Spring picnic ideas with Hotel Chocolat

Celebrate the change of seasons with alfresco dining that puts cacao-rich chocolate in the spotlight

A spring picnic is the perfect way to wake up from your winter’s hibernation as the weather warms up. Whatever your plans with a group of friends, family, or your best beloved, don’t forget the delectable portable treats to make the most of the springtime vibe.

In our humble opinion, everything is better with chocolate — whatever the occasion. Why not pair your savoury picnic snacks with cacao-rich nibbles and elevate your next get-together with our spring picnic ideas?

Spring picnic snacks with a chocolate twist

An asparagus galette with the pop of fresh peas. A salad brimming with tiny Jersey Royal potatoes. Juicy strawberries with a dollop of cream… Spring picnic recipes celebrate the best seasonal produce. Add a couple of fresh baguettes and your favourite cheeses and charcuterie, then pop in your favourite Chocolate Slab Selector — read on for a genius hack for making a quick and gooey sharing dessert you’ll love — and you’re ready to find your favourite picnic spot. 

Here’s how to pair your favourite picnic chocolates with savoury treats for the perfect trip to the great outdoors.

Patisserie picnic

Nothing could be easier than a patisserie picnic when you need instant oooh la la. Grab some ham and cheese croissants (or a vegan alternative), a deli sandwich and your favourites from our Patisserie Chocolates selection and head for the nearest green space. 

There’s no need to pack a dessert. Our Patisserie Sleekster is brimming with decadent delicacies, from creamy, dreamy Eton Mess to lush, rich Brownies to satisfy your cravings. 

If you prefer to get messy, dip and dunk with a DIY chocolate fondue. Remember that hack? Grab an enamel mug and your favourite cacao treat — our Mississippi Mud Pie Chocolate Selector, loaded with rich milk and delectable white chocolate, is irresistible. 

Break your chocolate into chunks, pop them in the mug, and leave them in a sunny spot to melt. Add fruit pieces, marshmallows, and biscuits for the perfect picnic pick-me-up.

Fabulous fruit

After a long winter, nothing invigorates your taste buds like the first homegrown fruit of the year. From the tang of tasty raspberry to the juicy fruity notes of ripe strawberries, pick your fruit with care and pack a delectable fruity hamper. 

Think fruity and Mediterranean with cubes of Manchego cheese and membrillo (quince paste), couscous bursting with fresh herbs and pomegranate arils, black olive tapenade with raspberries to add zing, and good sourdough and grissini to dip.  

Luscious strawberries are the star of the show when you sandwich the first scarlet berries between delectable Strawberry and Cream Puddles with a blob of creme fraiche. Or enjoy the sensual flavours of enrobed cherries and dusky blueberries in our tempting and yielding Fruity Chocolates. 

As a change from fruit juice or smoothies, slake your thirst with chilled Orange Hot Chocolate for an effortless spring-to-summer vibe. 

Romantic rambles

Searching for picnic food ideas for couples? It can be tricky to get right, but a charcuterie board, good bread, and Kilner jars of appetising salads are simple ways to enjoy a date-night picnic. 

Alternatively,  think small bites like tapas or otsumami. Finger food snacks create a beautiful sharing platter that elevates the romance (and sensuality) of the moment.

Planning a romantic hamper overflowing with their favourite cacao-rich treats couldn’t be easier with thoughtful choices from Hotel Chocolat. 

If your partner loves salted caramel, indulge their passion with gooey morsels from our Salted Caramel collection. There’s something irresistibly passionate and heady about our Salted Espresso Martini Selectors that will make your loved one melt — even if you’ve made them hike for hours to get to your destination. 

Create an Instagram-perfect picnic with a hamper

Picture the scene: a lush spring meadow sprinkled with wildflowers or a sandy beach washed in pinks and gold at sunset. After all, the best spring picnics aren’t just about the food but the setting, the people, and the energy.

If aesthetics are important to you, creating the perfect social-media-worthy picnic is about the entire vibe, from baskets and blankets to linens and glassware. Keep the textures considered and natural or zesty and bright, depending on your style.

Best of all, creating a picture-perfect setup is all about mixing thoughtful vintage finds with gorgeous pieces you already have. How about pairing unusual moulded or coloured glassware with a characterful wicker basket and your favourite throw? 

If you want to keep your preparations low-key but effortlessly stylish, our Abundantly Easter Hamper is the perfect spring treat. It’s overflowing with appealing cacao-rich treats in a sleek wicker hamper that’s sure to become a treasured picnic favourite.

Picnic in style with the perfect tipples 

Your choice of beverage is often an afterthought when it comes to eating outdoors. But your tipples deserve more of a leading role when it comes to spring picnic ideas. With that in mind, here are our suggestions for complementary tipples and chilled drinks for your next catch-up or family get-together.

Iced drinking chocolate for spring into summer

Our signature barista-grade drinking chocolate isn’t just for those chilly evenings, especially when prepared with our revolutionary Velvetiser. 

Simply blend your velvety cacao flakes with ice and milk, then let the flavours meld and refine. Velvetised iced drinking chocolate unlocks a different layer of lusciousness. We love Dark with Mint for a refreshing kick or Saint Lucian Island Growers 50% Milk with its delectable fruity and floral notes. Explore our Hot Chocolate and Latte selection for inspiration all spring and summer.

Hot chocolate for cooler spring evenings

Of course, when the weather turns cooler, there’s no better way to keep away the chill than with a Velvetised hot chocolate. Our limited edition Banoffee Pie Hot Chocolate is lusciously creamy yet surprisingly light. Based on the much-loved British dessert and chock full of banana, cream and butterscotch, it’s the perfect sip for a sunset picnic campfire.

When rain stops play…

But what to do when the great British weather doesn’t play ball? If rain means your carefully planned picnic has to be called off, don’t despair. 

Instead, bring your picnic indoors. You won’t need to change your picnic snacks or food ideas, and you can create the same restful aesthetic with throws and blankets on the floor. Don’t forget the picnic basket and your favourite picnic chocolates, and enjoy your date night or catch up despite the rain.

Otherwise, head to your local Hotel Chocolat café and experience our seasonal drinks and sundaes menu. Our ever-popular Mango and Raspberry Sundae will soon be back, and we can’t wait to unveil our new collection of Chocolate Sundaes in selected shops — keep checking for details of where you can get your hands on our delectable new flavours.

Elevate your spring with our picnic chocolates

Are you itching to head outdoors and enjoy the first picnic of the year? We hope we’ve inspired you to create the perfect spring picnic by curating a delectable dessert for your hamper. And don’t forget the thermos of iced chocolate!