How to Make Delicious and Portable Picnic Sandwiches

While spending face-to-face time with other people is a huge benefit of picnics, you also want the food to be on point. Sandwiches are a picnic staple because they are simple to prepare, transport, and eat without utensils (or even plates). Picnic sandwiches, on the other hand, will be a little different than the ones you slap together for lunch between Zoom meetings, for a couple of reasons. Yes, you probably want them to be kicked up a notch or two, but they also need to be a lot sturdier. After all, no one wants to arrive at their destination to find soggy bread or a sandwich that has completely disintegrated.

We made it out of the World’s Longest Winter. It’s picnic season, which means it’s time for some picnic sandwiches.

Our appreciation for the outdoors has grown, especially as a place to gather with friends and family. Picnics are great for socializing, but you also want to eat well.

In addition to being easy to make, transport, and eat without utensils, sandwiches are a picnic favorite (or even plates). There are a few reasons why picnic sandwiches are different from the sandwiches you make between Zoom meetings. It’s likely you’ll want them louder, but they’ll also need to be more durable. Nobody wants soggy bread or a sandwich that disintegrates in transit.

On the other hand, a picnic should be enjoyable, not stressful. The secret to packing delicious, simple, portable picnic sandwiches is finding a middle ground. Getting started is easy.

1. Go for hearty breads.

The basis of any good sandwich, so pick wisely. With moist ingredients like salad fillings (like chicken or tuna), a thick, crusty roll like ciabatta, baguette, or Italian-style loaf won’t fall apart. Also, it won’t smush when wrapped tightly or packed in a bag or picnic basket.

Also, avoid using toasted bread. SELF says that while toasted slices may appear more sturdy when assembling your sandwich, they will likely become hard and dry by the time you sit down to picnic.

It’s not necessary to defrost frozen bread or rolls. According to New Jersey chef and food stylist Carla Contreras, the frozen foods will defrost on the way to the picnic and taste fresh when eaten. You shouldn’t have any sogginess issues after defrosting them if they were properly wrapped.

2. Keep your fillings fun while limiting them.

Chef Christina McKeough of High Street Philadelphia recommends three to five elements total to achieve a good balance of flavors and textures without overloading.

“Add a spread, a protein, something crunchy, and one or two more elements,” she says. Voici quelques exemples:

• Goat cheese + smoked salmon + mixed baby greens + red onion + capers
• Turkey + provolone + cranberry chutney + mixed baby greens
• Avocado + roasted red peppers + hummus + sprouts
• Butter + sliced ham + Gruyère + thinly sliced pickles + mustard
• Cheddar + tomato achar + romaine
• Roasted eggplant + mozzarella cheese + olive tapenade + fresh basil

3. Smart layering keeps you dry.

Sopping up moisture from raw vegetables or raw meats next to a crusty roll will get you into Mushtown in no time. Don’t overdo it with fillings. In the beginning, slathering the spread on both inner bread slices. To keep the wettest ingredients from sogging up your bread, most spreads contain fat, McKeough says. (Hearty breads can usually withstand spreads of moisture.)

Next, if desired, add another layer of protection in the form of romaine lettuce or Tuscan kale. Slonecker also recommends hard cheese slices such as cheddar or provolone.

Put the moistest ingredients in the middle. Think chicken, tuna, or egg salad, moist cheeses like mozzarella, hummus, sliced pickles, or kimchi. While raw vegetables can be used, cooked vegetables such as roasted red peppers, eggplant, onions, marinated artichoke hearts, or sautéed mushrooms are preferred. “The moisture has been cooked out, but the flavors and textures remain,” McKeough says.

Do you crave raw vegetables? We know. Sprouts, sliced red onion or radish, or shredded carrots can provide crunch without being overly moist or sticky. Keep cucumbers and tomatoes (which have a high water content) thinly sliced and placed in the sandwich’s center, away from the bread itself.

4. Assemble with a purpose.

Why not make two? McKeough advises prepping all ingredients before starting to build to save time. Then assemble your sandwiches in a line, adding the same ingredient to each one before moving on. Menapace says it beats making each sandwich from scratch. That means your sandwich won’t get soggy. You get a great sandwich, but your friend doesn’t, which can happen when you’re slapping things together and not paying attention to layering.

5. Carefully pack for Delicious and Portable Picnic Sandwiches

Try compostable parchment paper taped tightly or reusable beeswax wraps like Bee’s Wrap for a more eco-friendly alternative. “They’re great for sandwiches,” Contreras says. It helps create a tight seal and prevents sandwiches from falling apart during transport.

Use reusable silicone bags (like Stasher Sandwich Bags) or plastic zip-top bags to protect your wrapped sandwich from leakage. Don’t put them on the bottom of your picnic bag or cooler. For extra protection, Contreras wraps sandwiches in a dish or tea towel.

If you can’t eat your sandwiches right away, grab a cold pack. On a hot day (above 90°F), sandwiches can sit at room/outdoor temperature for up to two hours (FDA). Longer storage of perishable ingredients above 40°F can cause bacteria growth that can make you sick.

6. Watch the time.

Enjoy your Delicious and Portable Picnic Sandwiches after you layout your blanket. Outdoor gatherings are meant to be leisurely affairs. But don’t delay too long. Slonecker advises eating your sandwich within two hours to get the best flavor and texture out of it. (It’s also safer.) That way, you can enjoy extra time with your family and friends after eating lunch.