The Best Vegan Beach Food: Snacks, Lunches, and Sandwiches for a Perfect Day at the Beach
I’ve learned a few lessons through the years of visiting the beach as a vegan. And I've learned even more lessons about vegan beach food once I started hitting up the beach with my young kids.
Most of these guidelines can be applied to all beach foods, not just vegan beach foods. But here are some vegan beach food tips to keep in mind…
- Pack things individually as much as possible to avoid exposing the entire batch or bag to sandy hands!
- Include at least something hydrating like fruits
- Make sure your sandwiches won’t fall apart in the cooler. Something that sticks together easily or wraps work best for vegan beach sandwiches.
- No chocolate!! No chocolate in Larabars. No chocolate chips in cookies. No chocolate in trail mix. It will always melt in a messy way. Don’t do it.
If you’re looking for more tips and tricks for hitting up the beach as a family, you may find these posts helpful:
- 37 Best Toddler Beach Hacks and Tips for a First Timer
- Toddler Beach Essentials: The 10 Things You Actually Need For a Fun Day at the Beach
- The Best Puerto Viejo Beaches for Families and Kids
Okay, now let’s get to the details on some vegan beach food ideas.
Vegan Beach Snacks
Hydrating Fruits
I love fruits like grapes, cherries, and mandarins that are already in nature’s packaging. If they fall in the sand, rinse them off and they’re still good as new.
You could also make a fruit salad or cut up some fruit like watermelon or cantaloupe. That way, you can use forks to eat the fruit salad and avoid sandy hands getting all over your food!
Cut Veggies
Cucumbers, carrots, celery, and bell peppers are always great options. Just don’t forget your knife if you’re staying in a hotel! I always travel with a chef's knife with a sheath like this OXO Chef's knife, whose sheath locks in place for travel!
Veggies that don’t require cutting include baby carrots, cherry tomatoes, or snap peas.
Hummus
Can you talk about any kind of vegan food and not include hummus? Yep, it’s a perfect solution for easy vegan beach food as well.
I’m usually a fan of eco-friendly packaging. But for times like this, I love the individual packets of hummus. The individual hummus tubs limit sand exposure to the entire tub. Here in the US, Aldi has the most affordable individual packets.
To make individual packets more eco-friendly, you could of course make your own hummus and use small reusable containers like these to divvy out the portions. And for a stainless steel option, check out these small hummus containers. Just make sure to avoid anything glass!
Individual Snack Packs
Same thing as with the hummus, I usually try to go for the more eco-friendly packaging. But when it comes to beach trips and traveling, I make exceptions.
Why individual packaging?
One word: sand. You don’t want to get to the bottom of a pretzel bag and be questioning whether it’s salt or sand covering your pretzel.
Another word? Wet fingers. If a toddler reaches into a potato chip bag with a wet hand, the whole bag is going soggy.
If you don’t want to make exceptions for your vegan beach food, you can use individual containers or stasher bags to divvy out larger bags.
Here are some of my family’s favorite individually packaged vegan beach snacks:
- Splits Pretzels
- Organic Popcorn
- Hippeas
- Roasted Chickpeas
- Cookies - Remember: No chocolate chips at the beach!!
- Veggie Straws
- Trail Mix - Remember: No chocolate!!
- Crackers - These Simple Mills Almond Flour Crackers are amazing on their own or dipped in hummus!
- Peanut Butter Filled Pretzel Bites
Electrolyte Packets
I know it’s controversial whether electrolytes are needed if you aren’t running a marathon. But when electrolytes are added to water in our family, we all drink more and the water tends to disappear! So whether or not the electrolytes are helping to hydrate, the water is!
My family’s favorite is the Liquid IV Lemon Lime flavor.
Granola Bars
My family loves Larabars. My daughter’s favorite is usually chocolate chip cookie dough. But in case you forgot, chocolate and hot beach days just don’t mix. She isn’t happy with me, but I force the poor girl to eat her second favorite (cashew cookie) at the beach.
Of course, you could always make your own. And before kids, or maybe even when I had one kid, I would have. Two is a game changer, though! For a homemade granola bar, I’ve always loved these Banana Nut Snack Bars by Vigan Richa.
Energy Balls
For kids that are too busy playing to eat, and you want to avoid the hangries… try some energy balls. Okay, these are cubes, but I like these Navitas Power Cubes. Or Gluten Free Brothers (GFB) makes individual snack packs of protein balls… just make sure you pick a chocolate free flavor like these Coconut Cashew Bites!
