Easy Beach Meal Ideas Perfect For a Stress-Free Vacation

Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners

Southerners love a trip to the beach like a grandpa loves naps. Something about spending lazy days walking along the shore or lounging in a chair—toes in the sand and whatnot—just hits differently than any other type of vacation. Other than packing the essentials like pimiento cheese and Wickles, it always bodes well to have a low-key meal plan that means less stress and more sun. We’re talking portable pasta salads, hand-held sandwiches, easy seafood recipes (shrimp tacos, anyone?), and other fresh recipes to make your beach trip feel footloose and fancy-free. Here are 27 super delicious beach meal ideas to make all summer and beyond. We love a beach trip year-round, after all.

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Creamy Avocado Dip

Johnny Autry; Prop and Food Styling: Charlotte L. Autry

Recipe: Creamy Avocado Dip

Like a creamier take on guacamole, this dip is the perfect snack to replenish tired beachgoers after a long day.

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Shrimp-and-Corn Succotash

Johnny Autry; Prop and Food Styling: Charlotte L. Autry

Recipe: Shrimp-and-Corn Succotash

This dish basically screams summertime, from the fresh corn succotash to the herby mayo mixture that coats shrimp.

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Maque Choux with Sausage

Johnny Autry; Prop and Food Styling: Charlotte L. Autry

Recipe: Maque Choux with Sausage

This classic Louisiana dish makes the most of all of the summer veggies like corn, okra, and tomatoes. Sausage is just an extra perk.

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Lemon Vinaigrette Pasta Salad with Field Peas

Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners

Recipe: Lemon Vinaigrette Pasta Salad with Field Peas

This freshest-ever pasta salad is gearing up to be your go-to side with any meal. A lemony vinaigrette tops it off in the most refreshing way.

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Slow-Cooker Carnitas Tacos

Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Carnitas Tacos

If we can put it in the slow cooker and forget about any worries while having a stroll on the beach, we're happy. These carnitas make taco night oh-so easy.

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Kardea Brown's Okra Soup with Shrimp

Johnny Autry; Prop and Food Styling: Charlotte L. Autry

Recipe: Kardea Brown's Okra Soup with Shrimp

This Gullah-inspired family recipe features the most mouthwatering broth you'll ever taste. Shrimp shells are a gold mine for flavor.

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Creamy Broccoli Slaw

Jennifer Causey; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer

Recipe: Creamy Broccoli Slaw

This makes the most dependable sidekick for any casual lunch or dinner during the summertime. Pair with grilled fish or a classic turkey sandwich—your choice.

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Sheet Pan Fajitas

Photography and Styling: Karen Rankin

Recipe: Sheet Pan Fajitas

We've transformed more time-intensive fajitas into a family-friendly recipe you can pop in the oven and have ready in just 20 minutes.

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Buttermilk Alfredo Pasta with Chicken and Spinach

Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Buttermilk Alfredo Pasta with Chicken and Spinach

Fact of the matter: Everyone loves this easy one-pot supper (made with rotisserie chicken for ultimate ease), adults and kids alike. Whip it up on any hungry but lazy night.

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Hot Crab-and-Artichoke Dip

Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Margaret Monroe Dickey

Recipe: Hot Crab-and-Artichoke Dip

There is always a place for creamy crab dip on the snack spread during the summer—or any season, really. Beach trip notwithstanding.

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Fried Chicken Sliders with Pimiento Cheese

Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Fried Chicken Sliders with Pimiento Cheese

If these don't become an instant family favorite, we're not sure what tree they're barking up. It calls for store-bought chicken tenders, which means you can assemble them in seconds.

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Bacon-Ranch Pasta Salad

Recipe: Bacon-Ranch Pasta Salad

Bacon and ranch always make a dynamic flavor duo—including in this hearty pasta salad that is begging to be paired with your burgers.

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Steak-and-Potato Kebabs

Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Tina Stamos

Recipe: Steak-and-Potato Kebabs

Fire up the grill to make these perfect kebab skewers. All you need is a side salad and crusty bread to complete the meal.

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Southern Fried Corn

Caitlin Bensel

Recipe: Southern Fried Corn

Introducing the newest all-star side dish to make year-round. It's skillet-fried and packed with buttery flavor.

