Vegan Picnic Treats for Spring

Is there anything more quintessentially spring than a picnic? As the weather is warming up and the days are longer, now is the perfect time to head outside with a basket packed with vegan treats! And to help you get inspired with ideas of what to bring, here’s a roundup of great vegan recipes to explore:

Salads

Filling, delicious and packed with a powerful nutritional punch, salads are perfect picnic food — and they don’t have to be ordinary, either. Here are a few creative recipes to consider for your next outdoor meal:

Shredded Kale Salad with Pecan "Parmesan" and Cranberries / Oh She Glows: Based on a salad from True Food Kitchen, this vegan salad combines shredded kale with toasted pecans, nutritional yeast and a garlic lemon dressing.
Chickpea and Quinoa Salad in Sweet Pepper Boats / Veg Kitchen: Packing bell peppers with quinoa salad not only makes for a pretty presentation, but it also provides a wonderfully portable, picnic-friendly meal! See photo by Hannah Kaminsky, above.
Warm Lemony Olive Potato Salad / Keeping It Kind: Halved golden potatoes, roasted with olive oil, rosemary, salt and pepper, make the base for this salad that also features baby greens, sliced olives and lemon juice.
Champion Carrot Salad / Gentle World: Super simple to pull together in a juicer or a food processor, this dill-flavored salad is as nice atop vegan crackers as it is in a vegetable wrap.

Carrot Pasta with Creamy Cashew Sauce & Avocado from This Rawsome Vegan Life

Mains
If you want something even more substantial than a salad, here are a handful of great vegan recipes to try!

California Sunshine Grilled Rice Tacos / Healthy. Happy. Life: Stuffed with vegetables, these vegan tacos are made even more impressive by being pressed in a panini press. With or without a press, however, they sound filling and delicious!
Carrot Pasta with Creamy Cashew Sauce & Avocado / This Rawsome Vegan Life: Spiralized carrots tossed in a cashew cream sauce and served alongside avocados is a bright, light lunch perfect for packing on the go.
Deconstructed Falafel Bowl / Vegan Yack Attack: Try this deconstructed take on falafel for a veggie-loaded meal that’s easy to love.
Brussels Sprouts Fried Rice / Post Punk Kitchen: Enjoy the feel of takeout (but even better!) when you make and pack this Brussels sprouts fried rice!

Raw Chocolate Raspberry Brownies from Sweetly Raw

Sweet Treats
Last but not least: dessert! When you’re packing your picnic basket, don’t forget to bring along some vegan sweet treats like these:

Cashew Ambrosia Salad / The Vegan Stoner: If the colorful illustrations don’t get you excited about this fun dessert idea, the short list of ingredients and instructions might — not to mention the idea of fresh fruit tossed with shredded coconut in a creamy sauce!
Raw Chocolate Raspberry Brownies / Sweetly Raw: Who could resist these pretty-in-pink desserts, featuring a raw brownie layer beneath cashew-based raspberry cream?
Almond Plum Mini Crostata Pies / Have Cake, Will Travel: From the wheat crust to the fruit filling, these little crostata pies are pretty as a picture.

Make the most of this beautiful time of year with a vegan picnic you’ll remember! Use the recipes listed above for a fresh take on a long-loved activity.

About the author: Steven Musumeche is the owner of Picnic World and an avid outdoorsman and picnic guru from Lafayette, LA. In his spare time, he enjoys playing the piano, fishing, camping, and spending time with his wife; daughter, Molly; and three pet beagles, Cassie, Ellie and Annie.