When summer hits, you don't want to feel chained to your kitchen or deal with the hot stove, which will make the temperature in your kitchen climb even higher. Heading to the lake with your kids and friends lets you relax and cool off in the lake. With the right snack and drink recipes, you can make a few things at home to take with you that will help you stay cool. There are many lake and pool floats equipped with cup holders to keep your cold drink beside you while you relax too!
Blueberry Lemonade
There is nothing more refreshing than a tall glass of lemonade on a hot day...here’s a twist on that classic drink with the addition of some fresh blueberries!
You’ll need:
⅔ cup super fine granulated sugar (or preferred sugar substitute)
2 cups lemon juice
2 cups water
1 ½ cups fresh blueberries
Directions:
Mix sugar with 2/3 cup water until the sugar completely dissolves. Add two cups of lemon juice and two cups of water to the mixture. Toss in the fresh blueberries, pour into a thermos & you’re good to go! When ready to serve, pour into cups filled with ice.
Sun Tea
Sun tea is one of the easiest summer drinks to make because you just need a container, some teabags and water. While plastic containers work well and are easy to transport, you may prefer a glass container that doesn't contain any harmful chemicals. Make the tea the same way you do every year outside in the sun.
Up your game by adding mint, sliced strawberries, peaches, lemons or any other favorite summer fruits to the container. This will the tea with a subtle, delicious summery flavor.
Watermelon Coolers
The only thing better than thick slices of cold watermelon might be this watermelon cooler recipe.
You’ll need:
¾ cup sugar (or preferred sugar substitute)
2 cups white grape or apple juice
Club Soda or Tonic Water
Directions:
Place watermelon (chopped & seeded) in a blender, pulse until liquefied and pour through a sieve or strainer to remove any pulp. Mix sugar or a sugar substitute with two cups of white grape or apple juice. Combine all the ingredients in a pitcher or thermos and top with four cups of cold club soda or tonic water. Serve over ice.
Strawberry Kiwi Salsa
Salsa made from strawberries may taste even better on a hot day than a traditional tomato salsa.
You’ll need:
1 lb Fresh Strawberries
2 Kiwi Fruits
2 Tbsp Lime Juice
1 tsp Fresh Mint
Sugar or Sugar Substitute (to taste)
Directions:
Remove the stems and cores from strawberries, and dice them. Peel and chop kiwi fruits into the same size pieces. Mix the two fruits together in a small bowl with lime juice and fresh mint. You may wish to add a small amount of sugar or sugar substitute if the fruits taste slightly bitter. Serve this fun salsa with pita chips or graham crackers.
Caprese Skewers
Caprese salad is a traditional Italian dish, but transporting salad to the lake is hard because a big bowl takes up so much space in your cooler. You can use the same ingredients to make salad skewers that you assemble at home. If you have limited space in your cooler, you can prep the ingredients at home, place everything in the cooler and assemble the skewers on the beach.
You’ll need:
Cherry Tomatoes
Fresh Basil
Mozzarella Balls
Wood or Metal Skewers
Balsamic Vinegar
Directions:
Alternate cherry tomatoes, basil leaves and balls of mozzarella on wood or metal skewers. You can drizzle balsamic vinegar over skewers for adults and leave the vinegar off if your kids don't like it.
Fruit Pizza
Both kids and adults will want to get in line for a slice of this pizza, which is a sweeter take on traditional pizza.
You’ll need:
Your favorite sugar cookie mix or recipe
8 oz Cream Cheese
½ cup granulated sugar (or sugar substitute)
1 tsp Vanilla
4 cups of a variety of fruits
Apricot Jam or jelly (optional)
Directions:
Use sugar cookie mix or recipe to make a large round cookie that serves as the base. Mix cream cheese with granulated sugar (or substitute) and vanilla. Once you reach a spreadable consistency, pour the mixture in the center of the cookie and spread out to the edges. Remove the seeds and peels from your favorite fruits before chopping and slicing into smaller pieces. You need four cups of fruits, but you can use any mixture that you want. Arrange the fruits on top of the baked cookie dough. You can leave the pizza as-is or top with strained apricot jam or jelly to give the pizza glossy finish.
Packing Tips
When packing snacks and drinks for a day at the lake, you need foods that are easy to transport. You also want to stay hydrated, which is easy to do when you replace the ice in your cooler with bottles of water. Place the bottles in the freezer the night before, remove the next morning and place inside the cooler around your foods. As the ice melts, you and your guests can drink the water.