There is something both innocent and exciting about a picnic, which is probably why most of us remain devoted to the same picnic foods we've eaten all our lives. But at some point, you may get the urge to vary the menu a bit. With a little effort and 20 minutes or less for assembly, you can create the kind of picnic that will put the prepared food shops to shame while saving you a small fortune.

Snacks

1 Beetroot salad

Peel raw beetroots and grate them. Add pistachios or hazelnuts; dress with orange zest and juice, and olive oil. Add some goats' cheese and chopped parsley.

2 Pesto chicken rolls

Grill chicken pieces. Brush tortilla or any other wrap-type bread with pesto; layer with the cut chicken, sun-dried tomatoes and rocket; roll up and cut on the bias.

3 Curried egg salad

Make egg salad with hard-boiled eggs, mayo, curry powder, Dijon mustard, lime juice, salt, pepper, parsley, onion and apple.

4 Tomatoes and peaches

Toss together sliced seeded tomatoes and peaches, along with thinly sliced red onion and chopped parsley or rosemary. Dress at the last minute with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper.

5 Roast beef and blue cheese

Start with whole-grain rolls. Smear blue cheese on one side and prepared horseradish on the other. Add red onion and sliced beef, pork or lamb. Pack lettuce, tomato and crisps on the side.

6 Cornflake chicken bites

Cut boneless chicken breasts into small pieces. Dip in milk or buttermilk, then dredge in seasoned crushed cornflake crumbs or cornmeal. Pan-fry in oil, drain, cool and eat cold with celery sticks, with ranch or blue-cheese dressing for dipping.

Chef's tip: Gordon Ramsay
7 Mackerel pâté

With four young children we always include a few tubs of dips and dunkers - they're easy, nourishing and travel well. Mix flaked smoked mackerel, crème fraîche, lemon juice and a good dash of horseradish. Or we do chickpea purée: whizz a tin of chick peas with 4 tbs natural yoghurt, lemon juice and chopped fresh mint. Then pack a mixture of raw vegetable sticks, cooked shelled prawns tossed in olive oil and some grissini.

· Gordon Ramsay Plane Food at Heathrow Terminal 5 will be offering a picnic service featuring dishes from the restaurant's menu gordonramsay.com/planefood.

8 Cold peanut noodles

Cook Chinese egg noodles or regular spaghetti. Drain and rinse. Toss with sesame oil, peanut butter (or tahini), sugar, soy sauce, ginger, vinegar, black pepper (lots) and chilli oil (optional). Pack chopped cucumber, spring onions and cooked shrimp separately.

Raw vegetables

9 Gazpacho

Blend tomatoes, cucumber, a slice or two of bread, olive oil, vinegar, garlic, salt, pepper. Chill.

10 Thai gazpacho

Combine tomatoes and cucumber in blender with lemon grass, parsley, fish sauce and lime.

11 Peeled grated carrots with chopped dates

Mix with cumin, minced chilli, lemon or lime juice, mint or parsley.

12 Fennel and tart apples

Slice and toss together with chopped tarragon, basil or chervil, olive oil, salt, pepper and lemon juice. Celery is good in this, too, as are oranges and sheep's cheese.

13 Guacasalsa

Mash an avocado into some salsa. Don't forget chips.

14 Panzanella

Cut day-old crusty bread into 2cm cubes. Just before leaving the house, combine it with chopped tomatoes, cucumber, red onion and fresh basil. Pack dressing separately: olive oil, red wine vinegar, diced anchovies, capers, salt and pepper.

15 Toasted pitta with olives, parsley and mint

Along with salt and pepper, chopped-up lemon (rinds and all; preserved lemon is even better), chopped seeded tomatoes, chopped seeded cucumbers and chopped red pepper. Toss together and fill bread. Take olive oil for last-minute dressing.

16 Savoy cabbage

Thinly slice and toss with sliced red onion, half a diced pepper and handfuls of chopped parsley. Dress with olive oil, lime juice, white wine vinegar, salt and pepper.

17 Cherry tomatoes and tofu

Halve tomatoes and toss with equal-size pieces of firm smoked or regular tofu, soy sauce, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, spring onions and a pinch of sugar (or mirin). Add chopped Thai basil and/or parsley and/or mint just before eating.

