Portable Meals for your Summertime Adventures

It’s time to revisit the Summer bucket list you made! What’s left? A picnic in Times Square? Touring Chicago’s museums? A relaxing day on the beach?

Whether you’re adventuring by yourself or with a group, you’ll need to pack a lunch and snacks. With our meal-on-the-go guide, you can finally ditch those PB&J sandwiches and enjoy a truly satisfying meal. Pre Brands staff, which includes marathon runners, parents, beachgoers, and city-dwellers, have compiled their three favorite portable food hacks so you can enjoy your trip and–especially–your meal!

Tip 1: Lighten your load, don’t buy ice

Freeze an extra set of water bottles the night before and use them as freeze-packs in your cooler. By the time lunch rolls around you’ll have waters to drink in addition to any other adult beverages.

Pack foods that can be frozen, thaw throughout the day, and be ready to eat once thawed. Ideas for this type of meal include lasagna, fruit salad, bread for your sandwiches, and stuffed veggies (try Cooking Matters Italian Stuffed Peppers with Pre 85% Ground Beef).

Tip 2: Pack finger-food

Preparing finger-food is perfect for those that want to eat on-the-go. A few of our favorite finger-foods can be packed in plastic plastic baggies and kept cool with 2-3 small ice packs:

Steak kabobs: (Psst –we’ve got a great recipe here!)

Tenderloin sliders: With a high amount of protein, you’ll stay full longer.

Veggie wraps: A mixture of raw vegetables in a whole wheat wrap that’s topped with your favorite dressing.

Roll-ups: Give the traditional turkey and cheese rollup a twist. Wrap it in a leaf of lettuce and dip in Chipotle mayo sauce.

Tip 3: Prepare food that’s ready at room-temperature

This is a perfect option for beach-goers or those that want snacks available all day long.

– Pasta Salad made with oil-based dressing instead of mayo.

– Kale salad. It stays crisp even when you add dressing beforehand.

– Rice dishes like this Herbed Rice with Tomatoes and Feta from Epicurious.

– Summer salads. Give these a twist by rolling them in a whole wheat wrap.

– Nutritious, filling sides like apples, trail mix, vegetables for dipping in hummus, or muffins.