How to Make Picnic Sandwiches That Delight

Learning how to make picnic sandwiches is an art that combines creativity with tradition. These portable feasts have been delighting outdoor diners for generations, and mastering their preparation can elevate your picnic experience from ordinary to extraordinary.

In this timeless guide, we'll explore everything from essential sandwich-making techniques to creative variations and classic recipes that have stood the test of time. Whether you're planning a casual family outing or an elegant alfresco gathering, these sandwich-making tips and recipes will ensure your picnic is memorable.

How to Make Picnic Sandwiches: Essential Tips for Perfect Lunches

The Enterprising Housekeeper (1900)
Mom's Recipe Scrapbooks (1920s)

How to Make Cold Sandwiches

• Sandwiches may be made of white, whole-wheat, Graham or brown bread with any kind of meat, fish, salad, eggs, some vegetables, jams, or chopped nuts, and spread with butter or mayonnaise dressing.
• The bread should not be too fresh to cut well, nor will actually stale bread make good sandwiches. It is best when about a day old, should be of fine grain and be trimmed to good shape before the sandwiches are cut.
• The crusts should not be left on, but removed, dried, and put through the chopper for crumbs to be used later.
• The butter must be absolutely fresh and good, for in softening, that the bread may be properly spread, any foreign flavor or odor will be brought out.
• For picnic sandwiches that call for meats, the meat used should be chopped fine, not cut in slices, first for convenience in eating and serving, and secondly, because in this form only, is it possible to properly season the sandwich.
• Fish should be flaked very fine with a fork and mixed to a paste with the seasonings.
• For meat, fish, salad and egg sandwiches the bread should be cut in squares, oblongs or triangles; for jam and nut sandwiches it is usually cut round.

How to Make Meat Sandwiches

• It's usually better to spread the bread with butter before cutting off each slice for a sandwich; however, this is not necessary when mayonnaise dressing is used.
• Chop the meat fine, season to taste with salt, pepper, chopped parsley, mustard if desired, onion or celery extract, or any of the various seasonings. Moisten, if necessary, with stock or cream or mix with a small quantity of mayonnaise dressing. Spread the sandwiches, put together and serve.
• The white meat of chicken or turkey, or veal, after being chopped, may be pounded to a paste and mixed with equal quantities of the yolks of hard-boiled eggs, mixed smoothly with cream or melted butter. Season to taste.

How to Make Fresh Vegetable Sandwiches

• These healthy ideas for picnic sandwiches will taste very refreshing with cold meats. Tomatoes, lettuce, watercress, and cucumbers are vegetables most commonly used.
• Tomatoes or cucumbers should be chopped and mixed with a mayonnaise. Spread the bread with butter, cut delicate slices, and spread with the vegetable. Put together and serve.
• Lettuce and watercress should be shredded. Spread the bread with mayonnaise, and mix the lettuce or water cress with a French dressing.
• Vegetable sandwiches should be served soon after making to enjoy their freshness.

How to Make Mosaic Sandwiches: Eye-Catching Picnic Treats

Looking for ideas for picnic sandwiches? Here's a clever sandwich recipe for when you want fancy sandwiches for a special picnic or backyard event.

To make mosaics, use cookie cutters to cut two brown shapes and two white shapes from sliced bread. Save the leftover crust and pieces for making a delicious bread pudding dessert.

Cut the centers from one of each. Put the dark cutout in the white shape and vice versa.

Spread plain shapes with your favorite sandwich filling and place a mosaic of opposite-colored bread on top to make it special.

How to Make Tasty-Sweet Sandwich Delights

Looking for something versatile? These vintage picnic sandwich recipes are tasty and sweet, and perfect for sandwich lovers who crave something different.

Any favorite conserve or marmalade may be used with minced nuts and spread between slices of buttered bread. Both white and whole-wheat or Graham bread may be used.

Jellies may be mixed with cream or cottage cheese and spread between buttered crackers. The butter for spreading should always be creamed. Wrap in waxed paper.

Combinations you'll want to try:

• Raisins and nuts, moistened with grape juice — white bread
• Shaved maple sugar and cream — whole-wheat bread
• Sliced bananas and red raspberries mashed with cream — white bread
• Preserved ginger — white bread
• Stoned dates and walnut meats — whole-wheat bread

How to Make Picnic Sandwiches

Here's a variety of vintage picnic sandwich recipes you can make as is or use to inspire new creations. Enjoy!

Deviled Ham Sandwich

1 cupful of cold boiled ham
1 teaspoonful of lemon juice
Yolks of 2 hard boiled eggs
1/4 teaspoonful of mustard
3 tablespoonfuls of melted butter

If you're looking for tasty picnic sandwich idea, you can't go wrong with this one. Chop the ham fine. Rub the yolks of the eggs smooth with the butter, mix with the ham, mustard, and lemon juice, and season to taste. Spread on thin slices of bread. Fold together or roll.

Fish Sandwich

Fresh fish should be flaked fine, seasoned with salt and pepper, chopped pickle, lemon juice, celery or onion extract, and mixed with mayonnaise dressing, or moistened with a sauce. Anchovies, sardines or salt fish are better pounded to a paste and moistened with lemon juice.

Creamy Egg Sandwich

Chop the whites of the hard-boiled eggs very fine. Mix the yolks smooth with well-seasoned mayonnaise dressing, add the whites, and spread on the bread.

Tasty Cheese-Spread Sandwich

Grate the cheese of choice fine. Rub it to a paste with melted butter, season with salt and pepper; and spread on the sandwiches.

Sweet and Nutty Sandwich

Here's a great idea for a picnic sandwich with a sweeter taste. These may be made with marmalade, jam, or jelly, or anything that will spread without running. Boston brown bread is generally used for nut sandwiches.

Chop the nuts very fine or pound them to a paste, and spread on thin slices of bread. Lemon juice or extract flavorings may be used if desired.

Your Path to Sandwich Perfection

From classic meat combinations to creative mosaic designs, you now have the knowledge needed to create perfect picnic sandwiches. Remember that the best sandwiches start with day-old bread, quality ingredients, and careful preparation.

These time-tested tips and recipes have delighted picnickers for generations, offering a perfect blend of convenience and taste. Whether you choose the traditional deviled ham sandwich or experiment with sweet combinations, your picnic basket will be filled with delicious possibilities.

Start creating these wonderful sandwiches today and make your next outdoor gathering truly special!