I have a couple of criteria when I’m cooking at the beach.
1. First, the meal HAS to be easy! No complicated steps or trying new things. There’s a time & place for that but vacation isn’t it for me!
2. Second, it has to be a recipe that makes enough for leftovers the next day. Whether we make beach sandwiches or venture out for lunch, we always know we have plenty of snacks and leftovers if someone is hungry.
3. Third, it has to be DELICIOUS! Just because it’s easy and made for a crowd doesn’t mean it skimps on flavor.
One thing I love to do when I’m cooking for a big family trip is divide the meals into “themes”. One night can be Mexican, then Italian, a grilling night, a pizza night, and always a leftovers night!
Mexican Fiesta Night: Tacos, quesadillas, fajitas, yellow rice, tortillas, and all the taco fixings!
Italian Night: One big pasta or a few different ones like spaghetti for the kids and a delicious sausage or chicken pasta for the adults. Pair it all with a big salad and crispy garlic bread!
Fire Up The Grill: Burgers and hot dogs are always a great dinner at the beach! Or throw some chicken and a couple of steaks on the grill and slice them up for a grilled protein platter.
Pizza Night: Buy small individual pizza crusts, pizza sauce, cheese, and all the toppings and let everyone make their own pizza!
My favorite meals for a beach vacation with a crowd!
My
Wonton Tacos are perfect, 3-bite tacos made with your choice of chicken or beef. The best part about these tacos are you can make a big platter of different kinds of tacos to please everyone! Serve them with yellow rice or a delicious corn salad!
Italian Sausage Pasta
My
Italian Sausage Pasta is ready in about 20 minutes and is SO easy and delicious! Italian sausage, sundried tomatoes, and spinach cooked in a light cream sauce. Served with a big salad and garlic bread, this meal is sure to be a crowd pleaser!
Chicken, Steak & Shrimp Kabobs
Kabobs are so simple and a great excuse to fire up the grill and keep the kitchen clean and cool. I separate my kabobs and do some with chicken, pineapple, and peppers and others with steak, onions, and mushrooms – plus I throw in a few skewers of just delicious seasoned shrimp. Serve with potatoes, corn, or anything else you can throw on the grill!
This
Sheet Pan Pizza puts delivery pizza to SHAME!! It is so good, fresh, and can be filled with whatever ingredients everyone prefers. I buy store-bought pizza dough that folds out perfectly. It saves me time and all I have to do is top the pizza! You can use this same concept for breadsticks as well for a great snack!
A few easy beach breakfasts too:
Breakfast Pizza has always been a beach breakfast tradition for my family! Growing up, my mom would always make it on any beach trip. It feeds a crowd and is a perfect, protein-packed breakfast before a long beach day.
