Deanna, just had a similar problem. I decided to make an Asian Noodle Salad and it worked out well. People loved it and I didn't have to worry. If you need a recipe let me know.

Another idea that would work.... cherry tomatoes skewered on frilly toothpicks (they are a little longer than reg toothpicks) with fresh mini mozzarella balls and a fresh basil leaf. I just posted a picture of them on the current WFD thread.

Nancy

I gotta say, I loved Nancy's Margherita mini-skewers (like my renaming?) on the WFD thread. It looked mouthwatering!!! And it's "picnic food": one-handed, no cutting, and no liquid to run off a plate (or into food on the other side of the plate). I second the motion!

Here is a recipe that can be made ahead and keeps very well. I've been making it for over 20 years. It's a recipe from Jane Butel's Chili Madness cookbook.

Pickled Coleslaw

1 cup salad oil
1 cup white or cider vinegar
1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups sugar
2 Tablespoons celery seeds
3 lbs. green cabbage, chopped
1 medium size green bell pepper, finely chopped
2 medium size white onions, finely chopped
1 Tablespoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oil, vinegar, sugar and celery seeds until the mixture boils and the sugar dissolves. Simmer for a few minutes.

Combine the chopped vegetables in a large bowl. Season with the salt and pepper. Mix well. Pour hot dressing over the vegetables and let stand for at least 2 hours before serving. Better yet, chill overnight for best flavor.

**The author notes that this will make 2 quarts and that it keeps well without refrigeration.

I chop the cabbage in my food processor. The texture is somewhat like a relish. It's very good. I have made it well ahead of summer parties and it's always a hit.

seagrass

Someone mentioned a Greek pasta salad, and it seems that something like that would work for you. Actually a lot of pasta salad recipes. Prep the veggies ahead of time, make the dressing, maybe marinate the veggies in the dressing and then before you leave to go to the picnic, cook the pasta and toss it all and add the feta cheese. You recipe may vary, but I think the technique will work for you.

My go to is always marinated veggies.
I would cut up the vaggies separately and bag....make the dressing and jar it....and just before put it all together and toss.
Veggies I use are onions...vidalia or sweet red, peppers any and all colors, broccoli florets, cauliflower, cucumber, zucchini and/or yellow squash, celery, chunked and drained tomatoes, white kidney beans, shredded cabbage, I like red for the color, sugar snap peas, radishes no need to use all just a good variety of veggies,,,,you get the idea!
Then toss with this dressing:
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
4 cloves garlic crushed
1/4 c honey
1 1/3 cup cider vinegar( or 1 cup cider and 1/3 cup balsamic)
Whisk and add 2 cups Olive oil in a slow stream whisking.
Add 2 tsps oregano and about 1/2 cup parmesan cheese

A couple more for your consideration. They both hold very well.

Roasted Corn, Black Bean and Mango Salad
Source: Cooking Light

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups fresh corn kernels (about 6 ears)
2 cups diced peeled ripe mango (about 2 pounds)
1 cup chopped red onion
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 drained canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce, chopped
2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
8 cups gourmet salad greens
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic; cook 30 seconds. Stir in corn; cook 8 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally. Place corn mixture in a large bowl. Add mango and remaining ingredients except greens; stir well. Arrange 1 cup greens on each of 8 plates. Spoon 1 cup corn mixture over greens.

Greek Orzo Salad
my sister Sharon's recipe

1c uncooked orzo
2c chopped cucumber
1-1/2c cherry tomatoes, quartered
1c feta cheese,crumbled
1/2c chopped onion
1/2c chopped fresh parsley
1/2c chopped black olives
2tsp salt
1/4tsp pepper

Dressing:
1/3c extra virgin olive oil
1/3c lemon juice
1tsp minced garlic
� tsp salt
1/4tsp pepper

Cook orzo, cool, place in bowl with prepared vegetables. Toss with dressing and chill

Linda

Rob333 if you add a cube of sausage to that skewer it takes it an Antipasto Skewer!! Here's one I love:

BLACK BEAN, RICE AND FETA SALAD

1 1/2 Cups Cooked Rice (start with 1/2 cup dry)
1 15oz Can Black Beans, well rinsed and drained
2 Tablespoons Chopped Fresh Cilantro
1/2 Cup Seeded and Diced Cucumber
1/2 Cup Sliced Scallions
1 1/2 Cups Chopped Fresh Tomato
4oz Crumbled Feta Cheese
1/2 Cup Italian Salad Dressing, more to taste

Combine Rice, Beans, Cilantro, Cucumber, Scallions, and Tomato. Add Salad Dressing and mix. Add Feta, mix and refrigerate.

Steve

My favorite traveling salad is an old family recipe for cauliflower salad. It loves being made two days ahead. It will stay crisp and will actually improve in flavor as the garlic percolates through it. No need to cool it while traveling. It will keep fine. I carry it in a plastic bin.

Cauliflower, broken down to bite size. As much as you want, according to how big a salad you want.

Pimento pieces, or just dice some red sweet peppers. Just enough to build some points of color into the salad. A small jar is plenty for a head or two of cauliflower.

Celery, 1/8" to 1/4" slices are fine. A big head of celery is enough for two heads of cauliflower.

Green olives. Sliced or whole, your choice. Sliced is easier to manage when holding a paper plate. I like a lot. A handful per two cauliflower.

Black olives. About half the amount of green, slices.

Garlic, diced fine or pressed. I use a lot. You might use less for a mixed crowd, maybe three pods per two cauliflower.

Toss all that stuff together with a nice bright vinegar. White wine vinegar is good. So is white Balsamic, if you like it a bit sweeter. Also a salad oil of common olive oil. (I think extra virgin has too much flavor for cauliflower.) Don't overdue the oil, and use just enough vinegar to wet all the ingredients.

As an option, you can toss in some walnuts right before serving.

Also at your option, thin sliced red onion.

Refrigerate one or two days, and toss several times.

You can carry all the parts and make it up right before serving, but it will NOT be as good as it would be if you give it 24-48 hours to mature.

That cauliflower salad looks like a winner!
I think I may try it. The "scheduling" would work really well for me since I can make it at home on Friday night to serve Sunday at noon.
I have all the ingredients already except the cauliflower!
I think I'll make and take in a gallon ziploc and dump it into a cute dollar store bowl that I can just leave when it's time to head home!! I'll probably be leaving earlier that the majority that don't have a 3 hour travel time.
No problem.

I may adapt just bit and add some of LindaC's veggie options as well.

I just want something a little unique and drop dead easy.
This one fits the bill for me!

Thank you to all. I am saving the others to try at home since vinegar based salads are some of my favorites!

Deanna

Seagrass, that's a lot like the cole slaw recipe I've been making for a few years except that mine doesn't call for onions. I'm going to have to add those, I think it would be really good, so thanks.

Have fun, Deanna.

Annie