Picnic foods- is pizza appropriate?

I just posted wine notes from a picnic/concert last night. I try not to be a food snob. I realize not everyone cares as much as I do. I actually have zero problem with people bringing supermarket salads or Subway™ sandwiches to a picnic, that's their choice. But I confess to being bewildered by the huge number of families bringing pizza to picnics. I like pizza, but for some reason it just seems weird as a picnic food to me! Am I alone?

I'll note that we had fried chicken, cheddar biscuits, and salads. I love to bash FoodTV. But Betsy actually used a Tyler Florence recipe that I found quite good, a spicer style of chicken (she used sambal olek for the hot sauce):
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyle ... index.html

I think it depends on both the type of picnic and the type of pizza. Not at a backyard type of picnic BBQ, where other foods are being cooked on the grill, etc. However to bring something to munch on would be OK, but only the thick crust, limited topping, tray-type, cut in squares, as this is pretty good cold and easy to eat. However, a thin crust pie with simple or elaborate toppings should be hot and fresh, and I think, not really suited for a picnic.

Pizza is ALWAYS appropriate.

Pizza is ALWAYS appropriate.

Maybe your pizza, but these were standard delivery pies.

I'm not especially serious here. But at one point I looked up and saw about 5 people carrying pizza boxes. I'm sure their argument would be the kids like it. I wonder how many of their kids will "only eat pizza and chicken nuggets."

I would not think of pizza as picnic fare. I think the word is: convenience

In theory I agree with Stuart.

But, in practice I can imagine that much of the pizza these folks brought with them probably suffered a great deal from being too cool, at which point the fake mozzarella cheese reverted to a Block State and became even less appealing.

Standard Delivery Pizzas are (in the words of Gary Barlettano) merely "the idea of pizza."

Personally, wouldn't dream of bringing pizza to an evening picnic concert or any other picnic, but who's to say it's "wrong" to do it. You can't legislate for the "taste" of the people, or the lack of it.
Maybe the best thing to do in such a situation, is to feel quietly superior that your meal was a helluva lot better than theirs!

Maybe, but you might change your mind if you've had my pizza.

Stuart said:

Maybe, but you might change your mind if you've had my pizza.

But do you deliver in Salt Lake?

At an enormous fee, yes.

Pizza is ALWAYS appropriate.

Hey! You stole my answer!!

I also must agree that even the Idea Of Pizza is better than no pizza at all. Of course, I could/would eat pizza every day.... ymmv.

[Jenise]

I'm with Shel. If you'd used the word 'suitable' vs. appropriate, it would be easier to say no. Any food one likes would be appropriate for one's self, but the size and shape of traditional pizza hardly seems like perfect picnic food.

Pizza is ALWAYS appropriate.

I just came here to say the same thing. I second that emotion.

[Robin Garr]

Pizza is ALWAYS appropriate.

I just came here to say the same thing. I second that emotion.

I really want to agree, but I live in the home town of both Papa John's and the parent corporation of Pizza Hut.

Trust me, some pizza is not always appropriate. (I'm just glad that this town also has a good-size community of people who know how to make real pizza and how to enjoy it ... )