25 Beach Snacks To Stash In Your Cooler

Bacon-Pimiento Guacamole
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 in 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 25

Bacon Bow Tie Crackers

Bacon Bow Tie Crackers
Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Lydia Pursell; Food Styling: Tami Hardeman

Simple and satisfying, these easy cracker snacks come together with just two ingredients: buttery crackers and salty bacon slices. Wrap crackers in bacon without overlapping the ends and bake on low heat for an hour and a half. Giving the bacon pieces a gentle stretch helps it to wrap around the crackers more easily.

02 of 25

Buttermilk-Peach Popsicles

Buttermilk-Peach Popsicles
Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch; Food Styling: Torie Cox

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. After blending the ingredients, the pops need about 6 to 8 hours to set.

03 of 25

Classic Boiled Peanuts

Classic Boiled Peanuts
Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox

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. The time it takes to make these—an overnight soak and then boiling for about 5 to 8 hours—will yield a delicious snack you can store in the refrigerator for up to 10 days or freeze.

04 of 25

Crack Crackers

Crack Crackers Recipe
Alison Miksch; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Anna Hampton

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. After coating crackers in the olive oil and spice blend, bake for 30 minutes in a 300 degree oven.

05 of 25

No-Bake Granola Bars

No-Bake Granola Bars
Photo: Linda Pugliese; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Torie Cox

This no-bake recipe uses rice cereal, oats, almond butter, maple syrup, and a touch of cinnamon to satisfy any craving. This recipe includes three variations—tart cherry-pistachio, apricot-coconut-cashew, and chocolate chip-pecan-sea salt—that add even more flavor and texture to these bars. These chill for about 30 minute to fully set.

06 of 25

Red, White, and Blue Popsicles

Red, White, and Blue Popsicles
Jennifer Causey

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. Fresh berries, yogurt, and citrus juices blend into a healthier alternative to ice cream truck treats.

07 of 25

Cheddar Cheese Straws

Cheddar Cheese Straws
Photo: Lee Harrelson

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. These can be made into a wafer shape as well by shaping the dough into logs and chilling it before making 1/4-inch-thick slices.

08 of 25

Homemade Onion Dip

Homemade Onion Dip
Photographer: Antonis Achilleos, Prop Stylist: Audrey Davis Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall

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. Chopped and charred sweet onions provide the addictive flavor. Pack your favorite dippers—potato chips, crackers, or crudités—and your creamy and crunchy beach snack is good to go.

09 of 25

Mini Tomato Sandwiches With Bacon Mayonnaise

Mini Tomato Sandwiches With Bacon Mayonnaise
Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Tina Bell Stamos; Prop Styling: Christine Keely

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. With tomatoes being a star ingredient in this snack, use the best you can. Avoid flavorless, mealy tomatoes at all costs—a good, heirloom beefsteak tomato will make all the difference.

10 of 25

Black Bean and Corn Salsa

Back Bean Corn Salsa
Antonis Achilleos

Grab the tortilla chips and get to dipping. The black beans and fresh corn kernels are the bright addition your bag of chip needs. This dip is loaded with vegetables and flavor-packed from herbs and seasonings, and it's versatile too, by adding chopped mango or fresh garlic—it can be adopted to your beach goers' liking.

11 of 25

Blackberry-Oat Crumble Bars

Blackberry-Oat Crumble Bars
Helen Norman; Prop Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller; Food Styling: Marian Cooper Cairns

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. This recipe hails from Blackberry Farm, and can be customized throughout the year with seasonal fruit.

12 of 25

Watermelon, Cucumber, and Feta Salad

Watermelon, Cucumber, and Feta Salad
Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Lydia Pursell; Food Styling: Toni Brogan

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. Dress the salad right before serving to prevent the cucumber and watermelon from watering down the vinaigrette.

13 of 25

Muddy Buddy Mix

Muddy Buddy Mix

Get your chocolate and peanut butter fix while the kids burry your feet in the sand with this simple, 10-minute snack mix. Other than a few minutes of zapping the coating in the microwave, there is no baking required. We added powdered unsweetened cocoa to the final dusting for a deeper, chocolate flavor.