18 Cooked couscous

Toss with oil, chopped parsley, chopped black olives, capers, red onion, salt and pepper. Scoop out medium-sized tomatoes and fill with mixture. Pack carefully.

19 The best celery-filler since cream cheese

Into the food processor put a cup or two of cashews, a chilli or two, some garlic, a splash of soy sauce and enough water to get the food processor going; fold in chopped parsley or chives. Fill celery sticks and chill.

Cooked vegetables

20 Fresh corn kernels

Brown in hot oil with chopped chilli and garlic, salt and pepper. Remove from heat and toss with parsley and lots of lime juice.

Chef's tip: Thomasina Miers
21 Cauliflower and green bean salad

Steam cauliflower florets and green beans for 2-3 minutes so that they still have some bite. Toss them into a French dressing with a mashed anchovy fillet and small garlic clove, Dijon mustard and masses of freshly chopped tarragon.

· Wahaca, 66 Chandos Place, Covent Garden, London WC2.

22 Aubergine and tahini

Cook whole unpeeled aubergine in a dry, hot frying pan turning occasionally, until collapsed and soft. While it's cooling, whisk together tahini, lemon juice, salt, pepper, garlic and parsley in a bowl. Chop the aubergine flesh and roughly mash in the bowl. Add red pepper flakes if you like. Serve with pitta.

23 Giardiniera

Simmer one part olive oil, two parts red wine vinegar and four parts water with herbs, salt and pepper. Add chopped vegetables, firmest to softest - maybe carrots first, then cauliflower, then peppers - and poach until just getting tender. Remove from heat and chill overnight in the liquid.

24 Courgettes

Cut into big chunks and roast or grill with olive oil (and, if you like, whole garlic cloves). Combine with chopped tomatoes, lemon juice, dill, salt and pepper.

25 Cauliflower

Toss florets with oil, salt and pepper, and roast in a hot oven until browned and cooked; while still warm, toss with curry powder and a handful of raisins. Pour on the lemon juice.

26 Seaweed

Soak wakame or other seaweed in hot water until soft; drain and squeeze dry. Toss with chopped celery, sesame oil, soy sauce, mirin (or honey) and rice wine vinegar. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds.

27 Mushrooms

Clean a bunch of mixed mushrooms; quarter any large ones. Steam for about five minutes. When still warm, toss with sliced shallots, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper, cracked coriander seeds, chopped parsley, sherry vinegar and more olive oil if necessary.

28 Ginger, miso and walnuts

In a blender, combine ginger, a half cup or so light miso, a little more than that of walnuts, and enough soy sauce to make a sauce. Toss with cooked green beans or aubergine.

29 Asparagus

Steam or boil; slice on the bias. Toss with orange segments, zest and juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Garnish with sesame seeds. Add prawns or shredded crab, lobster or chicken if you like.

30 Green beans or asparagus

Steam or boil, slice on the bias. Toss with sliced red onion, small pieces of prosciutto, olive oil, lemon juice, a pinch of red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.

Bean, rice & grain salads

31 Black beans, kidney beans and chickpeas

Combine cooked or canned (and drained). Add diced red and green pepper, some corn kernels and a minced jalapeño pepper. Season with lime juice, chopped marjoram or oregano, salt and pepper.

32 Edamame or butter beans

Steam frozen (shelled) edamame or butter beans. Toss with chopped tomatoes, parsley, soy sauce, sesame oil, salt and pepper.

33 Edamame and cheese

Toss steamed edamame with olive oil, lemon juice, a pinch of sugar, mint, salt, pepper, and some shaved pecorino or parmesan.

34 Lentils

Cook with garlic, onion and thyme. Toss with salt, pepper and fresh chopped herbs: marjoram, tarragon, chervil or basil. Dress with vinaigrette made with oil, vinegar and mustard.

35 White beans

Toss cooked or canned white beans with chopped tomato, anchovy, olives, oil, lemon juice, black pepper, salt and parsley.

36 Rice and lentils

Mix cooked rice and cooked lentils with very well caramelised onions. Add sherry vinegar, salt, pepper and a bit of oil.

