Do you have packing for a day at the beach down to a science? Then I would like to talk to you. Because I do not.
Going to the beach with a toddler is kind of like trying on Tenzing Norgay's backpack. There is a gobsmacking amount of stuff to snag, sort, stash, and slog. Umbrella, chairs, redundant bottles of sunscreen, towels, bucket, shovel, blanket, and water, of course, but also: dumptruck, kite, swim diapers or spare swimsuits, sunhat, some kind of floaty thing, wipes (in case sand gets on something, anything), perhaps a beach tent in case someone naps, and a red rubber lobster we have to bring because Henry's dad in the Henry and Mudge books has a red rubber lobster and he is totally boss.
And then there's the snacks. When you roll with my family, you know that there will be snacks.
But what snacks can survive the hot, lame car trip, the bumping, bruising lug out to the shore, and then hours sogging around in a cooler? Then there's the tricky business of what you can reasonably eat while wet and shagged-out and surrounded by sand. (Technically I suppose there's no reason why any food couldn't be eaten at the beach as well as at a table. I've been to the beach with people who brought salads--like, actual salads with little side containers for dressing. This seems, however, to violate the spirit of a good beach snack, if you ask me.)
Catherine Newman of the James Beard award-winningChopChopMagazine offers three delicious and doable tips for packing your beach picnic, in her recent Epicurious story abouthealthy summer snacks for families on the go:
Make Kabobs: Thread veggies, cheese chunks, and cut fruit on wooden child-safe skewers, pop them into a plastic container or wrap them in foil, and toss them in the cooler (on top). Great for sandy hands.
Pack Wraps: Tortillas wrapped burrito-style around hummus, goat cheese, or deli slices and then wrapped up in a layer of foil will stay intact in the cooler without taking up much space, and get less soggy than sandwiches.
Go for Grapes or Small, Sturdy Fruits: Nothing that will get smushed or bruised, but grapes, apples, and other tough-guy fruits are good choices for energy and hydration on a hot beach day.
What are your beach-cooler packing secrets?
