Balsamic Grilled Peaches + Healthy Picnic Basket Ideas

Make these balsamic grilled peaches, then use these healthy picnic basket ideas and healthy picnic snacks for the perfect summer meal. These balsamic peaches make the perfect vegetarian picnic food.

When I’ve made my grilled peaches for friends, a lot of people tell me how delicious they are. Then they tell me how surprised they are that the recipe is so easy.

Can You Eat Peach Skin?

When it comes to cooking up grilled peaches, you may think that you need to first remove the peach skin. But think again! Not only is peach skin perfectly edible, the outer layer of a peach is where the majority of the fruit’s fiber is stored.

This is a good thing, because fiber is beneficial not only for helping to keep you fuller for longer but also for helping cholesterol levels! So yes, you can and should eat the skin of peaches. There’s no need to peel peaches.

6 Healthy Picnic Tips

Wanting to have a healthier picnic? Use these tips for a tasty, calorie-friendly, and easy picnic. You’ll also find food safety picnic safety tips here!

1. Prep Healthy Sides in Advance

Think about preparing food the night before. “My go-to picnic recipes are whole-grain and bean salads because they taste better when you make them the day before,” says Christy Brissette, MS, RD, author of Everyday Low Carb.

2. Cool Your Food

Keep your food cold by packing it with frozen water bottles. That’s right, don’t pack drinks in separate coolers! As the weather warms and the bottles melt, you’ll have really cold water to drink! This tip helps to keep perishable food safe to eat, and hopefully your cooked food won’t even get to room temperature. You want to keep harmful bacteria away!

3. Pack Ingredients for Wraps

Use Boston lettuce, flatbreads, or light whole-grain tortillas as the base. “Mixing and matching is a fun way to have a picnic,” says Bridget Swinney, MS, RD, author of Eating Expectantly. Add shredded low-fat cheese, hummus, shredded chicken or lean beef, bagged salad, julienned carrots, and sliced cucumber to your picnic basket. Don’t forget to bring along paper towels or napkins.

4. Make a Salad in a Jar

“To keep things easy and neat, consider layered salads in mason jars so you can replace the lid and carry empty and dirty jars home to pop in the dishwasher,” says Judy Barbe, author of Your 6-Week Guide to LiveBest.

5. Use a Lighter Condiment

“Go oil based instead of mayonnaise based,” says Sarah Pflugradt, MS, RDN, author of Favorite Family Meals. “Even if your salads are chilled, mayo-based foods will spoil quicker. Think Mediterranean instead of classic American.” This is an especially important tip for prepping pasta salad.

6. Pack Ready-to-Eat Fruit

“To make prep easier, focus on fruit like grapes, fresh raspberries, and apples that you just need to wash and put into a container rather than cut,” says Elizabeth Ward, MS, RD, author of Expect the Best.

Make Tasty Grilled Balsamic Peaches

Now that you’ve read all about healthy, plant-based and vegetarian picnic food ideas, get ready to whip up the most delicious grilled balsamic peaches!

One of the best things about these peaches? You don’t have to use any brown sugar or vanilla ice cream to sweeten them. They are plenty sweet on their own! You can either serve grilled peaches right away or make them the night before when prepping your picnic food.

Read to eat peaches?

Helpful Kitchen Tools

• Paring knife
• Silicone spatula
• Silicone brush
• Countertop grill

This blog post was updated in August 2020. A version of this content originally appeared on WeightWatchers.com.

Sources

• Christy Brissette, MS, RD, author of Everyday Low Carb
• Bridget Swinney, MS, RD, author of Eating Expectantly
• Judy Barbe, author of Your 6-Week Guide to LiveBest
• Sarah Pflugradt, MS, RDN, author of Favorite Family Meals
• Elizabeth Ward, MS, RD, author of Expect the Best

Balsamic Grilled Peaches

Make these balsamic grilled peaches! These balsamic peaches make the perfect vegetarian picnic food.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 2 mins

Cook Time 10 mins

Total Time 12 mins

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Servings 4

Calories 70 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• Cooking spray
• 4 peaches, halved and pitted
• 1 tbsp reduced balsamic vinegar

Instructions

 

• Place peaches on oiled grill.
• Cook until charred and softened, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Turn once. Once cooked, plate and drizzle with balsamic vinegar.

Nutrition

Calories: 70kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 1gFat: 1gFiber: 2gSugar: 15g

Keyword Peaches, Picnic

Did you make this recipe?Mention @amydgorin and tag #plantbasedwithamy

I’d love to hear from you! Let me know if you make these grilled peaches balsamic for your picnic. What other nutritious picnic snacks do you enjoy? What other picnic food ideas do you have?