37 Brown rice and broccoli

Combine cooked brown rice with small, barely cooked broccoli florets and chopped pecans or walnuts and parsley. Dress with salt, pepper, olive oil and lemon.

38 Arborio rice

Combine cooked rice with pesto, peas, toasted pine nuts, salt and pepper.

39 Black beans

Soak black beans in sherry or wine; toss with cooked rice, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil and parsley.

40 Couscous

Mix cooked couscous with olive oil; add paprika, cumin, salt and pepper, chopped shallot or red onion, toasted slivered almonds and orange zest and juice.

41 Real tabbouleh

Toss chopped parsley and cooked bulgur wheat - say three to one in favour of the parsley. Chopped seeded tomatoes, olive oil, salt, pepper and lots of lemon juice.

42 Tabbouleh

Make as above and embellish with more vegetables - cucumbers and radishes - and/or crumbled feta, or bits of cooked chicken. Or smoked tofu, or bacon, whatever you can think of. How can you go wrong?

Potato & egg salads

43 Potato salad

Add cooked asparagus, peas, green beans, mustard vinaigrette. Or steamed mussels.

44 Potato salad with mayo

Add crumbled bacon, grated cheddar, celery, onion and chopped egg.

45 Sweet potatoes

Roast or boil but not too soft. Make a vinaigrette with a little chilli, cumin, sherry vinegar and olive oil. Pack separately; toss with spring onions and mint.

46 Egg salad

Make with sesame oil and seeds, soy sauce, rice vinegar, spring onions and chillies.

47 Egg salad with tomato

With chopped tomato, basil and extra-virgin olive

48 Egg salad with salmon

With sour cream, smoked salmon and chopped chives.

Cheese

49 Cold pizza and lemon

Squeeze lemon over cold pizza. Really.

50 Leftover rice

Mix a couple of cups of cold cooked short-grain rice with three eggs. Form balls; insert a small cube of mozzarella into each. Roll in breadcrumbs and chill. Deep or shallow fry until golden.

51 Roasted red peppers

Purée peppers (jarred or tinned are OK) with feta, marjoram or oregano and parsley, olive oil and garlic. Serve as a dip.

52 Salamis and mortadella

Chop the meats and combine with chopped pecorino, parmesan, bell pepper, red onion and fresh oregano. Dress with vinaigrette.

53 Goat or feta cheese

Marinate in olive oil, garlic, rosemary, lemon zest, pepper.

54 Make a cheese ball

Mash together equal parts of good grated cheddar, crumbled blue and cream cheese, maybe thinned with a little sour cream. Shape into a ball and roll in fresh chopped herbs and/or hazelnuts.

Fruit

55 A simple syrup with rosemary

Blend with watermelon, rum and lemon juice. Use more rum and call this a cocktail, or omit rum, add a little feta and eat with a spoon.

56 Melon

Make equal-sized pieces of watermelon, honeydew, cantaloupe, or charentais. Mix and sprinkle with lemon juice and salt or chilli, sugar, salt and lime.

57 Fruit salad

Make however you like it. Or take papaya halves and add to salad, drizzled with lemon.

58 Strawberries

Husk and quarter; at the last minute, combine with a little chopped tarragon, black pepper and balsamic vinegar. Goats' cheese is good, too.

59 Melon

Cut into wedges and wrap with thin slices of prosciutto. Stack in a container, sprinkle with a little olive oil and black pepper. Take romaine lettuce to serve under.

60 Blueberries

Toss with cornbread cubes, lemon juice, olive oil and hazelnuts.

Seafood

61 Shredded prawns, crab or lobster

Toss with lemon juice, chives, salt and pepper. Fill avocado halves.

62 Tinned salmon

Mix with cannellini beans, chopped tomato, diced shallot, chopped black or green olives, chopped parsley and basil. Dress with olive oil and lemon juice; season with salt and pepper. Serve on bread or over greens.

63 Smoked trout

Combine a bunch of watercress or rocket with thinly sliced radishes and red onion; add flaked trout. Dress at the last minute with olive oil, sherry vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper.

