Fruit Salad

Instead of filling the cooler with whole fruits the kids may pass up, chop it all up into a delicious fruit salad, and add some fresh chopped mint to liven it up. Pack the salad in individual-sized plastic containers and hand them out when the kids get hungry. See if they can name all of the fruits in the salad.

Rollups

Enjoy Thanksgiving in August and stuff a rollup with deli turkey, cranberry sauce, instant stuffing and a little mayo. Cut each rollup into quarters and hand them out whenever the kids get hungry. Or, buy chicken salad from the deli and mix in walnuts and dried cranberries for a twist on this classic favorite.

Pasta

Toss your favorite pasta with ready-cooked chicken, olive oil, salt, pepper and Parmesan cheese. This is great served cold. You can also toss your favorite pasta with a jar of pre-made pesto or bruschetta topping. Add some pre-cooked shrimp and go gourmet in the sand.

Snacks

Tired of munching on stale potato chips? Your kids will love this idea! Dip one end of multigrain pretzel rods into melted chocolate and roll into chopped peanuts or colored sprinkles for a yummy sweet and salty treat. Or, make a batch of quick and easy granola by combining two whole-grain cereals with dried fruit, nuts and mini chocolate chips. Make individual baggies to pass out when kids need a quick break in between searching for crabs.

Beverages

Sick of sugary soda? Make a healthier homemade version! In a large jug, combine your favorite fruit juice with some sparkling seltzer for a refreshing drink for the kids. Or, liven up bottled water with thin slices of lemons, limes and/or oranges.