healthy calories to keep you full until your next meal.

BBQ Jackfruit Sandwiches

These BBQ Jackfruit Sandwiches are amazing! Tender, juicy, messy, seasoned BBQ jackfruit, and creamy coleslaw, in gluten-free vegan rolls. These are the perfect food for BBQs, cookouts, picnics, potlucks, or lunch.

I love to prepare BBQ jackfruit because jackfruit makes such a great carrier for its bold flavors. The texture of jackfruit is meaty, so it’s ideal to make BBQ-pulled jackfruit.

Vegan Egg Salad Sandwiches

This is the best Vegan Egg Salad recipe that I have had. Flavorful tofu with creamy homemade mayo, green onion, celery, and dill. The perfect tofu egg recipe for breakfast, lunch, brunch, or tea; serve it as a sandwich and enjoy the flavor and texture of eggs in every bite.

Vegan Black Bean Burgers

These Vegan Black Bean Burgers are full of flavor, delicious served on burger buns slathered with vegan mayo, topped with lettuce, onions, tomatoes, and avocado slices, or served with your favorite gravy and mashed potatoes!

I have been making these vegan black bean burgers for many years, and they are my go-to burgers to serve for family events. This is one of the best vegan burger recipes I’ve had and also is our readers’ favorite.

Vegan Picnic Finger Foods

Of course, no vegan picnic is complete without foods you can eat with your hands!

Vegan Jamaican Patties

These flavorful Jamaican Lentil Patties are a gluten-free and vegan version of the very popular Jamaican beef patty. Savory lentils cooked with aromatic herbs and spices in a buttery pastry.

Jamaican Patties would be considered Jamaican fast food. In this version, I used lentils instead of ground meat and placed them in a gluten-free and vegan crust. The taste is right on and very flavorful.  I added curry powder to the crust for that signature golden color.

Jamaican Callaloo Patties

The tender and flaky Jamaican callaloo patty recipe is full of flavor. Seasoned callaloo greens with onion, garlic, tomato, scallion, thyme, and Scotch bonnet pepper in a flaky gluten-free, vegan homemade crust is the perfect snack or side dish. 

This amazing patty crust was the result of a mistake I thought I made. The dough was too wet for my liking. So not wanting to throw out the dough, I put it in the refrigerator to figure out what to do with it later. 

Venezuelan Arepas

Learn how to make arepas, delicious cornmeal pockets filled with favorite vegan dishes such as jackfruit carnitas, scrambled tofu, black beans, guacamole, and fried plantains are an indulgent and hearty treat that can be served for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

Have you wondered how to make arepas? Now you can make your own arepas at home with my easy recipe that only has 3 ingredients, Venezuelan arepas are so moist, yummy, gluten-free, and vegan. Fill them with your favorite stuffing or eat plain as a side dish.

BBQ Cauliflower Wings

These flavorful Barbecue Cauliflower Wings are easy to prepare and are also vegan and gluten-free. They are made with cauliflower florets that are dunked in a seasoned batter and baked until crisp instead of fried, then smothered in barbecue sauce.

BBQ Cauliflower Wings are the ideal dish to serve die-hard skeptics. It can be served as an appetizer, snack, side, or even as a main dish.

This recipe is similar to my Cauliflower Nuggets recipe, minus the barbecue sauce. There are so many people who don’t love cauliflower, but I will encourage you to give it another try. They are great to serve at your next potluck, party, or BBQ, and watch them disappear.

Curried Tofu Wrap

This delicious Curried Tofu Wrap recipe is bursting with flavors. It is loaded with seasoned curried tofu, crunchy walnuts, celery, and sweet raisins. Perfect for lunch or on the go!

Chickpea Salad Wraps

Chickpea Salad Wraps are so easy to prepare and full of amazing flavors and crunch. Perfect lunch, brunch, or snack, it is vegan and gluten-free.

This Chickpea Salad Wrap will be ready in less than 10 minutes. It is made with vine-ripened tomatoes and fresh lettuce that had a crunch in every bite.

Hummingbird Muffins

These delicious Hummingbird Muffins are the perfect breakfast treat (or for a vegan picnic!). They contain juicy pineapple, bananas, and crunchy pecans. My hummingbird muffins are also vegan and gluten-free!

These Hummingbird Muffins are an adaptation of the famous Hummingbird Cake. The original recipe is from Jamaica. It was originally called “Doctor Bird Cake”, which was the name for the island’s local hummingbird, and its national bird.

Vegan Picnic Snacks

I love having a variety of dips and spreads for a good vegan picnic. They are so easy to prepare, store, and transport. Great for picnics!

Homemade Hummus

Want to learn how to make perfect homemade hummus like a pro? In this recipe article, you will know all the tips and tricks to make creamy and delicious homemade hummus. 

Hummus is, especially very tasty, lusciously creamy, soft, and light. It is fast and easy to make with a handful of fresh ingredients like chickpeas, tahini, olive oil, salt, lemon juice, and garlic. You can make them easily with a food processor or high-power blender, which will make them super smooth and creamy.  

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

Roasted red pepper hummus is delicious, smoky, rich, creamy, and utterly tasteful. It is a vegan savory dish that can be used as a dip, sauce, or spread. The best part is that this hummus recipe is very healthy. It is high in protein, vitamins, and minerals.

Made with roasted red bell pepper, chickpeas, tahini, garlic, lemon juice, and a unique middle eastern spice sumac. This recipe is different from the traditional hummus recipe and is more flavorsome. Try this recipe, and I am sure you will love it!

Vegan Key Lime Pie Dip

This Vegan Key Lime Pie Dip will be a delicious accompaniment to you and your family’s snacks and lunches, and a delightful addition to your appetizer spreads when entertaining. Enjoy this dessert-like dip with fruits, nuts, and crackers.

My Key Lime Pie is one of my favorite desserts, with its deliciously tangy yet rich and creamy filling. The combination of flavors works so well that I found myself wanting key lime pie every day; so I made it possible.

This dip gets its creaminess and lovely green color from avocado. It may be weird for you to see avocado in dessert, but the mellow flavor and smoothness of the fruit work so perfectly for vegan creamy desserts.

Vegan Guacamole

Delicious and chunky vegan guacamole with chopped onions, juicy tomatoes, and just the right amount of lime just along with cilantro, cumin, and a hint of spice!

This vegan guacamole recipe is simple, super easy to make, healthy, and a perfect dip or spread to go with almost anything. 

Loaded Guacamole

This Loaded Guacamole recipe is absolutely delicious, it is, to say the least addictive! Packed with tomato, onion, garlic, bell pepper, crunchy cucumber, and a touch of lime juice. Your guests will keep coming back for more and more!

This Loaded Guacamole is the perfect dip to add to any menu, whether you serve it with tortilla chips, sandwich filling, toast, or topping for a burger.

Vegan Cheese Ball

Vegan Cheese Ball is creamy and flavorful, the perfect party or holiday treat, easy to prepare, and tastes great with crackers.

My cranberry cheese ball is a  combination of the cheesy taste of cashew cheese, made creamy vegan cream cheese with added green onions, and jalapenos and coated with festive cranberries. The perfect blend of sweet, savory, and spicy!

Vegan Cheddar Cheese

This flavorful Vegan Cheddar Cheese recipe is so yummy, that even the pickiest eater will love it! It is smooth, creamy, sharp, and reminiscent of the cheese I grew up eating.

This Vegan Cheddar Cheese recipe is so easy to prepare and it actually tastes better than most commercial recipes. It is sliceable, so it is perfect to serve with sandwiches or as an appetizer.

More of My Best Vegan Recipes:

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