Chef's tip: Eddie Hart
64 Baby gem lettuce, anchovy and pancetta

Cut lettuces lengthways into four wedges and drape 1 or 2 anchovies on each wedge. For the dressing mix extra-virgin olive oil and lemon juice with a little finely diced shallot, chopped flat-leaf parsley and season with salt and pepper. In a separate box, pack thin strips of crisp fried pancetta. To assemble, drizzle dressing over the baby gem and add the pancetta.

· Quo Vadis, Dean Street, London W1.

65 Escabeche with red wine

Cut salmon fillets into small pieces, and sear in oil on both sides until brown; set aside. Sauté onions, garlic, fresh chillies; deglaze the pan with one part red wine vinegar, two parts each red wine and water. Pour over fish and chill for up to two days. This will work with mackerel, chicken or pork.

66 Escabeche with white wine

Marinade fish in white wine and vinegar, dill and lemon slices.

67 Prawns

Sauté. Then sauté fresh and dried chillies with onions and garlic; add some beer, reduce and pour over prawns.

68 Tuna with fennel

Mix good canned tuna with diced fennel, tarragon, lemon juice, salt and pepper. No mayo.

69 Tuna with anchovies

Mix good tuna with mashed anchovies (packed in olive oil), grated parmesan, lemon juice, olive oil and Worcestershire sauce.

70 Tuna with mayo

Mix tuna with mayo and mustard; add capers and dill.

Meat

71 Chicken wings

Cut wings into two parts, toss with olive oil, salt and pepper, and grill or roast until crisp and golden. Whisk together mustard, honey and lemon juice, and toss with warm wings. Chill overnight.

72 Teriyaki

Combine equal parts soy sauce, mirin and saké with a little sugar and sesame oil; boil for a minute. Use this to baste chicken thighs, pork or beef while you grill it. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and/or chopped spring onions - ginger and/or lemon are good too - just before serving. Works with mackerel and other dark fish, too.

73 Chicken teriyaki

Make as above, then toss with a little mayo and perhaps more soy. Awesome.

74 Chicken

Poach, then chop or shred. Toss with lemon juice, olive oil and herbs of your choice.

75 Cold meat

Pack in three containers: grilled sliced beef or pork, with its juices; watercress or rocket tossed with mint, basil and/or parsley; a dressing of lime juice, sesame oil, fish or soy sauce and sugar. Dress greens; put meat and its juices over all.

76 Grilled butterflied leg of lamb

Thinly slice, toss with cherry tomatoes, olive oil, mint, feta and chopped red onion.

77 Lamb shoulder

Grind chunks in a food processor with onion, parsley, salt and pepper. Form small meatballs and sauté or roast. Serve in pitta, with lemon, yoghurt or tapenade.

Chefs' tip: The Caldesis
78 Salad of bacon and roast butternut squash

Roast some bite-size pieces of butternut squash and chunks of red onion with olive oil, salt and pepper. Leave to cool and toss gently with crispy bacon and walnut oil.

· Caffe Caldesi, 15-17 Marylebone Lane, London W1.

79 Quail

Marinate with salt, pepper, minced garlic, sage and oil. Grill for 10 to 15 minutes.

80 Burritos

Use large tortillas: rice, beans, any stewed or grilled meat or chicken, parsley, salsa.

Sandwiches

81 Thai chicken

Fill a good baguette with chopped or shredded cooked chicken tossed with fish sauce, chilli, sugar, lime, garlic, spring onions and Thai basil.

Chef's tip: John Torode
82 Mufeletta

Take a round cob of bread. Cut in half. Hollow out one half and fill with mozzarella, tomatoes, pesto, pastrami and Mrs Elswood's pickles. Stack them in layers (I aim for three) so you get an even mix. Top with other half of bread and push together. Wrap in a tea towel and put a brick on top to really squish it together. When you're ready, remove tea towel and cut into wedges.

· Smiths of Smithfield, Charterhouse Street, London EC1.

83 Chicken and bacon

Fry chopped bacon; add strips of boneless chicken and cook until done; pack. Take pittas, tomato, avocado, sliced red onion and shredded romaine. Assemble in situ; dress with oil and vinegar.