You can definitely make your own, but the problem with a lot of the homemade recipes is that they’re no-bake. Healthy? Yes. But they need to be stored in the fridge or freezer to maintain their shape. Not so great for the beach.
Cookies
Growing up, we would camp on the beach every summer. And I always remember eating Oreos on the beach for some reason. Cookies just tasted better with my feet in the sand. To make them a little healthier, you could try the Back to Nature Sandwich Cookies.
For a lighter cookie option, have you tried the Simple Mills Lemon Cookies? They’re addicting. They’re small (and delicious!), so you can keep popping “just one more” into your mouth really easily. They’re kind of like an elevated adult animal cracker?
For a homemade cookie, these Oh She Glows Trail Mix Cookies have been a family favorite for camping trips, beach trips, and school snacks. I’ve even had friends ask for the recipe after bringing them to a weekend away.
Note: The recipe calls for chocolate chips. Remember: No chocolate at the beach! I’d substitute cacao nibs instead.
Bubble Water
I don’t really drink soda anymore, but I love a good bubble water with my lunch. I guess people without kids probably call it sparkling water or seltzer... but in my family, it's bubble water. And it’s the best refreshing treat sitting at the beach. Especially if you aren’t ready for something boozy.
I’m partial to Spindrift, because it isn’t artificially flavored. They’re flavored with actual fruit juice. I especially love the Raspberry Lemonade and the Grapefruit!
Juice Boxes
For kids, a special treat drink on the beach that’s also individually packaged, I bring along juice boxes or juice pouches. I like the Honest Kids brand, or something similar that’s organic and mostly natural ingredients.
Pouches
For little ones, an easy vegan beach food is pouches. You can even freeze them, stick them in the cooler, and have a bit of a pouch slushie for a cold treat on a hot day. Some varieties, like these Happy Tots pouches, even have chia seeds for a bonus boost of Omegas.
Dates
Nature’s candy. I love them with a bit of salted nut butter. Which you can also get in individual packets. It’s kind of like a deconstructed energy ball. And it’s delicious.
**If you're looking for a place to stay at the beach, my new favorite tool is Booking.com. Yes - I think it has finally surpassed Airbnb on my travel planning top ten list! 😲
Why? Booking.com offers a mix of hotels and rental properties. Many of them have free cancellation policies. Cleaning fees are included in the price you see! And you'll see reviews from across multiple platforms and sites.
Pro tips for using Booking.com:
- Create a free account and get an additional 10% off certain stays with their "genius" discount.
- If you book through their app, you'll often get an additional "mobile only" discount.
- Once you click on a property, be sure to look below the bolded price. It will show you how much will be added for taxes!
Check out accommodations near your beach stay at Booking.com and see what I mean!
Vegan Beach Lunches
Chickpea Salad Wraps
I try to avoid any sandwich that will fall apart on the beach. You don’t want the contents of your sandwich falling all over your towel and then attracting seagulls and crows. No one wants poopy towels from greedy seagulls.
That’s where a good wrap comes in. Especially in the summer, my kids request this chickpea salad from High Carb Hannah on repeat. I like that it’s mayo free. Put it in a wrap with hummus and maybe a pickle and you have the perfect vegan beach lunch.
Nut Butter Sandwiches
If bread is your jam (pun kind of intended), nut butter sandwiches could be the way to go. They won’t fall apart in the cooler. PB&J was never really my favorite. But some members of my family love PB and Pickle! Which works surprisingly well for a vegan lunch at the beach.
I’ve even heard of some families freezing their sandwiches and letting them thaw through the day to help keep them fresh until lunchtime! Could be worth a try!
Potato Salad
There’s something really satisfying about carbs on a beach day. Anyone else? You can easily premake a potato salad and then divide it out on beach day. Don’t forget the forks!
I love this Herbed Potato Salad from Cookie and Kate as the perfect vegan beach lunch. I’m not a huge fan of mayo (even vegan versions), and this one is mayo-free! It’s light and refreshing, while also savory and satisfying.
Pasta Salad
Speaking of perfectly refreshing, savory, and satisfying… how about a pesto pasta salad like this 20-minute Rainbow Veggie Pasta Salad by Baker by Nature?
I love that it includes some fresh, raw veggies. In the past, I’ve even replaced the olive oil with part tahini, part water if you’re someone that likes to be oil free.
I've also brought a vegan mac n' cheese in the past like the one you see below:
Veggie Roll-Ups
For a quick grab-and-go snack or vegan beach lunch, you could premake some veggie roll-ups. Before heading down to the beach, slice them into rounds. Kind of like sushi. When someone’s hungry, they can grab one, and then be on their way!
