Picnic desserts have one job before they even get eaten: survive the car, the bag and however long lunch takes to happen. Dates hold up better than most sweet ingredients in warm weather because they're already dry and dense — nothing to melt, nothing that needs ice. These five don't need a fridge on the way there.
Date and almond rolls
Chop pitted dates finely, work in a handful of ground almonds until the mixture holds together, then roll into a log and slice into rounds. Roll each round lightly in extra chopped almonds so they don't stick to each other in the container. They keep for two or three days without going hard, which makes them a good one to prep the evening before.
No-bake date flapjack bars
Mash dates into a paste with a little warm water, mix through rolled oats and a spoon of melted coconut oil, press into a lined tray and chill until firm. Cut into bars once set. This is the sturdiest option on the list — it can sit at the bottom of a picnic bag under everything else and still come out in one piece.
Chocolate-dipped stuffed dates
Stuff pitted dates with a whole almond or a small piece of orange peel, then dip the top half in melted dark chocolate and let it set on baking paper. In hot weather, pack these in the coolest part of the bag and eat them earlier rather than later — the chocolate softens faster than the date does.
Date and ginger balls
Blend dates with a little grated fresh ginger and desiccated coconut, roll into small balls, and coat in extra coconut so they don't stick together. The ginger cuts the sweetness and gives them a sharper flavour than a plain date ball, which is worth it if the rest of the picnic spread already leans sweet.
Date syrup over sliced fruit
Simmer chopped dates with water until soft, blend smooth, and pack the syrup separately in a small sealed jar. Drizzle it over sliced apple, banana or melon just before eating rather than in advance, so the fruit doesn't sit in liquid and go soft.
Softer, plumper dates are easier to work with for all of these — a dry date takes longer to blend and needs more water, which changes the texture of the final result. Our dates selection and the Sayer dates range are both soft enough to use straight from the pack.