This post: 25 Poolside Snacks Your Teen Will Love
Written by: Marybeth Bock
It’s summer which means we’re trying to squeeze in as many “lazy days of summer” as we can with our kids.
Whether you’re enjoying time hanging out by the pool with your kids or venturing out on the lake or to the beach, you need to bring (or pack) a few snacks that your teen will actually like. And, considering most teens are always hungry, you need easy-to-prepare, tasty food that will satisfy their tastebuds and (hopefully) fill them up!
When I’m packing snacks for my kids for the pool (or the lake or beach) I look for snack ideas that are:
- FUN
- Easy to pack
- Not messy
- Refreshing
Most of these snacks can be easily transported in a cooler, while some don’t require a cooler at all. (A few, like the popsicles, will melt rather quickly, so they’re best served if you have a pool in your backyard or nearby.) But All of them are fairly easy to pull together and delish enough to tempt even the most finicky teenager. Here are 25 fun & easy poolside snacks your teen will love!
25 Easy Poolside Snacks Your Teen Will Love
Turkey Roll-Ups (Costco Copycat)
Before you venture off to the pool or lake (or even for a day out on the boat), whip up a batch of these easy Turkey Roll-Ups that taste just like the ones you’ll find at Costco! They’re easy to make, easy to pack and your teen is going to love ’em!
Get the recipe at Culinary Hill HERE
Ranch Snack Mix
When it comes to poolside snacks, this snack idea is great for a big crowd! It’s easy to make, too! In fact, you may have all the ingredients in your kitchen right now. You can use any crackers you wish, but some of our favorites include oyster crackers, Cheez-its, pretzels, and goldfish. Mix all together and coat with vegetable oil and a packet of dry Ranch dressing. For both baked and no-bake instructions, check out the recipe!
Get the recipe at Seeded at the Table HERE
Fresh Fruit with Honey Lime Dressing
Is there anything more refreshing on a hot summer day than fruit? This fruit isn’t quite so ordinary, though. With a delicious honey-lime dressing that coats each piece of fruit, your teen might just forget that they’re eating something healthy!
Get the recipe at Kristine’s Kitchen Blog HERE
Meat, Cheese & Fruit Kabobs
This is an easy snack idea that not only looks great, it tastes great! The cool part about this idea is that you can use any kind of deli meat you like (turkey, ham, sliced chicken) and add your teen’s favorite easy-to-cube cheese and fruit (like grapes, apples, peaches and pears). Plus, no utensils needed here!
Get the recipe at Delightful E Made HERE
3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cheerio Bars (500K shares on Pinterest!)
These super-easy Peanut Butter Cheerio Bars couldn’t be any easier or more delicious! With just 3 ingredients you can whip these up at the last minute and be ready for the pool in no time. Yep, they’re a little gooey, but who cares? Your kids are gonna love these!
Get the recipe from The Lazy Dish HERE
3-Ingredient Watermelon Kiwi Popsicles
The fun thing about making popsicles is that you can be quick and simple about it, just freezing juice in a paper cup, or you can get fancy with pretty molds and blend up frozen fruit with any number of liquids to satisfy your teen’s taste buds. These easy-to-make watermelon kiwi popsicles look so refreshing!
Get the recipe at The View from Grateful Island HERE
Irresistible Summertime Hot Dogs
The great thing about hot dogs is that there are literally dozens (okay, maybe hundreds) of different variations you can make! Not only are they a breeze to make, they’re also great for a big crowd – especially if you serve up a bunch of different toppings. Fun and easy!
Get the recipes at Celebrations at Home HERE
“Snackle” Boxes Filled with All Their Favorites
Why should toddlers get all the best snacks? Teens love bite-sized snacks as well, so a snackle box is an ideal poolside treat. Use a plastic tackle or crafting box that has small, divided compartments and add in all of your teen’s favorites: crackers, fruits, veggies, cookies, and candies are all great options. Be creative and have fun!
Image: Pinterest
Image: 7-Layer Taco Dip with Corn Chips
This one is a classic recipe that can easily be customized to please your teen and their friends. You can make this with ground beef, chicken, or do a vegetarian version with crumbled spicy tofu or just grilled veggies. It’s got all the great flavors of a taco, but it’s nice and cool to enjoy on a hot day. I love it served with corn chips to give it a little extra seasoning.
Get the recipe at Buns in My Oven HERE
3-Ingredient Frozen Yogurt Bites
These are the easiest and most customizable treats! Gather up a few of their favorite yogurt flavors, dice up their favorite berries, and mix together. Fill lined muffin tins with the mixture, add some granola on top and freeze. The best part is these bites will last for 2 months in your freezer, so make big batches to enjoy all summer long.
Get the recipe from The Beaming Baker HERE
Nut Butter Protein Balls
High-energy teens need high-protein snacks and nut butter balls are customizable to please everyone. Just pick a nut butter or two, such as almond or cashew and add ingredients like oats, coconut flakes, chia seeds, chocolate chips, flax meal, dried fruit, and honey. The possibilities are endless, and on a hot day, these tase perfect when they’ve been chilled or frozen.
Get the recipe from Dinners, Dishes and Desserts HERE
Hearty Sub Sandwiches
This hearty sub sandwich is sure to satisfy even the hungriest teen’s appetite! Filled with deli meat, salami, cheese, onions, tomatoes, lettuce and more, it’s way better than storebought!
Get the recipe at the Tipsy Housewife HERE
Easiest Pretzel Bites EVER (290k Shares on Pinterest!)
