*Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by BlogHer & Kettle Brand Chips. I was compensated for creating a summer-inspired recipe that pairs with the chips. As always, content, photography & opinions are my own.
This cream cheese, tomato and basil sandwich is the perfect summertime picnic lunch.
I grew up without peanut butter—my mother disliked it, so PB&J was never an option for lunch. Instead I ate cream cheese and jelly sandwiches on wheat, usually accompanied by a piece of fruit. It felt odd at the time, but those simple sandwiches became part of my childhood routine.
When summer arrived, I swapped the jelly for fresh tomatoes. Without schoolmates around to judge, I embraced the combo: cream cheese, juicy tomato slices and, later, basil and a splash of balsamic to give it a more grown-up flavor.
I have vivid memories of bare feet, pool days, backyard soccer and those sandwiches. So when Kettle Brand Chips invited me to share what I pack for summer picnics, this sandwich was the first thing I thought of.
Recently we took a spontaneous trip to a nearby state park we’d never visited and packed a simple lunch. In my picnic bag: the cream cheese, tomato and basil sandwich. My partner, Ulysses, brought a peanut butter and jelly. What I once longed for as a kid no longer compares—my sandwich feels like a clear winner.
Our dog Ginger spent the outing whimpering in hopes of a bite of either sandwich, and we shared a large bag of Sea Salt Kettle Brand Chips alongside our meal.
Kettle Brand Chips are one of the few potato chips I genuinely enjoy—because they taste like potatoes. The Sea Salt variety is a favorite because the ingredient list is refreshingly short: potatoes, salt and oil. That simplicity makes them a natural pairing for the cream cheese sandwich, contributing a satisfying crunch and just the right hint of salt.
Had these chips been around when I was packing school lunches, my mom might well have approved them as a wholesome snack, and the lunchtime popularity contest might have turned in my favor.
Chips beat many packaged “handi-snacks” hands down.
This sandwich is quick to assemble and ideal for a picnic: spread cream cheese on your preferred bread, layer ripe tomato slices, add fresh basil leaves and a drizzle of balsamic if you like. Pack with a sturdy bag of Sea Salt Kettle Brand Chips for a simple, satisfying summer lunch.