Recipe Roundup

27 Beach Foods to Fill Your Cooler

The best snacks to bring on a sandy adventure.

May 5, 2023

Perfectly even cubes of watermelon tomato and avocado arranged in a grid topped with dressing and herbs.

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 Loftus
1/27
Pressed 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.
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Photo by Joseph De Leo, Prop Styling by Sophie Strangio, Food Styling by Monica Pierini
2/27
Crudités With Chile-Lime Salt
Dunk crudités in a zesty chile-laced salt for a refreshing beach snack, no dip required. We like radishes, jicama, and cucumbers, but you can use any crunchy veg you like.
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Photo by Chelsea Kyle, food styling by Rhoda Boone
3/27
Our Favorite Key Lime Pie
A touch of lemon juice balances this creamy tart, dessert, keeping it from becoming cloyingly sweet (and keeping you coming back for seconds).
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Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton
4/27
Easy Pasta Salad
This fresh take on a classic pasta salad allows fresh summer produce to shine. With ingredients like red wine vinegar and pickled banana peppers to liven it up, it’s just the punchy addition your beach lunch needs.
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Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Christopher Barsch
5/27
Grilled 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.
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Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Christopher Barsch
6/27
Vegetarian Muffulettas With Pickled Iceberg
The pickled iceberg helps give this vegetarian version of a muffuletta brightness and savory crunch.
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Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Katherine Sacks
7/27
Easy 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.
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Photo by Alex Lau, Prop Styling by Amy Wilson, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich
8/27
Romesco 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.
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Photo by Yunhee Kim
9/27
Tuna and Artichoke Cooler-Pressed Sandwiches
These cooler-pressed sandwiches require zero cooking thanks to canned tuna and jarred artichoke hearts. Use good quality Italian tuna in oil if you can—it’s the star of the show, after all.
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Romulo Yanes
10/27
Pico de Gallo
This classic pico de gallo from chef Roberto Santibañez features a punch of acidity and a nicely balanced level of heat thanks to plenty of lime juice and chiles.
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Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Katherine Sacks
11/27
Tempeh B.L.T.
This revamped take on a BLT uses marinated tempeh instead of the traditional bacon, which means it’s not only protein-packed, but also vegetarian.
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Photo by Paige Green
12/27
Jam 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.
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Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Christopher Barsch
13/27
Esquites con Salsa de Totopos
Crushed up tortilla chips form a salsa-macha-like topping when combined with chiles, peanuts, and sesame seeds. Consider it the adornment your peak summer corn deserves.
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Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Judy Haubert
14/27
Southern 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.
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Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Rhoda Boone
15/27
Hummus Tehina
Chef Michael Solomonov’s silky smooth, tahini-forward hummus is great on its own, or as a base for any number of toppings if you’re looking to turn it into a full beachfront meal.
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Photo by Maren Caruso
16/27
Tomato and Watermelon Salad
This salad is what summer is all about: juicy tomatoes, candy sweet watermelon, and creamy avocado mingling together with enough fresh herbs and acid to make the whole thing sing.
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Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Susan Ottaviano
17/27
Mutabbal Silik
This creamy dairy-free Swiss chard and tahini dip is calling your name. Pack plenty of crudités, pita chips, or flatbreads for scooping it up.
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Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell
18/27
Turf Mix
When packing for the beach, a crunchy, salty beach snack option is as imperative as the sunscreen and a good book. If you like the idea of crunchy bites seasoned with dried seaweed, dried dill, and lime zest, you’ll love Turf Mix.
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Photo by Chelsie Craig, Food Styling by Frances Boswell
19/27
Green Goddess Crunch Sandwich
If California vibes are what you’re after, this sandwich delivers. The crunch in question comes from layers of sprouts and sliced cucumbers. An herby yogurt spread and plenty of creamy avocado help add textural contrast.
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Photo by Gabriele Stabile and Mark Ibold
20/27
Citrus Cookies
For a sweet treat that tastes like sunshine, look no further than these citrus cookies from Christina Tosi. The one-bowl dough is made with lemon, orange, and lime zest—and a lot of it.
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Hirsheimer & Hamilton
21/27
Blueberry Hand Pies
Cutting into a fruit pie at the beach is perhaps an impossible task. The solution? Make hand pies instead, which eliminate the need for plates and cutlery.
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Photo by Andrew Purcell, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Carrie Purcell
22/27
Green Bean Niçoise Salad
This version of the classic French salad is vegetarian, but a little tinned fish would be a welcome addition. The combination of crunchy vegetables and a lemony Dijon dressing can’t be beat.
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Lara Ferroni
23/27
Spicy Summer Rolls With Peanut Dipping Sauce
Think of summer rolls as a salad in handheld form. These are filled with rice noodles, vegetables, and herbs, but shrimp, chicken, or tofu would make great additions if you’re looking to add some protein. Just make sure to pack plenty of peanut sauce for dipping.
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Photo by Andy Sewell
24/27
Ceviche Clásico
Ceviche is the ultimate no-cook food to eat when the thought of turning on the stove or oven becomes too much to bear. Make sure to use a skinless, boneless firm-fleshed white fish, and pack it in a really good cooler with lots of ice packs. If shrimp is more your thing, there’s a recipe for that too.
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Photo by Alex Lau
25/27
Mango and Cucumber Chow
For a refreshing snack that’s equal parts sour, spicy, and sweet, this combination of green mangoes, cucumbers, and chiles fits the bill.
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Photo by Laura Murray, Food Styling by Yekaterina Boystova
26/27
Trail Mix Cookies
If you’re the kind of person who likes to snack on trail mix by the handful, these cookies are for you. They’re jam-packed with hearty ingredients like toasted nuts, oats, and dried fruit, making them a great post-swim pick-me-up.
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Photo by Faith Mason
27/27
Speedy Summer Gazpacho
Soup may not be the first thing you think of when you think beach food, but this quick and hyper-seasonal gazpacho is actually super portable: Just pack it in a quart container and pour into cups when you’re ready to serve.
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Alaina is a commerce producer at Bon Appétit and Epicurious, working to digitally produce and write commerce articles and newsletters across both brands. She is a recent graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, where she studied Fine Arts and spent (most of) her free time cooking, contributing to her school’s... Read more

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