Food and Recipes Recipes 19 Beach Snacks to Stash in Your Cooler By Southern Living Editors Southern Living Editors Since 1966, the editors of Southern Living have been carrying out the mission of the brand: to bring enjoyment, fulfillment, and inspiration to our readers by celebrating life in the South. We inspire creativity in their homes, their kitchens, their gardens, and their personal style. We are a friend they can trust, a guide to the seasons, a helping hand during the holidays, and a relentless champion of the Southern way of life. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on November 22, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez The waves are splashing, the sun is shinning...you're even sitting in a beach chair with your own personal umbrella. You haven't a care in the world, until someone asks for a snack. If you're unprepared, the simple question is enough to throw you off your zen. Whether it's your spouse, the kids, or even cousin Jean, there's something about playing the sand that has beach goers hankering for a snack no matter how recent your last meal. A bag of chips or two is a start, but the best beach days pair the everyday goods with a little something homemade–portable dips and treats that don't take a lot of time but are sure to satisfy even the most active sandcastle architect. Plus, expert beach goers know it doesn't hurt to pack a heftier option or two. Something almost lunch-worthy might keep you from trekking back to the house midday. To keep things easy, we've rounded up recipes that can be prepared in advance so you can pull them right out of the fridge or pantry and pop them straight into your cooler. Don't head out to the shore empty handed. These easy beach snacks are worth putting on your packing list. 01 of 19 Bacon Bow Tie Crackers Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Lydia Pursell; Food Styling: Tami Hardeman Recipe: Bacon Bow Tie Crackers Simple and satisfying, these easy cracker snacks come together with just two ingredients: buttery crackers and salty bacon slices. 02 of 19 Buttermilk-Peach Popsicles Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Buttermilk-Peach Popsicles For a fun and refreshing way to serve fruit by the surf, pack these peach popsicles in your cooler straight from the freezer in their frozen pop molds to help them stay frozen. Be sure to eat quickly before the summer sun does it's job. 03 of 19 Classic Boiled Peanuts Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Classic Boiled Peanuts You don't need a ballgame to enjoy boiled peanuts. Pair them with boldly flavored ingredients, like barbecue sauce to Old Bay seasoning, to create your own unique peanut adventure. 04 of 19 Bacon-Pimiento Guacamole Hector Manuel Sanchez Recipe: Bacon-Pimiento Guacamole This Southern twist on guacamole will turn your beach day into an outdoor fiesta. The addition of bacon and pimiento really turns this dish into something special. 05 of 19 Crack Crackers Alison Miksch; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Anna Hampton Recipe: Crack Crackers Our Crack Crackers is one of those snacks that's nearly impossible to stop eating. This easy snack uses ranch seasoning mix and a few other spice rack staples to upgrade store-bought cheese crackers. 06 of 19 No-Bake Granola Bars Photo: Linda Pugliese; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: No-Bake Granola Bars This no-bake recipe uses rice cereal, oats, almond butter, maple syrup, and a touch of cinnamon to satisfy any craving. 07 of 19 Red, White, and Blue Popsicles Jennifer Causey Recipe: Red, White, and Blue Popsicles Whether you're at the beach for Memorial Day, July 4th, or just because it's hot, nothing says summer like a patriotic popsicle. Just be sure to get to licking quickly before they become slush in your cooler. 08 of 19 Cheddar Cheese Straws Photo: Lee Harrelson Recipe: Cheddar Cheese Straws Think this classic Southern snack is only meant for parties? Think again. Pull these straws out by the sand and get ready for a welcomed substitution for gold fish crackers or Cheezits. 09 of 19 Homemade Onion Dip Photographer: Antonis Achilleos, Prop Stylist: Audrey Davis Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Homemade Onion Dip Upgrade your bag of chips with a little something homemade. This onion dip comes together so quickly you'll wonder why anyone ever makes onion dip from a packet. 10 of 19 Mini Tomato Sandwiches With Bacon Mayonnaise Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Tina Bell Stamos; Prop Styling: Christine Keely Recipe: Mini Tomato Sandwiches with Bacon Mayonnaise Crust-free for the kids and full of flavor for the adults, these mini sandwiches are just the thing to hold you over for a few more hours in the sun before heading in for lunch. 11 of 19 Black Bean and Corn Salsa Antonis Achilleos Recipe: Black Bean and Corn Salsa Grab the tortilla chips and get to dipping. The black beans and fresh corn kernels are the bright addition your bag of chip needs. 12 of 19 Blackberry-Oat Crumble Bars Helen Norman; Prop Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller; Food Styling: Marian Cooper Cairns Recipe: Blackberry-Oat Crumble Bars Satisfy a surf-side sweet tooth with a blackberry cobbler in bar form. Since they can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to a week, you can make them at home in advance of your trip. 13 of 19 Watermelon, Cucumber, and Feta Salad Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Lydia Pursell; Food Styling: Toni Brogan Recipe: Watermelon, Cucumber, and Feta Salad It's not a trip to the beach without some watermelon. While we're always up for a simple slice, this salad takes things up a notch. 14 of 19 Muddy Buddy Mix Recipe: Muddy Buddy Mix Get your chocolate and peanut butter fix while the kids burry your feat in the sand with this simple, 10-minute snack mix. 15 of 19 Ranch Snacker Crackers Sheri Castle Recipe: Ranch Snacker Crackers These addictive seasoned oyster crackers delight every time. They're crisp and just salty and savory enough to keep you away from the true junk food. 16 of 19 Apple Chips Micah A. Leal Recipe: Apple Chips This two-ingredient snack is just as simple and healthy as it sounds. Bake them in advance and you can enjoy your snack guilt-free. They maintain the fiber and nutrients of an apple with no added sugar. 17 of 19 Fresh Fruit Salad Jen Causey Recipe: Fresh Fruit Salad Pack it in some Tupperware and bring down some forks. There's nothing more refreshing than a Fresh Fruit Salad. 18 of 19 Pickled Strawberries Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners Recipe: Pickled Strawberries Sweet-tart Pickled Strawberries are the beach snack that will set you apart from the pack. These berries have irresistible sweet and spicy kick that can be enjoyed on their own or in a salad. 19 of 19 Tuna Pasta Salad Caitlin Bensel Recipe: Tuna Pasta Salad Make this pasta salad as a side for your beach meals and bring it down to the shore for snacking. Don't forget the forks! Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit