Never have I been as hungry as when I’m reading a book with a mouth-watering food scene. In A Little Princess, when Sara describes those currant bakery buns? I instantly crave something I’ve never even had before. The cake with the dark chocolate icing in Matilda, the pickled limes in Little Women, the Turkish Delights in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe… they all sound amazing.
And luckily, there are some really great food and children’s book pairings perfect for a summer picnic.
Summer picnics are all about light, easy foods. Nobody wants a huge, sticky mess in the picnic basket or a million dishes to worry about when you just want to get out in the sun and snack — and children’s books (both picture books and chapter books) are the perfect inspiration for this type of meal.
You don’t have to make them all, but if you want to get outside more this summer (and read more books as a family), this is a great place to start. If you need me, I’ll be under the tree with the bread and jam like Frances.
Cheese Puffs | Ella Enchanted
“A balloon-sized cheese puff” has been a line stuck in my head since the first time I read Ella Enchanted — and it always makes me crave a cheese puff. You can go super simple with a bag of crunchy cheese puffs from the store, but if you want to try making your own, this cheese puff recipe from Spend with Pennies is so light, airy, and super simple to throw together. A big bag of these in a picnic basket? Yes, please.
Bread & Jam | Bread and Jam for Frances
I think every mom can relate to a fussy-eating kid like Frances, but in Bread and Jam for Frances, I just find myself desperate for my own slice of bread with jam. This is the perfect picnic snack, and while it’s extremely on-the-nose (and at the end of the book, Frances is kind of over bread and jam anyway), I love this addition. Make your own bread, buy a pack of Uncrustables from the grocery store, it doesn’t matter — just get some bread and jam in there.
“Hunny” Snack Mix | Winnie-the-Pooh
Nobody snacks like Winnie-the-Pooh, and while a jar of honey in your picnic basket is about as sweet as it gets, I really love this “hunny” snack mix created by Little Chalkboard. It’s the best mix of sweet, crunchy, and a little bit salty, and you can easily customize it for your own honey mix.
Fried Chicken | Little House on the Prairie
It took a lot longer to make in the prairie days than it does now, but you can throw fried chicken on the picnic menu thanks to inspiration from the Little House on the Prairie series. Honestly, a bucket of fried chicken from your favorite store or restaurant is kind of the best foundation for a picnic, and who doesn’t love sitting outside with a drumstick in hand?
Peaches | Esperanza Rising
There are so many great mouth-watering food moments in Esperanza Rising, but I truly love the mention of peaches, especially when Esperanza saves them for Isabel, who loves them. Whether you want to make a peach dessert, peach salsa, or just throw a big bag of peaches into the picnic basket, this is a must for a summer lunch.
Egg Salad Sandwiches | Because of Winn-Dixie
I was never an egg salad fan… and then I read Because of Winn-Dixie. While prepping for their party, Opal and her mentor/friend Gloria make the food (and Dump Punch), with Gloria showing Opal how to make egg salad sandwiches. Something about this part in the story always makes me want one on my own front porch, and while you’ll need to keep it cold, it’s a great summer picnic staple. This egg salad recipe from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe is a great version of the classic meal.
Pasta Salad | Strega Nona
OK, so maybe Strega Nona isn’t making pasta salad with all her magic pasta, but if Big Anthony is going to make a ton, might as well whip it up for the summer picnic, right? Pasta in any variation is my favorite, but this Italian chop pasta salad from Half-Baked Harvest seems Strega Nona-approved.
Tomato Sandwiches | Harriet the Spy
Maybe it’s because I grew up in the South, where tomato sandwiches were already a staple, but eating them while reading Harriet the Spy is just perfection. “There is nothing like a good tomato sandwich now and then,” Harriet writes, and I agree. Go fully classic, like this tomato sandwich recipe from Budget Bytes.
Berry Salad | Jamberry
The cover of Jamberry, the sweet book from 1982 about a bear and a boy searching for berries, is enough to make you want to eat all the fruit you can get your hands on. Get inspired and make your own giant berry salad — think raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries — for your summer picnic.
Sliced Ham | Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe
You don’t have to put them in a sandwich, but some slices of ham — maybe paired with crackers and cheese for a mini charcuterie board — are perfect for a picnic, and are inspired by The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Mr. and Mrs. Beaver prepare plenty of sliced ham for the Pevensie children, and it just makes me want my own pile with some gouda.
