Warmer weather means our indoor snacking party (yes it’s always a party with my crew) is now on pool decks and park benches. While the snacks pretty much stay the same for us depending upon location, I have a few tricks up my sleeve when it comes to packing and assembling the ultimate snack bag for summer!
We were at a park after school last week and a friend of mine stated that my stroller was like a food truck. Another parent commented that I packed Costco for a playdate. Guilty. Where there are kids + activities, I’m bringing the snacks. Food. Options. And I’ve probably created my own snacking monsters by doing so. But guess what? My kids are happy and energetic when they’re eating [like Mom] so for now, I’m going with it! Food has also been a connector for me with people, a conversation starter, and this extroverted introvert needs an ice breaker once in a while- yes, even with kids! So I use food for that.
The Essentials
- Whether it’s the pool, beach, park, heck, a friend’s house, if I’m in charge of bringing snacks, I always bring two things essential to clean-up: wipes and trash bags.
- To make your life easier you can do one of two things: prepackage the snacks by adding them to individual Ziploc bags, or bring paper plates/bowls to serve while at the pool, park, beach, etc. This has helped me somewhat manage the mess my team leaves behind as well as the clean-up for Mom.
Take Fruits & Veggies That Hold Well In Hot Temps
- Clementines
- Grapes
- Carrots
- Apples
- Bell Peppers
- Cucumbers
Snacky-Snacks Because Balance
- Any cracker – Goldfish, Ritz, Animal Crackers, Annie’s
- Cookie – Annie’s, Teddy Grahams, Oreos
- Chip – Baked, Lays, Doritos, Cheetos, any kind!
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Bars- Clif Kid Z Bars, Granola bars
- Other Snacks – Pirate’s Booty, Veggie Straws
Drinks
-
Gatorade
-
Vitamin Water
-
Iced Coffee for Mom
- Canned flavored water
- Water bottles
- Milk and pool water just doesn’t sit well with me. So clear liquids it is!
I’ve seen many families walk into the pool with a wagon for towels, floaties, and food, and am considering ordering one from Amazon. Coolers also work too! But for now I’m sticking with some non-refrigerated options as I know one or two of my children will be upset Mom didn’t pack popsicles if they noticed I brought a cooler. I’ve got more important things than popsicles to worry about… as last year Michael was OK with being left out of the big pool scene. Something tells me we might have a fighter on our hands this year…
So tell me: what pool essentials [both snacks and equipment!] do you pack?
