Picnic foods that can sit for 2-3 hours?

[Anonymous]

Lemon Basil Pasta Salad

Serves 6 to 8

1 pound mini penne or farfalle pasta
4 plum tomatoes, diced
20-30 basil leaves, cut into chiffonade
Juice and zest of 1-2 lemons
2 T extra virgin olive oil
2 T rice vinegar
Fontina cheese, cubed, to taste
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese (optional)
A few shakes of red pepper flakes (optional)
1-2 cloves of garlic, crushed (optional)

Cook pasta according to directions on box, drain and rinse with cold water until pasta is cool. Toss pasta in a large bowl with all other ingredients.

[Anonymous]

Can't you go with "cold" type foods? Sandwich tray from Wegmans, cucumbers, watermelon, chips, goldfish.

Nobody, especially kids, want quiche or potato salad after playing for 2 hrs in the heat.

And they are egg abd mayo based, respectively. Do you want people to get sick?

[Anonymous]

I’d pack PB&J and just J sandwiches, along with chips and lots and lots of fruit. I’d still bring in a cooler with ice packs.

[Anonymous]

As others have noted, the solution to your problem is to make whatever you want and…put it in a cooler.

[Anonymous]

For picnics where the food will be left out for a while and/or in the heat, I always make some of the following:
- Texas caviar-type of bean salad
- Cabbage slaw with a sweet/sour cider vinegar dressing
- a greek-type of "ladero" type of vegetable dish. Either eggplant or zuchhini stewed or roasted in tomato sauce. This is delicious served at room temperature with hearty bread and/or feta.

I generally steer clear of anything with meat, eggs, mayo, or dairy on hot days.

[Anonymous]

Even if it was food safe, I don't want food that has been in a hot car for multiple hours.

Make sandwiches and fruit and put them in a cooler.