25 Packable Foods Perfect for a Day at the Beach

Packing snacks, sandwiches and salads for the beach requires a bit of planning, but pays off once you’re settled on the beach and don’t want to spend your entire day standing in line on the boardwalk waiting for mediocre pizza and nachos. When plotting what to bring, think of where it’s going to be stored, how hardy a food is and packing material—even the best coolers can leave your sandwiches soggy if you don't pack them the right way. Something that always works? These colorful Roasted Turkey and Basil Cream Cheese Pinwheel Sandwiches, which can be made in the morning and kept chilled for an easy lunch or afternoon snack on the beach.

Layer up a portable picnic with seasoned brown rice, spiced chickpeas, eggplant and tomato, and shredded chicken stacked in a jar for easy grab-and-go eating.

In this satisfying, do-ahead sandwich, the kale salad gets more flavorful and tender as it sits. It's perfect for a picnic on the beach!

This classic pasta salad, packed with a bounty of summer vegetables and fresh herbs, is the perfect thing to make after a trip to the farmers' market. Look for the tastiest produce at the peak of its season, like crisp radishes and cucumbers, juicy tomatoes and sweet raw corn.

These muffins get better after a stay in the freezer, so pop them in the cooler straight from the freezer to use as ice packs for the rest of your snacks. Once they thaw, you can dig in!

This loaf sandwich stacks ham, fresh mozzarella, tomato and basil onto ciabatta and gets wrapped tight to chill for a few hours, so the flavors soak in before slicing into neat portable pieces.

These refreshing skewers are the perfect choice for the beach—no need to pack cutlery or clean up extra plates and cups!

Add some leftover grilled chicken to this noodle salad and you have an all-in-one beach lunch. Skip the protein and serve this as a side to sandwiches or burgers if your beach has a grill.

A Muffuletta is a pressed sandwich -- filled with cold cuts, cheese and an olive spread -- that only gets better as it sits. Food Network Kitchen designed this pressed sandwich for camping in the great outdoors, but it’s perfect for a day at the beach, too. Prep it in the morning and pack it at the bottom of your cooler to let the weight of your other goodies flatten it.

Valerie Bertinelli’s homemade snack mix is better than anything you’ll find in the snack aisle of the grocery store. One secret she insists on: Always use the honey-sweetened corn cereal for that little extra sweet 'n' salty combination.

Ina adds frozen spinach, mayonnaise and fresh lemon juice to homemade pesto as the sauce for this colorful pasta salad.

Pack a beverage cooler with this refreshing lemonade and everyone will thank you. Pack seltzer separately so every sip is bubbly.

Opt for something on the lighter side with Giada De Laurentiis’ lightened-up chicken salad wraps. She uses an aoil made with low-fat yogurt, mayonnaise, arugula and parsley mixed with chicken breast and wrapped in a whole-wheat tortilla for a beach-friendly bite.

The flavors of summer and strawberry shortcake have found their way into your favorite crunchy childhood treat. We decreased the amount of marshmallows (AKA sugar) and stirred in some almond butter and freeze dried strawberries. Each sweet-tart bar is a generous size.

These kid-size pinwheel wraps are perfect for little grazers. They can grab a slice and get back to building sandcastles quickly.

The best kind of beach snack is one you can keep munching on throughout the day. Instead of going for a bag of chips, use standard pantry ingredients to make 3 varieties that kids will love — taco, vinegar-lime and onion-garlic. The longer you dry the chickpeas before baking, the crisper they will be. If you have time, strain and rinse them, pat them dry, spread them on a baking sheet and refrigerate them, uncovered, overnight, before roasting.

Upgrade your fruit salad with a quick mint and lemon simple syrup. We like a mix of watermelon and blueberries here, but feel free to improvise with whatever summer fruits you have on hand.

Give your beach lunch that Ina upgrade with roasted chicken breast, crispy pancetta and a Caesar dressing you’ll definitely be using in the future. Serve it all on ciabatta for an elevated alfresco meal.

Pack the peanuts and cilantro garnish separately from the slaw to keep them crunchy and fresh. Mango adds a tropical element to this dish so you’ll feel like you’re on vacation even if you’re at your hometown waterfront.

Sturdy pineapple can survive a day in a cold cooler. Make the salad and custard separately and let everyone decide on their own ratio of fruit to custard at the beach.

This veg-forward sandwich feeds a crowd and packs many of the flavors of your favorite Middle Eastern mezze platter between slices of ciabatta.

This seasonal salad is the perfect side for sandwiches on the beach. Store the dressing separately and dress the salad right before you’re going to eat.

Gently poaching chicken breasts in an aromatic broth yields tender morsels for folding into a bright and herby homemade dressing. Serve it solo on a bed of lettuce with sliced tomatoes or in half an avocado. Pack it separately from bread, crisp bacon and other sandwich fixings for a killer chicken club that you can construct at the beach.

This versatile salad is a perfect complement to a sandwich on the beach, but can also stand on its own as a main dish — take a cue from reviewers who like to add grilled chicken, avocado and chickpeas to make it a bit more filling.