20 Beach Snack Ideas That Easily Stash in Your Cooler
Plan ahead, and you won’t miss a minute of fun in the sun.
The first thing that comes to mind when you think of summer might be endless, sun-drenched days spent at the beach. Outstretched limbs in the sand, fluffy beach towels, and maybe a shady spot under an umbrella: Sounds like a spot you could stay in forever, right? When hunger strikes, the last thing you want to do is trek back to the condo or hotel for some grub. Instead, load up your cooler with these family-friendly beach snacks!
The key to staying well fed on a beach day is to plan ahead. You want to come prepared with a variety of beach snack ideas that everyone will love, any time of day. Start with something hearty like piled-high Italian sandwiches or chicken Caesar salad wraps cut into snack-size portions. Next, choose a dip or two. Filled with black-eyed peas and crisp vegetables, classic cowboy caviar is hard to resist. Or go with dill dip! It’s a sneaky-good way to get your family to eat more vegetables.
And you can't forget to pack something sweet. Try summer desserts like blueberry bars or cake mix cookies that are a cinch to whip up. Whether it's packable party dips and summer appetizers, picnic staples like sandwiches, or healthy snacks, this collection of beach bites has you covered. Now stash these tasty bites in your cooler and head out to the sand!
Italian Pasta Salad
This pasta salad is full of salami, mozzarella, olives, peppers, and plenty of fresh herbs. Since there’s no mayo, it travels well—but be sure to keep it chilled. Pack it in an airtight container and just give it a toss before serving.
Get the Italian Pasta Salad recipe.
Chicken Caesar Salad Wraps
Get everyone’s favorite salad in a more portable form! You can make them up to one day in advance, too. Wrap individual portions tightly in foil or parchment paper before stashing them in your cooler.
Get Ree’s Chicken Caesar Salad Wraps recipe.
Strawberry White Chocolate Granola Bars
Skip the store-bought kind and make your own tasty granola bars. They’re packed with oats, nuts, puffed rice, freeze-dried strawberries, and a bit of wheat germ. Add a drizzle of strawberry-white chocolate on top.
Ranch Oyster Crackers
Who doesn’t love the flavor of ranch? This craveable snack is easy to toss together (just ten minutes of prep!). Allow it to cool and store in an airtight container or a resealable zip-top bag.
Get the Ranch Oyster Crackers recipe.
Watermelon with Lime Sugar
Hello, perfect summer snack! Slice watermelon ahead of time and either place them in an airtight container or wrap each individual piece tightly in plastic wrap. You can make the lime sugar ahead, too, and just sprinkle when you’re ready to serve.
Get Ree’s Watermelon with Lime Sugar recipe.
Tomato Sandwich
If you want to make the most of tomato season, slice them up and sandwich them with some soft white bread before your next beach trip! It's a satisfying and simple way to get a taste of summer.
Get the Tomato Sandwich recipe.
Make-Ahead Sandwich Rolls
These adorable pinwheel sandwiches taste as good as they look! With two delicious dressing options—Thousand Island and chipotle mayo—and all the fixin's (deli meats, cheese, and lettuce), you won't be able to stop at just one!
Get Ree's Make-Ahead Sandwich Rolls recipe.
Blueberry Bars
Make these ahead of time and stash them in your beach bag for when the sweet cravings hit. The whole family will adore these bars made with a simple blueberry filling and buttery, crumbly crust and topping—that's made from the same mixture for ease!
Get the Blueberry Bars recipe.
Dill Dip
A cool and creamy, herby dip hits the spot on a hot day. This crowd-pleaser comes together in no time, can be made ahead, and is delicious with almost anything. Slice up some fresh veggies for dipping for a healthy snack or just break open a sack of potato chips.
Get the Dill Dip recipe.
Spiced-Up Potato Chips
Beach munchies will be a thing of the past when you have these elevated potato chips on lock! With a few simple spices, like garlic salt, paprika, black pepper, and cayenne pepper, you can easily turn ordinary potato chips into a spicy sensation!
Get Ree's Spiced-Up Potato Chips recipe.
Rainbow Fruit Skewers
Whether or not the sky cooperates with you on your beach day, bringing these delicious fruit skewers is a surefire way to see a rainbow! Filled with berries, kiwis, and a donut hole, these skewers are perfectly portable and delicious.
Get the Rainbow Fruit Skewers recipe.
Fresh Corn Salsa
It's almost impossible to find a better beach snack than good ol' salsa. But this is no average salsa. Filled with grilled veggies, a hint of spice, and plenty of fresh lime juice and cilantro, it's the ultimate refreshing snack on a hot summer day.
Get the Fresh Corn Salsa recipe.
Key Lime Pie Cereal Treats
Bringing a whole key lime pie to the beach may be a bit impractical, but these cereal treats sure aren't! They're made with fresh limes, graham cracker cereal, white chocolate, and a drop of green food coloring for their fun bright hue.
Get Ree's Key Lime Pie Cereal Treats recipe.
Italian Sandwich
Is there anything better than a beach sandwich? Slice and wrap each portion separately in plastic wrap or foil so that everyone can grab one when hunger strikes! Stuff the wrapped sandwiches inside a zip-up bag before transferring to your cooler.
Get the Italian Sandwich recipe.
Cake Mix Cookies
Sometimes a good cookie is all you need for an afternoon beach snack. These easy funfetti cookies use a boxed cake mix and only a few other ingredients, so they're perfect to make when you're away from home and only have limited supplies on hand.
Get the Cake Mix Cookies recipe.
Chickpea Salad
Filled with hearty chickpeas, creamy avocado, feta, and crunchy vegetables, this fresh and flavorful protein-packed salad keeps perfectly in a cooler. Eat it by the forkful or scoop it up with tortilla chips!
Get the Chickpea Salad recipe.
Salad Skewers
Unexpected? Yes. Totally delicious? Also yes. They're stacked with hard-boiled egg, deli meat, cheese, crisp lettuce, tomato, and olives. They're the perfect hand-held bite to dole out midafternoon when everyone starts getting hungry. Drizzle on some ranch dressing when you're ready to eat!
Get the Salad Skewers recipe.
BLT Pasta Salad
If you love a BLT sandwich, you'll really be a fan of this pasta salad filled with crisp bacon, juicy tomatoes, and crunchy romaine. It's so easy to keep cool in your ice chest until snack time!
Get the BLT Pasta Salad recipe.
Garlic-Ranch Party Mix
A salty snack mix is always a welcome guest on a beach trip. This one has everything—cereal, pretzels, mixed nuts, and even popcorn! Tossed in a garlicky ranch-style seasoning, it's downright addictive. You may even want to make a double batch!
Get Ree's Garlic-Ranch Party Mix recipe.
Cowboy Caviar
This stir-together dip is easy to toss together before hitting the beach. It's tangy, crunchy, a touch spicy, and totally addictive. Keep it cool in your ice chest and bring it out when the craving hits! Don't forget the tortilla chips.
Get the Cowboy Caviar recipe.
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