84 Ricotta and fava beans

Blanch frozen fava beans in salted water. Pulse in a food processor with some mint or parsley until roughly chopped; season with salt, pepper and fresh lemon juice. Slice baguette and spread one half with fresh ricotta, then drizzle with olive oil. Spread the other half with the fava beans. Add rocket and sandwich-ise.

85 Ham

Butter both halves of a sliced baguette. Layer with any kind of thinly sliced cured ham and many halved gherkins.

86 Banh mi

Halve a cucumber; scoop out the seeds. Slice it thinly and salt it for a bit if you have time; in any case squeeze out some of the liquid. Combine it with shredded cooked chicken, ginger, soy, salt, pepper and parsley. Serve on a baguette.

87 Steak sandwich

Grill a steak; slice it thin. Butter a baguette on one side; put Dijon on the other side. Pile the bread with steak, roasted peppers, and something crunchy, like radicchio or fennel. A little blue cheese wouldn't hurt. Neither would avocado. (But not both.)

88 Cooked shrimps or prawns

Toss with pesto: lots. Put on small rolls.

89 Fish

Dredge (any) fish fillets in bread crumbs. Sauté in olive oil until crisp. Cool, then use for sandwiches; pack tomatoes.

90 Hard-boiled eggs

Slice them. Sauté some spinach with oil and garlic until quite dry; chop. Make mustardy sandwiches with baguettes, rolls or any bread that absorbs some oil.

Cold noodles

91 Great pasta salad

Cook fusilli or other cut pasta; rinse in cool water, but don't bother to chill. Combine with chopped seeded tomatoes, cubed fresh mozzarella, chopped basil, olive oil, salt and pepper. (Good with olives, too.) Do not call this pasta salad, because pasta salad is no good, and this is.

92 Soba noodles

Shred carrots and courgettes. Mix lime juice, soy sauce, grated ginger and sesame oil. Cook noodles, drain and rinse under cold water. Toss noodles with the vegetables and dressing.

93 Rice vermicelli

Cook and drain. Toss with kimchi, lots of parsley and cooked chopped prawns or chicken.

94 Clams and pasta

Cook garlic in olive oil until just sizzling; add clams (you can use canned but it will not be the same), and cook, stirring, until they open. Remove, chop and combine with the garlic, oil, any liquid in pan, chopped tomato and cooked pasta. Add more oil as needed, with lemon juice, parsley, salt (if needed), pepper and oregano, if you like.

Desserts

95 Granola bars

Combine equal parts honey and brown sugar with a little oil and bring to a boil; toss with good granola until the mixture is very sticky. You can add more nuts, or raisins and, yes, OK, you can add chocolate chips. Line a pan with waxed paper or film with oil. Press mixture into pan and allow to cool.

96 Cake and berries

Cook a couple of pounds of berries with some sugar and a little water until they break down. Layer in a plastic container with slices of good pound cake. Pour any remaining juices on top.

Chef's tip: Tom Aikens'
97 Poached champagne strawberries with mint

This needs to be prepared on the morning of the picnic. Split and scrape two vanilla beans and add them to a pan containing about 600ml water. Mix in 200g caster sugar and the juice of a lemon and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 5 minutes and then add a generous kilo of strawberries, washed, trimmed and halved. Simmer for a minute more and then remove the pan from the heat and place contents in a cool, metal bowl. Chill in the fridge for a couple of hours before taking on picnic. When you're ready to eat, take a handful of chopped mint, a small bunch or so, and sprinkle liberally. Serve in bowls.

· Tom's Kitchen, 1 Cale Street, London SW3.

98 Peanut butter and cream cheese

Mix and sandwich between two good cookies. Or mix honey, lemon zest and cream cheese. You could use ginger snaps. Mmm.

99 Sorbet

Make it yourself if you have time; put in a really cold thermos - it will be slushy by the time you open it. Add a splash of champagne or gewürztraminer, maybe some mint, and eat like cold soup.

Chef's tip: Tristan Welch
100 Champagne and strawberries

Take a one bottle of chilled champagne, pour it over some fresh strawberries and serve straight away, then drink the rest of the champagne.

· Head chef at Launceston Place, 1a Launceston Place, London W8.

101 Chocolate dips

Take melted chocolate thinned with cream or crème fraîche with strawberries, pineapple or bananas for dipping.