The weather is getting warmer, and when it comes to food, that means one thing: Picnics! And, let's face it, there are certain foods that a picnic is just not a picnic without. Would you do a pizza without cheese? Of course not. And no picnic is complete, at least in my world, without certain staples.

Add these items into a wicker basket, unfurl your red-and-white checkered tablecloth, pick a prime grassy spot, and gorge! Here are the 7 classic picnic ingredients and some good recipes for them.

Potato salad. No picnic is complete without potato salad, and here's a nice white potato with buttermilk recipe from The Food Network.

Succotash. Succotash, made with lima beans and corn, was one of my favorite dishes when I was a kid, and I think it goes great with a picnic. What other way are you going to eat lima beans anyway?

Pasta salad. For fussy eaters, pasta salad is always a surefire bet. Here is a classic kid-friendly one from Disney Family.

Tomato, onion, and avocado salad. Tomatoes and avocados are just two vegetables that scream "picnic" to me.

Cheese and cracker plate. You can always just add your own cheeses as per your preference, but I like Swiss, brie, and harvarti. For crackers, I like Mary's Gone, which are gluten-free.

Fried chicken. Cold fried chicken is a picnic staple, though I would sit this one out. Here is a southern fried recipe. For vegetarians (like me), you can substitute Morningside Buffalo chick'n wings.

Fruit salad. For dessert, try this melon, strawberry, and lemongrass syrup salad from Delish.

Now all you need is a frisbee, a good book, some sunblock, and your dog. Have fun!

 

Image via stevendepolo/Flickr