Just Bento

For a very first picnic you have to have some sandwiches! And hard boiled eggs - seeing it's Easter you could colour the shells (by boiling the eggs in water with vinegar and food colouring added). One of these would be yummy.

Say no more, nudge, nudge, wing, wing http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1739,155162-242196,00.html

Fun in the sun !!!

Balifly

Chicken is always good at a picnic, especially when male eaters are present. The wings here would work well.

What about asian style Fingerfood?
Like Gyozas/Jiaozi http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jiaozi
It's pretty easy und very delicious with in combination with
a hot chili sauce.
You can do filled bread, too.
I use dried und fresh tomatoes, olives, mozarella, basil and
grated parmesam.
Cut everything into small pieces, roll out the dough, put the
mixture of all ingredients on the dough an roll or fold it till
its looking like some kind of bread an put it into the oven...
Cornelia

For the last picnic I had I took sushi (cucumber rolls and prawn nigiri), quiche, bread, brownies, cupcakes and cookies. You can prepare most of that in the morning and still leave by noon. Although in my case dad made the bread, I did the quiches the day before, and the brownies where from mix. So I supose it depends on how much you want to do yourself. That was enough for me and 3 freinds who I had draged a mile and a half up a hill to get from my house to the picnic spot dragging a picnic.

I would also recomend potato cakes, which although traditionaly hot are nearly as nice cold, cold sausages, jam and lemon curd to go on the bread, couscous, pasta salad, onigiri, and savory muffins. Also, you could bring some hot food in a food thermos if it looks like its going to be chilly.

I would sugest making iced tea and lemonade. Their easy, and much nicer than shop bought drinks. Again, if it looks chilly, bring hot tea in a thermos.

Finger foods that commingle are also kind nice for a picnic, like fruits, vegetables and cheeses that are pre-cut with possibly some dip. I can see being able to make a very nice arrangement from all this and I find it a bit more intimate than having separate food (as long as all hands are clean).

You could make cute little sandwiches using hard-boiled quail eggs or raw cherry tomatoes. Slice them into two and place small pieces of cheese and ham in between. Hold it all together with a toothpick (perhaps one with a flag) to make a mini "sandwich".
Alternatively, you could make mini sandwiches with bread.
You can purchase a flat cheesecake and slice it thinly to make cheesecake fingers.
Other suggestions:
Store-bought madelines
Mini cupcakes (If you have time, you can write out your own and your friend's names on top using store-bought icing. Eg. if you have 5 mini cupcakes, you can form the word A-R-L-I-A using icing.)
Store-bought mini konnyaku (a kind of japanese jelly) cups
Bread bowls filled with soup, salad, pasta etc. (Take a piece of bread and stuff the centre inside a round cookie cutter so that it resembles a bowl. Tuck in the edges of the bread to get a nicer shape if necessary. Toast the bread along with the cookie cutter and voila, you get a bread bowl!)
(you can pack hot water in a flask and use it to make instant soup)
(cliched but eye-candy) chocolate dipped fruits

if u bring a mini grill maybe you can pack some marinated meat skewers to cook there. most men love bbq'ing! and if do bring a mini grill bring some fresh veggies too for grilling!

My mom used to pack inarizushi whenever we went on picnics. They are easy to make, they keep well, and they're pretty filling with all of that rice.

Wow these are all amazing ideas! I may have to invite more people to the picnic because I want to make everything!

People seem to love deviled eggs, and there are all sorts of variations on the filling-- you can use dill, bits of meat, tuna or curry to name a few. Cherry tomatoes with insides scooped out and replaced with deviled ham, soft cheese mixed with herbs, or other filling, is cute and easy to eat. I love katsuobushi onigiri with roasted, crispy korean-style nori wrappers. Kimbap is colorful and pretty. And everybody seems to love inarizushi-- and marshmallow crispy treats!

My picnics always include a Nicoise salad - it's a family tradition! :)

With its combination of potatoes, hard-boiled egg and tuna, plus all kinds of vegetables, it is both perfect for spring and quite filling.

Enjoy your picnic!

A noodle salad would be a good idea to complement the suggestions above. Nigella Lawson has a good one here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/database/sesamenoodlesalad_87103.shtml

or an easy alternative is to use Maki wonderful wasabi sauce (http://www.justhungry.com/broccoli-wasabi-sauce-wasabi-ae) to season a rice or soba noodles salad with the vegs of your choice (I use shredded carrots, cucumber, broccoli flowers and spring onion)

Can I come??? :)

well how was the picnic anyway? :D

Alright:

Drinks: Dragonfruit and Tropical Citrus energy drinks from Trader Joes

Sandwiches: Rye bread with mayo and dijon mustard, smoked turkey and cheddar cheese

Fit n fresh bottom: Raw Snow peas and broccoli
Fit n fresh top containers: Hummus and tzatziki with snow pea separaters and cubes of 8 year old artisan cheddar.

Tupperware square dish: red apple slices, mini multigrain rice savory crackers from Trader Joes, 2 easter eggs: Margo and Nick

Tupperware snack cups: 2 each of sicilian marinated olives and dolmas.

MMMMMM :D

I feel awful I only had 20 min or so to prep for this... I wanted to do so much more. Oh well - ideas for next time!

and my friend enjoyed it!

lololol he is flattered, and wants me to get rid of the guy.

(sorry about the re-appearance briefly of the asshat's comment. I hit 'publish' instead of 'delete'. doh.)

I went on another picnic!

I have a simple tuna salad wrapped in lettuce, loads of edamame covered in kosher salt and pepper, hearts of palm salad with goddess dressing, sauteed wax beans with Trader Joe's Seafood Grill spice and garlic powder, Farinata (chickpea flatbread with garlic and basil) and black bean dip, baby bell cheeses, and boiled eggs.

:) I used some lobster forks for the beans and salad, and had a tupperware smidget filled with salt and pepper mix to pour over everything.

It turned out really well, I was happy!