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10+ Best Beach Snack Ideas

Planning a trip to the beach? Don't pack potato chips! Check out these 10+ Best Beach Snack Ideas that you can pack instead (from www.drugstoredivas.net).

I love the beach. We live close to it so we’re able to go as often as we want. Of course, every time we go, I have to pack snacks because I love snacks. But, I have to brainstorm and pick the best beach snack ideas that would hold up to the beach, be filling, and not make me feel bad about sunning and eating in a bikini.

When I was a kid and we would go to the beach every week, we would make sure to bring change so we could raid the vending machines. We were allowed to get whatever snacks we wanted, because it was our money, and we very often picked ice cream.

As an adult, I try to pack snacks that are a little more nutritious. It’s so easy to just grab a bag of potato chips and snack on those while you watch the waves. You can use the excuse that you’re on vacation, I guess, but so often we go to the beach when we’re not on vacation so that doesn’t work for us.

If it doesn’t work for you, or if you just want to be conscious of what you’re eating, I put together a list of 10+ best beach snack ideas.

10+ Best Beach Snack Ideas

1. Edamame

Edamame is my favorite beach snack. We will buy a frozen bag of edamame and pack it in a plastic bag (instead of putting it in the cooler with our drinks) when we pack for the beach. By the time we are ready to snack, the edamame have thawed to the point where they are perfect to eat.

Edamame is delicious and addicting — and packed with soy and protein so it’s good for you. Plus, that separate plastic bag you packed these in can double as a garbage for the shells.

We usually buy the large, steamable bags of edamame when I’m bringing them to the beach. You can bring individual-sized bags instead, but we will end up eating a whole large bag between the two of us anyway.

If you don’t want frozen edamame, you could also take dry roasted edamame instead. I think that’s more of an acquired taste, but I really like it.

Planning a trip to the beach? Don't pack potato chips! Check out these 10+ Best Beach Snack Ideas that you can pack instead (from www.drugstoredivas.net).

2. Grapes

Fruit is such a hit any time we go to the beach. It’s so hot out and my body just craves the water that’s in fruit. The easiest fruit to bring to the beach are grapes because you buy them in the store in a bag already.

Just rinse the grapes off, put them back in the bag you bought them in, and take that bag to the beach. When you’re done eating the grapes, you can just throw away the stems and the bag they came in.

3. Carrots

Cut vegetables are such a great way to snack at the beach. Peel and cut some carrots and you’re good to go. You’ll get the same crunch that you would from potato chips, but without all the grease and unwanted garbage.

You can bring a vegetable dip for these, if you really need, but I really like vegetables plain. They have a good taste and you don’t have to think about unwanted calories.

4. Watermelon

In the summer, I want watermelon every day. It’s the best summer fruit, in my opinion anyway. So of course, it makes sense to bring watermelon to the beach.

It’s a lot easier if you chop the watermelon into bite sized-pieces the night before and put them in a reusable container to take to the beach. I actually just saw a video on Instagram of someone using this watermelon cutting wheel, and now I need it because it just made cutting a watermelon look so simple.

If you try and take watermelon wedges to the beach, you’ll spend more time looking for a garbage for the rinds than swimming in the ocean.

Planning a trip to the beach? Don't pack potato chips! Check out these 10+ Best Beach Snack Ideas that you can pack instead (from www.drugstoredivas.net).

5. Popcorn

If I make popcorn at home, it’s almost never out of a microwavable bag. I almost always use the kernels and pop it myself. That way, you can really make sure it’s not covered in chemicals. Don’t add butter and salt and this is a great beach snack. You’ll get the same sensation of popping potato chips into your mouth, but none of the bad stuff that comes along with them.

Although, honestly, buying a big bag of popcorn is so much easier, so I do that for our beach trips if we’re going with a few people. It’s easier that way.

Be sure to pack napkins so that you can pour the popcorn from the bag into those. You don’t want everyone’s wet and sandy hands digging into the popcorn bag.