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Egg Salad Sandwiches

Jen Causey

Recipe: Egg Salad Sandwiches

We couldn't forget this classic sandwich spread you can make ahead and snack on all week.

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Tuna Pasta Salad

Caitlin Bensel

Recipe: Tuna Pasta Salad

A marriage of two of our most favorite portable things: tuna salad and pasta salad. This will cover your lunch bases all week long.

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Slow-Cooked Barbecued Chicken Sandwiches

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

Recipe: Slow-Cooked Barbecued Chicken Sandwiches

A little brown sugar, Coca-Cola, and bourbon (optional) are the secrets to this slow-cooked chicken that can be served over cornbread, like seen here, or on sandwich buns whenever hunger strikes.

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Chicken Salad-Stuffed Tomatoes

Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Chicken Salad-Stuffed Tomatoes

Summer tomatoes have never looked so delicious. Serve on a slice of bread for the kiddos who haven't gotten on the 'mater train yet.

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Creole Burger

Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Creole Burger

We upped the ante on everyone's basic burger by adding the bold flavors of Creole seasonings (hello, Zatarain’s) and a tangy sauce.

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Shrimp-Tomatillo Tacos

Johnny Autry; Prop and Food Styling: Charlotte L. Autry

Recipe: Shrimp-Tomatillo Tacos

Tasty shrimp tacos in just 20 minutes? Yeah, that'll do.

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Shrimp-Okra-and-Sausage Kebabs

Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Tina Stamos

Recipe: Shrimp-Okra-and-Sausage Kebabs

This recipe is basically jambalaya on grilled skewers, which we never knew we needed—but totally do.

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Easy Creamy Chicken Spaghetti

Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Lydia Pursell; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer

Recipe: Easy Creamy Chicken Spaghetti

It's hard to beat this family-friendly casserole that you can make ahead to take on vacation. It makes your life way easier from the get-go.

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Potato Salad with Dijon and Scallions

Greg Dupree; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Potato Salad with Dijon and Scallions

Classic potato salad gets a major upgrade with fingerling potatoes, tangy Dijon mustard, and scallions.

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Sweet-and-Spicy Salmon Rice Bowl

Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Sweet-and-Spicy Salmon Rice Bowl

Just a half hour is all that's needed to turn out this hearty one-bowl meal. Salmon is topped in a super delicious honey-Sriracha sauce.

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Farro, Heirloom Tomato, and Peach Salad

Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Torie Cox; Prop Styling: Chelsea Zimmer

Recipe: Farro, Heirloom Tomato, and Peach Salad

Tomatoes and peaches make up this side salad that's perfect to serve with any meal. Farro makes it hearty enough to keep everyone full and happy.

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Greek Grilled Chicken Pita

Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Greek Grilled Chicken Pita

These hand-held pitas are the ideal travel lunch for days spent on the beach. Throw in a bag of Zapp's potato chips for good measure.

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Deviled Crab Melts

Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Deviled Crab Melts

Melty, toasty, and wonderfully crabby (get it?), these melts are a seafood supper just waiting to happen.

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Easy, Breezy Beach Meal Ideas Perfect For a Stress-Free Vacation

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Creamy Avocado Dip

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Shrimp-and-Corn Succotash

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Maque Choux with Sausage

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Lemon Vinaigrette Pasta Salad with Field Peas

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Slow-Cooker Carnitas Tacos

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Kardea Brown's Okra Soup with Shrimp

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Creamy Broccoli Slaw

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Sheet Pan Fajitas

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Buttermilk Alfredo Pasta with Chicken and Spinach

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Hot Crab-and-Artichoke Dip

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Fried Chicken Sliders with Pimiento Cheese

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Bacon-Ranch Pasta Salad

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Steak-and-Potato Kebabs

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Southern Fried Corn

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Egg Salad Sandwiches

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Tuna Pasta Salad

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Slow-Cooked Barbecued Chicken Sandwiches

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Chicken Salad-Stuffed Tomatoes

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Creole Burger

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Shrimp-Tomatillo Tacos

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Shrimp-Okra-and-Sausage Kebabs

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Easy Creamy Chicken Spaghetti

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Potato Salad with Dijon and Scallions

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Sweet-and-Spicy Salmon Rice Bowl

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Farro, Heirloom Tomato, and Peach Salad

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Greek Grilled Chicken Pita