Anything baked in puff pastry and served at room temperature. I like to do pinwheels with feta, tapenade, sun dried tomato, etc. Cheese holds up better than you'd expect.

Vegan mayo is generally a good solution to the mayo in the sun issue. Vegenaise is effing delicious. I'm not vegan, but I have been buying it instead of "real" mayo for years.

Seasonal fruit tossed with honey and lime juice. I often add fresh mint or grated ginger as well.

Pasta salad with pesto, fresh peas, feta, anything else that sounds good.

Easy. Wine. Apples. Cheeses.

A picnic sounds wonderful right about now, Nancy.

watermelon

Some things don't do well if they are going to be out for a long time or sit in the sun for a short time. anything with mayonnaise can go bad quickly, like deviled eggs or potato or macaroni salad.

That's why a pasta salad is usually the best bet. Any pasta shape, zesty Italian dressing, season with Salad Surprise, Suddenly Salad, Dash or similar spice mix, and chop up your favorite veggies fairly small. Black olives, (green olives overpower everything), tomatoes, green pepper (also can overpower, so not too many) broccoli, cauliflower, snow peas, pretty much any veggies you like. Mushrooms can wilt and turn brown so not good for picnic salad.

You can throw in white beans or red beans or green beans or sunflower seeds. Get creative!

Cauliflower Neapolitan: cauliflower with capers and olives in a light and tangy olive oil / lemon dressing. Great hot, cold, or in between.

Grilled asparagus: very tasty grilled under the broiler. Dress with 2 parts butter, one part soy sauce and one part balsamic vinegar. Or, if your friends are meat-eaters, wrap with a small piece of prosciutto before grilling and you'll be the most beloved person at the picnic.

Caprese salad bites: put cherry tomatoes, mozzerella, and basil on a toothpick and sprinkle with balsamic vinegar. Mozzerella stands up surprisingly well in the heat; it's definitely sturdier than mayonnaise.

Go to the Dick's on Broadway. Get a couple of little burgers, fries and a chocolate milk shake. Walk over to Cal Anderson Park, sit on the grass or on a bench or next to the little pond thing and enjoy.

That's a city-style picnic.

Panzanella salad is one of my favorites, because it just gets better and better and better.

I included most of the recipe here, including the critical anchovy dressing:

http://questionland.com/questions/18480-how-do-you-prepare-little-fish

For the croutons, I get a loaf of columbia or como bread from Grand Central (something crusty and delicious) -- it's totally fine if it's somewhat stale. I cube it, and toss the breadcrumbs generously with olive oil and salt. I spread them out in a roasting pan or on a cookie sheet, and then bake at 350-400 degrees until they start to turn golden brown. They're done when they're still a little chewy in the middle, but crispy on the outside. Once cool, set them aside.

Once you've made your dressing, cube/cut up a bunch of vegetables, including some of the best quality tomatoes you can find. I'll add cucumbers, bell peppers, etc. Pour the dressing over every thing in a large bowl and give it a stir. Also add your mozzarella -- bocconcini, cut in half -- at this time. Taste to make sure that things are tasting balanced.

To serve immediately, combine the veggie mix plus the croutons with a generous handful of freshly chopped basil in a large bowl, and give it a stir.

To take this to a picnic, put your veggie/dressing mix in a tupperware or double-bagged ziplock bag. Take the croutons along separately, along with a small container with your basil, and a serving bowl. Mix the basil into the veggies at the last minute, and, if you like, the croutons. (I don't mind if the croutons get soggy while I'm eating the salad, but they're disappointing when you're eating leftovers. So, I usually keep them separate until I'm right about to eat the salad.)

The veggie mixture will continue to improve over a few days as it sits in the fridge. YUM.