Whether you’re planning a day trip to the beach and want to pack plenty of snacks to bring along for the ride or you’re planning to spend an entire week at a beach and want fun snacks for your hotel or beach condo, there are some important things to consider before you head to the grocery store. You’ll want to make a list of the best beach snacks so you don’t have to waste a single minute of your family vacation worrying about grocery shopping! From healthy snacks to fuel your bodies to sweet treats that remind you this is a fun vacation, all the best snacks to pack for the beach are here!
Keep in Mind When Choosing Snacks
When you’re picking your beach snacks for packing your cooler, it is important to keep a few things in mind:
Pack It In, Pack It Out
Be considerate of the sea turtles and other ocean life. Remember the cardinal rule: Pack it in, Pack it out: Anything you bring to the beach should also go home with you. Have a special tote bag to keep any wrappers or empty bottles or packaging you may end up with after eating your snack. Consider bringing reusable utensils and napkins so the extra plastic and paper doesn’t end up in the sand or ocean. They’re less likely to blow away in the wind and will hold up to a solid rinsing if needed. Now let’s consider the fun part — what are we going to eat at the beach??
Healthy Snacks
Keep your family hydrated with fresh fruits and veggies. They’ll keep cold in a cooler and the extra water and fiber will help battle the hot sunshine and taste very refreshing when you take a break under the umbrella.
Grab and Go Snacks
If you want to stop at the grocery store on the way to the beach and just grab a few prepared things, this shopping list is an easy way to fill up your cooler. Some of the individually wrapped snacks can be nice to have because you can just partially unwrap them for eating and keep your sandy hands away from your food. Plan ahead and prepare a few of these things to pack in a cooler to bring from home when you leave for your beach vacation. They make great snacks while you’re actually ON the beach or at your hotel or condo, too. Need some suggestions for where to start? Don’t miss my three favorite mixes here: Pretzels make a perfect beach snack because they stay crispy in or outside the cooler. If you plan to eat it as a snack, simply leave the granola in large crunchy granola nuggets once it cools instead of breaking it up too much like you would for breakfast. You could top it with hummus or a variety of salsas or spreads that you grab from the store or simply serve it alongside any of the yummy fruit and veggies listed at the top of this post. Serve them with tortilla chips or as a yummy topping for the crostini mentioned above. The honey gives it an awesome slightly chewy texture in spots and the sriracha is a fun kick in the tastebuds. My kids and I are obsessed with this mix. You can choose to keep the chocolate chips or leave them out if you plan to take them to the beach. Serving them alongside some fresh strawberries or fruit adds a bit of protein to the snack. These candied nuts are absolutely snackable, you won’t be able to stop at just one. Make a big batch and you can take some to the beach and keep some on hand for a pre-dinner appetizer back at the beach condo with some wine later in the day! The thin cookies from this peanut butter sandwich cookies recipe are totally delicious even without the peanut butter filling. Made with crunchy peanut butter, there’s tons of yummy texture and crunch to each bite. This is a great treat to pack for a beach snack as a special surprise for the family. The hearty cookie squares filled with butterscotch chips and pecans will hold up well in the cooler and you won’t have a problem with them melting in the heat.
