Celebrate the USA at the Beach

Going 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!