Nothing beats the relaxing views of the coast in the summer. Whether you’ve decided to catch waves at the white beaches on Phillip Island or relaxing in the shallows at Inverloch, the water is perfect.
To help you steer clear of the picnic disasters this summer, here is a practical guide to packing heat-friendly food that stays fresh and keeps the sand away.
1. Freeze Your Snacks
The biggest challenge when the temperature rises is keeping your cooler bag temperature down. Try this little hack: instead of bringing bulky ice bricks, freeze water bottles and grapes the night before. They act as ice packs to keep your other food cold. By lunchtime, the water has melted enough to drink, and the frozen grapes become refreshing treats that cool you down from the inside out.
2. Switch the Bread
Bread can dry out, or worse, soggy from the fillings. Switch to savoury muffins or frittata slices. They are dense, hold their shape in the heat, and don’t require assembly. You can pack them with zucchini, bacon, and cheese, and the taste is still as good cold.
Image: https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/crop-hand-spreading-sauce-muffin_1737247.htm
3. Bring “One-Hand” Meal Only
Think you need a knife and fork to eat your meal? Leave them at home. Beach food should be grab-and-go so you can keep one hand free for holding a cold drink, or swatting away flies. Skewers is a great example for this. Thread cherry tomatoes, bocconcini balls, and basil onto sticks. It’s a portable Caprese salad, but doesn’t require bowls.
4. Eat Your Water
Under the stinging sun, you want food that hydrates you. Dry pastries or chips will make you thirstier. Instead, pack Veggie Rice Paper Rolls or Platter that’s simply like eating salad in a roll. However, keep the lid on tight until you’re ready to eat so the sea breeze doesn’t dry out the wrappers.
5. The Mess-Free Beach Hack: Sushi
If you really want to skip the prep and bring the most refreshing, heat-friendly food possible, sushi is the champion. Here is why it’s best to swap the BBQ for sushi on summer:
Sushi loves the cold
Unlike burgers or pizzas that taste weird when cold, sushi is designed to be eaten chilled. Imagine biting into a cool Avocado Cucumber Hand Roll or Salmon Lover Pack on a hot day, it’s instantly refreshing.
No residue
The nori (seaweed) on sushi rolls acts as a natural edible wrapper. It keeps the sticky rice contained and provides a dry surface to hold onto. This means you can eat it with your fingers without getting sticky residue on your hands, which likely attracts sand.
Less waste
Order a sushi platter for the group and a few hand rolls for the kids. There are no plates to wash, no cutlery, and you can throw away the package neatly when you’re done.
Photo: Visit Melbourne
Where to Stock Up Before You Go to The Beach
On your way to the coast, you can find our stores strategically located across Gippsland.
Head to Phillip Island? Stop by Pika Sushi Cowes before driving to the Nobbies or Smiths Beach. Alternatively, if you’re heading for a Gippsland road trip, grab some from Pika Sushi Warragul, Traralgon, or Drouin, and you’re all set to Inverloch or Venus Bay.
To make your summer food even tastier, don’t forget the soy sauce. Be sure to use a small leak-proof container and safe for the cooler bag.