Most pretzel bites have a ton of ingredients, but this recipe only has a few simple ingredients! Whip up a big batch of these and let your kids nibble on ’em throughout the day – you might even get an enthusiastic, “Thanks, Mom!”
Get the recipe at Budget Savvy Diva HERE
Fresh Fruit with Tajin Seasoning
Tajín (pronounced tah-heen) is a Mexican seasoning made with a blend of mild red chili peppers, sea salt, and lime, and if you’ve never tried it before, it adds the perfect amount of zing to fruit. It’s particularly good sprinkled on fresh summer fruits like pineapple, mango, honeydew, and watermelon. If you can’t find it in a local grocery store, it’s here on Amazon. I promise your teens will love it!
Get the full recipe at Kitchn HERE
Chilled Pasta Salad
I love a dish that can be served as a summer meal or snack, and that uses leftovers and items you always have in your kitchen. A cold pasta salad is a perfect example. Cook up some pasta, chill it for a few hours and simply add salad dressing, your favorite crunchy veggies, diced lunchmeat and cheese, and you have the perfect poolside snack. Looking for a few more salad ideas? Check out this post! 12 Summer Salad Recipes for Your Next Cookout
Get the recipe at On My Kids Plate HERE
Sweet & Salty Homemade Trail Mix
It’s certainly quick and easy to buy trail mix in the store, but it’s much more fun to make your own at home and control exactly what goes into it. Let your teen pick out their favorite trail mix ingredients. Here’s an easy and healthy trail mix that’s perfect to munch on at the pool! Made with peanuts, pistachios, almonds, sunflower seeds, raisins and, of course, M&Ms, this snack won’t stick around long.
Get the recipe at Love Baking Good Cakes HERE
Pineapple Dole Whip
The iconic Pineapple Dole Whip that’s found at Disney resorts can easily be made at home with only a few simple ingredients. This sweet and frosty fruit treat is the perfect dessert to help your teen cool off on a hot summer day. Made with frozen pineapple chunks, vanilla ice cream, and pineapple juice, you can also add a little sugar and a splash of lemon juice if you prefer, but it’s not necessary. This creamy concoction can be piped into ice cream cones, or simply served in a bowl or cup.
Get the recipe at Belly Full HERE
Chilled and Spicy Edamame
Got a teen who loves a little “kick” in their food? For the unfamiliar, edamame beans are whole, immature soybeans, sometimes referred to as vegetable-type soybeans. They are easy to find in the frozen packaged vegetable section of most grocery stores and are simple to cook in a microwave. After cooking and draining the pods, edamame tastes great seasoned with Asian flavors like chili oil, soy sauce, garlic powder, and toasted sesame seeds. Chill a big bowl of them for a fantastic poolside snack.
Get the recipe from Food.com HERE
Ultimate Homemade Fudgy Brownies
Is a day at the pool even complete without a big batch of brownies to dive into? These super delish brownies are ultra-thick, fudgy, chewy and chocolatey with a crackled crust on top. YUM!
Get the recipe at Handle the Heat HERE
Mexican Breakfast Cups
Hey… when it’s summer, you can eat breakfast anytime, right? And, nothing could be tastier than these easy, make-ahead breakfast cups! Perfect for poppin’ at the pool!
Get the recipe at The Wholesome Dish HERE
Strawberry Salsa with Cinnamon Chips
Nothing screams summer like fresh, juicy strawberries! And, it’s so easy to create a sweet dip using chopped berries, a bit of lime juice, and some mint leaves. You can make your own tortilla chips by baking or air-frying cut-up tortillas or make things easier by purchasing them pre-cooked and seasoned.
Get the recipe from A Virtual Vegan HERE
Parmesan Garlic Popcorn
Fresh popcorn is fast and easy to make. And my favorite part about it is that you can create so many unique flavor combinations depending on your tastebuds. This Homemade Parmesan Garlic Popcorn uses ground parmesan cheese (in the can) along with garlic powder for a fun twist that’s full of flavor.
Get the recipe at Three Olives Branch HERE
Veggies with Best Ever Dip
Cut up a bunch of fresh veggies like carrots, celery, red & green pepper, cucumbers, radishes and any other veggies your teen likes, and serve them up with this dip that’s anything but boring. Made with a hint of Worcestershire Sauce and hot sauce, this dip has a slight kick to it that’s truly irresistible.
Get the recipe at Inspired by Charm HERE
Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Bites
If you make these for your teenager and their friends, you’d better make a lot of them because they are irresistible. You simply sandwich peanut butter between two banana slices, chill, and then dip it in melted chocolate. Freeze the bites for a minimum of 15 minutes, and they’re ready to serve. (You might need to keep these in a cooler to prevent the chocolate from melting – but they’re SO worth it!)
Get the recipe at Eating Bird Food HERE
Frozen Mocktails
With names like Watermelon Lime Slushie, Frozen Blackberry Lemonade, Frosted Mango Lemonade and Hand Juiced Orange & Lemon Slushes, I want to plug in my blender pronto and sip and savor all these delicious drinks all summer long! Check out these mocktail recipes to keep your teen cool by the pool!
To get the recipes, visit The Heathered Nest HERE
Marybeth Bock, MPH, is Mom to two young adults and one delightful hound dog. She has logged time as a military spouse, childbirth educator, college instructor, and freelance writer. She lives in Arizona and thoroughly enjoys research and writing – as long as iced coffee is involved. Her work can be found on numerous websites and in two books. Follow her on Facebook and Instagram.