27 Beach Foods to Fill Your Cooler
Summer is swiftly approaching, which means it’s time to start thinking about beach food to pack in your cooler for that first oceanside outing of the season. As much as we love to spend our summers eating crispy fish tacos, homemade ice cream, and grilled corn on the cob, those are hardly the best foods to bring to the beach. Below you’ll find more cooler-friendly meals and snacks, enough to last you through a full day of riding waves, building sand castles, spiking that volleyball, and losing yourself in that latest beach read. This beach food recipe roundup includes veggie-packed sandwiches and hearty salads that’ll make for ideal lunches, handheld fruit pies and citrusy cookies for dessert, and a host of dips and crunchy snack mixes for when you get peckish in between. One thing they all have in common? They’ll travel well and taste great (better, even) by the time you’ve unloaded your gear and applied that last bit of sunscreen.
Photo by David Loftus1/27Pressed Broccoli Rabe and Mozzarella Sandwiches
Sandwiches are the platonic ideal of beach food, full stop. These broccoli rabe and mozzarella numbers get tightly wrapped and pressed with something flat and heavy, making them the perfect candidates for lining the bottom of your cooler. Let them sit under that weight for at least an hour while you load up the car with beach chairs and sun umbrellas.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Prop Styling by Sophie Strangio, Food Styling by Monica Pierini2/27Crudités With Chile-Lime Salt
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Christopher Barsch5/27Grilled Zucchini and Bulgur Salad With Feta and Preserved-Lemon Dressing
Grain salads are great candidates for cooler-packed beach lunches because that extra chill time allows the flavors to meld together even more. This is what to make when your CSA is overflowing with zucchini and you can’t be bothered to turn on the oven—the veg gets a quick char on the grill, and the bulgur takes all of 10 minutes to cook on the stove. Sharp feta and a preserved lemon dressing round out the dish, playing beautifully off the smoky-sweet summer squash.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Christopher Barsch6/27Vegetarian Muffulettas With Pickled Iceberg
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Katherine Sacks7/27Easy Guacamole
Is there anything better than lounging on the beach with your toes in the sand, guac-loaded chip in hand? You won’t need any fancy appliances to make this version of the classic dip; a fork will do just fine.
Photo by Alex Lau, Prop Styling by Amy Wilson, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich8/27Romesco Pasta Salad With Basil and Parmesan
This pasta salad holds up particularly well at room temperature because it’s dressed twice: once to allow the sauce to soak into the noodles, and once more to give the whole dish a glossy sheen. Golden brown breadcrumbs and toasted walnuts add some textural dimension, while fresh basil keeps it feeling fresh.
Photo by Paige Green12/27Jam Bars
These jam bars deliver all the flavors of a summer berry pie in a form that’s easy to make and even easier to eat. Use your favorite store-bought jam, or take advantage of seasonal produce and make your own.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Judy Haubert14/27Southern Party Mix
This party mix features leftover biscuits—you heard that right—along with a deeply savory Worcestershire-based coating for a crunchy-salty-buttery snack that’s so addictive, you’ll want to park your beach chair right next to the cooler for easy access.