I like to make these veggie roll-ups with cream cheese by Vegan Richa. It takes a bit more prep because you make the cream cheese yourself out of tofu. But that bit of extra protein could come in handy for some hard-core beach play! I also love that it includes some fresh veggies in there.
Hummus Roll-Ups
For something a bit more hassle-free than making your own cream cheese, try the same thing but with store-bought hummus. Slather the tortilla with hummus, top with some spinach and other finely cut veggies, roll it, slice it, eat it!
Tortilla Triangles
Have you ever folded a tortilla in the triangle style? Once I learned how, it was a game changer for packing kids’ lunches! Everything stays neatly inside, and you can really pack a lot of different flavors and ingredients in there.
This video shows a bit more complex version. They grill it and everything. But it at least shows how to cut and fold the tortilla. It’s easy, I swear!
But you could go crazy with the fillings… cream cheese, mashed sweet potato, hummus, refried beans, pesto, spinach, etc.
Falafel
For a bit more complex of a vegan beach meal, you could pack up some falafel! The falafel itself isn't so complicated. If you buy pre-made frozen falafel, that is!
You could keep it as simple as dipping the falafel in hummus. Or you could bring along pitas, hummus, and tomato salad and stuff the pitas.
Bonus: Easy and Convenient Make Ahead Vegan Meals for After Your Day at the Beach
Pasta
Bring some boxes of pasta. Make a sauce ahead of time. Or bring a jar of your favorite sauce, of course! Even if you’re flying, you can freeze your homemade sauce, seal it up really well, and stick it in your suitcase! At least, flying domestically you can.
After your day at the beach, heat up a bit of the sauce, cook the pasta noodles. And you have a full, satisfying meal! For added yum, bring along some nutritional yeast or vegan parm.
Sloppy Joes
Same as with the pasta. Make this ahead of time and freeze it. After your day at the beach, heat it up, slap it on some burger buns. Serve with pickles, maybe a small salad (or some veggies and hummus to keep it simple), and you have a full meal to fuel you after a day at the beach!
I love the Minimalist Baker Vegan Sloppy Joes recipe. But use whichever recipe is your favorite!
Remember to Pack: Kitchen Items You’ll Need for Your Vegan Beach Food
If you're wanting to know everything you'll want to remember for a family beach trip, check out Your Complete Family Beach Packing List - With a Printable PDF!
Containers
For bringing food to the beach and for leftovers. Don’t forget your containers or stasher bags!
Knife
I always travel with a chefs knife. Am I the only one? But if you’re staying at a hotel, this especially comes in handy to help expand on your self-catered meal options. If this is the case, don’t forget a cutting board as well!
But even if you’re at a vacation rental house or condo, you never know what the state of the knives will be. And I find it really frustrating trying to chop carrots with a dull knife.
I travel with a chefs knife with a sheath like this one for safer and easier travel.
Cooler
It may seem obvious, but you’ll want a way to keep your food from baking, getting mushy, or just plain getting too warm at the beach! There are so many options of coolers out there. Rolling coolers, backpack coolers, hard side, soft side, etc. Whatever your preference, just don’t forget it!
Ice Packs
Speaking of coolers, you’ll want a cooling element inside your cooler. Ice packs, bags of ice from the hotel, or even frozen water bottles are all good options.
Cutlery
If you’re eating things like pasta salad or potato salad, you’re probably going to want some forks… unless you prefer sandy fingers?
If you’re doing any assembling of sandwiches at your hotel room, you’re going to want some knives for spreading. And if you’re scooping out tomato salad for your falafel pitas, you’re going to want some spoons.
Napkins or Paper Towel
You don’t always want to be using your towels to wipe hands and faces. Don’t forget some napkins or paper towels.
Trash bags
The beach can get windy! You’ll want somewhere to put your empty snack bags so they don’t blow away. And seagull scavengers can be intense. So save your towels from seagull poo, clean up your lunch mess, and secure your trash bag.
If you’re traveling to a beach internationally, I highly recommend getting some travel insurance! My top pick is SafetyWing for its affordability, flexibility, and comprehensive coverage. It includes things like…
Doctor’s visits if you get sick
Medical emergencies
Lost checked luggage
Motor accidents
Delayed Flight Coverage
Adventure Sport Injuries (Add On Option)
If you're headed to the beach with young kids, you may want to check out these articles:
- 37 Best Toddler Beach Hacks and Tips for a First Timer
- Toddler Beach Essentials: The 10 Things You Actually Need For a Fun Day at the Beach
- Your Complete Family Beach Packing List - With a Printable PDF!