Memorial Day Picnic Menu

Plan a delicious Memorial Day picnic menu and spend the day outside in the warm May sun. Incorporate red, white and blue into the menu to add a patriotic touch. Small Memorial Day picnics are easy and fun to plan but larger picnics might require working with a local party planner or sharing responsibilities with a group of friends.

• Menu: Pack a picnic basket with delicious and nutritious food to nibble on while everyone is mingling. For the main portion of the menu consider pre-made deli sandwiches, potato salad, pasta salad and coleslaw. For dessert serve fruit cups or strawberry shortcake. Make the fruit cup by mixing blueberries, strawberries and raspberries. Bring some whip cream, and put a dollop on top of the fruit. For the strawberry shortcake, give each guest a slide of angel food cake covered in strawberries that were cut in advance of the picnic. Put whip cream on top of the angel food cake and strawberries for a sweet Memorial Day treat! These dessert options are simple and keep with the traditional colors of Memorial Day. Pack plenty of drinks, such as water, lemonade, ice tea and bags of ice.

• Recipes: Consider trying Memorial Day picnic recipes that include ingredients in red, white and blue. Make deli sandwiches with ham, corned beef or bologna with white American cheese, mayonnaise and mustard. Hold each sandwich together with a blue toothpick. For a great side dish, cook pasta, toss with Italian dressing, cubes of fresh mozzarella and accent with red tomatoes and red peppers. For dessert, make a strawberry trifle containing pieces of angel food cake, red strawberries, whipped cream and vanilla pudding. Layer the ingredients in a glass trifle bowl. Make the dessert pop by putting strawberries and blueberries on the top layer!