Be Waterlogged on the 4th of July

boat-water

boat-waterIf you are lucky enough to have a boat to celebrate the 4th of July then you need to do so. You can swim, water-ski, water board and just lay and tan on your own personal place of freedom! Preparing food to take care of your family can cause some problems without some tried but true storage methods.

Coolers and food storage bags are a must for any on board meals. Coolers can keep your beverages cold as well as certain food items. Two coolers is, of course, the optimum thing to do. Put your cold beverages in one and then load the ice…in the second cooler load your ice then your food products.

Try buying white, red and blue plates, napkins and silverware to keep in the spirit of the 4th of July. It’s not necessary but can be quite festive. Also, plan on where you can go to buy more ice if you need to. Remember, cold is better than hot!

The best thing to do is fix things at home before going on the boat. Try fixing cheese cubes which are easy to eat and nutritious as well. Veggies are another great choice, just cut them up before leaving home and put in individual bags. Cold sandwiches are another great choice. Make the sandwiches then wrap them in individual foil packages and then place in a Ziploc bag. Add some chips or pretzels and you have a great meal!

During the off time, you still have to entertain the kids. How about making a 4th of July windsock? For the younger children, some help will be required but for the older ones, they can do it themselves.

Remove the bottom from a Quaker oatmeal container. Place and tape blue paper all over the cylinder. Cut out white stars from construction paper and tape to the blue paper. Using white and red crepe paper cut long strips to tape on one end of your cylinder. On the other end, punch 4 holes so you can tie two string pieces to them to make you windsock work. To finish it off, cut one long piece of string and tie to the two shorter ones to hang it by.

This will burn off the 30 minutes you are supposed to not swim after eating and make everyone happy. This is a great idea for the evening meal, because you know that fireworks are coming up and the kids will calm down and watch the great show above them. Drink, eat and be merry and have a happy and safe Independence Day!

Celebrate the USA at the Beach

beachfood

beachfoodGoing to the beach on the 4th of July can be a blast for the family. Planning the meals can be one of the biggest hassles. One of the best things to have on hand for the beach, 4th of July or not, is zippered baggies. Make sure you stock up on all different sizes for the different things you might want to prepare to eat!

Coolers and ice are a must for a great day on the beach! Keeping your food fresh and safe can be a hard task but can be done. 2 separate coolers are a good idea; keep one for drinks and one for food. Place the drinks in the cooler and cover with ice to keep them cold. Food, on the other hand, can prove to be a bit trickier. Some great ways to keep food safe are listed below.

Try to keep opening the food cooler to a minimum. This prevents all that cool air from escaping. Take along a portable grill and you can have steaks, burgers and even potatoes cooked on the grill if they are prepared correctly before going to the beach.

Prepare your hamburger patties before going on your beach trip and put a piece of foil or saran wrap between them so they don’t meld together. Place in a zip bag and remove right before grilling. Place the extra fixin’s, like onions, pickles, and tomatoes in a baggie before transporting them. Buy a separate set of condiments so clean up is easy and if you need to throw them away it doesn’t mean you have to replace them at home.

Steaks can be fixed the same way. Pre-season your steaks at home before leaving and place in a Ziploc bag and grill to your heart’s content. You can even put your steaks in a marinade and they will travel great in a baggie.

Place your potatoes in a foil pouch with some onions and mushrooms and place above the ice to store. Remove right before you put them on the grill. But remember they take about an extra 10 minutes to cook longer than your steak.

Chips at the beach can become stale very quickly! So instead of chips why not try to take peanut butter stuffed celery with raisins on top. Or how about a relish tray stored in zip bags, like carrots, broccoli, and celery. Nuts are also a great beach treat. Peanuts, walnuts and almonds can be a great snack for the kids and adults. Go nuts and have a great 4th of July and be safe!