14 of 25

Ranch Snacker Crackers

Ranch Snacker Crackers
Sheri Castle

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. A spice blend of ranch dressing mix, dried dill, lemon pepper, and onion and garlic powder combine with butter to coat the crackers, then bake these for 20 minutes in a 250 degree oven.

15 of 25

Texas Caviar

texas caviar in a bowl with a bowl of tortilla chips
Photo: Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

Black-eye peas, white hominy, and green tomatoes give this popular dip a unique take. Combine the ingredients, toss with Italian dressing, chill for 2 hours, and drain before serving. This dip compliments guacamole and salsa, serve as a trio with tortilla chips.

16 of 25

Apple Chips

Apple Chips
Micah A. Leal

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 25

Smoky Snack Mix

Smoky Snack Mix
Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox

This addictive snack mix is sure to please between rounds of playing in the water, sun, and sand. Smoked almonds, smoked paprika, and chipotle chile powder provide three layers of smoky flavor to this crunchy mix. This recipe easily doubles or triples.

18 of 25

Fresh Fruit Salad

Fresh Fruit Salad
Jen Causey

Pack it in some Tupperware and bring down some forks. There's nothing more refreshing than a Fresh Fruit Salad. A dressing of orange juice, honey, and fresh chopped mint adds tang, sweetness, and brightness to the fruit.

19 of 25

Pickled Strawberries

Pickled Strawberries
Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners

Sweet-tart Pickled Strawberries are the beach snack that will set you apart from the pack. These berries have an irresistible sweet and spicy kick that can be enjoyed on their own or in a salad. Adapt to your berry of choice—swap blackberries or raspberries for the strawberries, or create your favorite mix of berries—to make this snack your own.

20 of 25

Sweet Pea-Parmesan Dip

Sweet Pea-Parmesan Dip
Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis

This is a vibrant, colorful way to eat your vegetables—in dip form. Parmesan, lemon, garlic, and mint infuse basic sweet peas with loads of flavor. Serve with crudités, crackers, or smeared on thinly-sliced, toasted baguette for a nutritious beach snack.

21 of 25

Tuna Pasta Salad

Tuna Pasta Salad
Caitlin Bensel

Make this pasta salad as a side for your beach meals and bring it down to the shore for snacking. A lemon-herb vinaigrette, instead of heavy mayo, provides a lighter and brighter, beach-ready salad. Don't forget the forks!

22 of 25

Sweet-and-Salty Snack Mix

Sweet-and-Salty Snack Mix
Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Katie Jacobs

Satisfy everyone's sweet and salty cravings with this mix that both kids and adults will love. Salty snacks get coated with a brown sugar and honey butter, baked, and then mixed with mini marshmallows and candy-coated peanut butter pieces. This makes 12 servings and can last to up to a week in an airtight container.

23 of 25

Smoky Black-Eyed Pea Hummus

Smoky Black-Eyed Pea Hummus
Hector Manuel Sanchez

This high protein dip will help curb hunger while burning calories from beachside activities. Hummus gets a Southern twist by replacing chickpeas with black-eyed peas and adding some smokiness from smoked paprika. After blending the ingredients, top with olive oil and lemon zest and serve with pita chips.

24 of 25

Sweet Potato Chips

Sweet Potato Chips
Photo: Jennifer Davick

Create your own crispy chips by frying thinly sliced sweet potatoes in small batches in peanut oil. For thin, even slices, use a 1/16-inch blade on a mandolin. These chips will be delicious dunked in a number of take-to-the-beach dips, from Homemade Onion Dip to Bacon-Pimiento Guacamole.

25 of 25

Bacon-Pimiento Guacamole

Bacon-Pimiento Guacamole
Hector Manuel Sanchez

This Southern twist on guacamole will turn your beach day into an outdoor fiesta Traditional red onion, lime juice, and cilantro start this guacamole mix. But the addition of bacon and pimiento really turns this dish into something special.

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