Picnics are back in Melbourne! Between the weather getting warmer, good food and the great outdoors – what could be better than a picnic on a lovely spring day? Italians do ‘al fresco’ dining (meaning dining ‘in the cool air’) really well. Just think of shared antipasto platters, frittata, salads and enough food for everyone to continually graze. ‘Antipasto’ literally means ‘before the meal’. It is the perfect dish for picnics. The secret of a great antipasto platter is in the quality of ingredients, combination of textures/flavours and attention to detail in the presentation. Check out our delicious and easy picnic food ideas for the ultimate recipes to pack in your picnic basket.

1.Ultimate antipasto platter
2.Spaghetti Frittata (ideally use leftovers)

3.Rice salad with Italian Giardiniera
4.Baked spinach and Frankfurt frittata

5.Creamy tuna and caper dip
6.Asparagus and leek frittata

7.Fennel and blood orange salad
8.Pumpkin, goat’s cheese and pine nut salad

PS. Don’t dress the salads until you arrive at the picnic. Also, bring fruit including strawberries, peaches, grapes and cherries to finish with something naturally sweet.
It’s been a tough year to say the least. It’s time to bring out the checkered blanket and find the perfect picnic spot! It should have both sun and shade. Sit outdoors and enjoy the warmer weather and time with your family & friends in the months to come. Enjoy good food together, laugh, make memories and just enjoy being in the outdoors.

Happy cooking!

• Author
• Recent Posts

Vanessa Bottaro

Author, Founder and Creative Director at Italian Spoon

In my eyes, Italian cuisine is love on a plate.

Vanessa is Creative Director of the Italian Spoon website and Author of The Italian entertaining cookbook, a collection of home-style Italian recipes and tips for entertaining in true Italian-style. In addition to cooking and taking photographs, Vanessa writes the recipes and blogs to bring the love of Italian cooking to life! The collection of recipes and blogs on the website have been inspired by travels to Italy and desire to share what she has learnt from the great ‘Mamma’s and ‘Nonna’s in her life!

Vanessa is an entrepreneur and wife to husband Simone and the mother of two beautiful kids Dante and Mia. Even so she was born and lives in Melbourne Australia, Vanessa has a deep connection to Italy. Perhaps it is the food, or maybe it is because it is the place where Vanessa met the love of her life, Simone to whom she has been happily married for so many years.

Latest posts by Vanessa Bottaro (see all)

• Italian Christmas menu 2022 - December 16, 2022
• 10 Show-Stopping Roast Ideas - November 18, 2022
• Healthy Italian food recipes - November 4, 2022