If you don’t want to take a huge bag of popcorn to the beach, you could always make microwavable popcorn right before you’re heading out the door. Then, use our microwave popcorn hack when you get to the beach to easily eat it.

6. Cheese and Crackers

Cheese and crackers is one of my favorite snacks in general. Buy some crackers, put some cheese in your cooler, and snack when you’re hungry. You can cut a block of cheese the night before the beach and just drop it in a reusable container that you can grab when you’re walking out the door.

If you want to make it even simpler, you can pack cheese singles. Just fold them into fours when you get to the beach and there’s no night before prep.

Be sure to keep the cheese in your cooler, with ice packs, all day when you’re at the beach. You don’t want the sun to melt it.

7. Apples

Apples are my jam. At night, I’ll slice them up and dip them in peanut butter instead of grabbing a bag of chips. So apples are definitely a healthy beach snack idea.

You can just throw an apple in your bag and head to the beach, but then you’re going to be spending some of your beach time finding a garbage for that core. So, do yourself a favor and cut your apple into slices before you go.

If you cut up your apple the night before, squeeze a little lemon juice on it. That’ll prevent it from discoloring.

Planning a trip to the beach? Don't pack potato chips! Check out these 10+ Best Beach Snack Ideas that you can pack instead (from www.drugstoredivas.net).

8. Sandwich Wraps

When I’m at the beach, I don’t want to sit down and have a full sandwich. I want lunch, but I don’t want anything that’s really heavy. And bread filled with condiments and cold cuts is too heavy for me. So sandwich wraps are perfect.

Last beach trip, I made wraps with buffalo chicken cold cuts and tomatoes. The tomatoes gave them a little moisture so I didn’t need to use any mayo (because mayonnaise sitting in the sun, even in a cooler, is gross to me). I didn’t add cheese either because I was thinking about it melting.

I fit four fajita-sized flour tortillas in a quart-sized zip top plastic bag, so keep that in mind when you’re making these.

9. Guacamole

I like guacamole and will use any excuse I can to make it. So of course, guacamole is going to end up on this list of the best beach snacks.

It actually is a good beach snack, though. It’s really filling, even when you don’t eat a lot of it.

The only pain in the neck thing about bringing guacamole to the beach is that you also need to pack tortilla chips too. So this snack isn’t as compact as the other beach snack ideas, but it’s delicious so I think you can find room for those chips in your beach bag.

10. Pretzels

I’ll be honest. If my choices are pretzels and no snack, I might forgo the snack. I don’t love pretzels and don’t feel like wasting my calories on them — unless I can dip the pretzels in caramel, peanut butter, or chocolate. Then, count me in.

If you are less picky about your snacks than I am, pretzels are great. They’re not as bad for you as chips, but still have that crunch you’re looking for.

11. Granola Bars

If you’re looking for an easy grab-and-go beach snack, granola bars are great. You can make your own, if you want, or you can just buy them in bulk at the grocery store. Then, when you need some, just toss them in your beach bag.

I like packing peanut butter crackers for road trips because they’re easy to pack, but with the business of the beach, those cracker packs might get squished. Granola bars are sturdier and will hold up better.

Sunset on the beach.

Planning a beach trip?

If you’re planning your perfect beach trip, we have a few other beach-related posts, plus posts about beach towns, to help you plan that trip.

Beach Trip Tips:

Beach Town Trip Ideas:

Which of these beach snack ideas is your favorite? Be sure to let us know in the comments.

Liz

Wednesday 12th of August 2020

Wonderful ideas. I am with you on pretzels, I just don't get the attraction.

mireille

Wednesday 5th of August 2020

I love all of these. Guacamole is a great one.

Ashleigh

Thursday 28th of July 2016

These go great with the sand that always seems to get in my beach lunches! ; )

Linda Primmer

Wednesday 27th of July 2016

Thanks for sharing your great tips. Those kiddos will appreciate some healthy snacks, along with adults.

Katie

Monday 25th of July 2016

Yum NEVER would have thought of the edamame, brilliant!