Best Beach Picnic Snacks

Image courtesy of Pixabay

Vacations to the beach or day trips to the beach are incomplete with something delicious to snack on throughout the day. But not everything is good for the beach! You need the perfect treats to fuel you for more fun all day in the sun. What do you like to snack on at the beach? Here are some great ideas and recipes from the Kitchn.


Packing food for a picnic in the park is pretty easy. But when your picnic happens to be on the beach, there's a new set of rules and a few more factors to consider before filling your basket or cooler.

For starters, there's the sand. It's totally obvious, but no matter how hard you plan and how many precautions you take, it inevitably ends up everywhere. Including your sandwich. There's also the wind — the beach can be breezy, which means that sand and salt swirl around, attaching themselves to anything that's remotely sticky, wet, or, let's face it, edible.

Keep that in mind the next time you're packing up for a day at the beach, and remember that even when you have a cooler, some foods hold up better than others. Of course you can always pack the basics, like crackers, chips, nuts, and dried fruit, but it's good to have something a little more substantial.


8 Foods to Pack for a Day at the Beach

1. Wraps

I always opt for wraps over regular sandwiches when packing lunch for a day at the beach. For one, it's just fun to coil things up in a tortilla or collard leaf. But more importantly, when the fillings are tucked away on the inside, they're better protected — plus wraps are easy to eat with one hand.


Recipe: Spicy Lentil Wraps with Tahini Sauce


Recipe: Roasted Sweet Potato Wraps with Caramelized Onions and Pesto

2. Fried chicken

The only thing better than hot and crispy fried chicken, is leftover cold fried chicken the next day. Especially when that "next day" happens to be at the beach. Fried chicken is a summer staple; it holds up well in a cooler, and it's pretty easy to eat without getting mouthfuls of sand.


How To Make Finger-Licking Fried Chicken

3. Skewers

Because food on skewers is always more fun! Whether you go for fruit, veggies, or meat, kabobs make great beach fare. This is a hands-off (read, sand-free!) meal that's utensil-free and easy to eat, with even easier cleanup.


Recipe: Tomato & Mozzarella Caprese Skewers


Recipe: Bryant Terry's Grilled Vegetable and Tofu Kebabs

4. Whole fruit

As much as I love fresh cut-up fruit, sandy fingers diving in and out of the bowl puts a big damper on the party. Whole fruit is much more suited to a day at the beach. Peaches, nectarines, apples, and grapes all make a sweet choice.

5. Couscous or pasta salad

I've had a lot of experience with these two, and they tend to hold up well in the heat. Also, even if a few grains of sand make their way in, they'll easily get lost in a jumble of couscous; you might not even notice.


Recipe: Broccoli and Feta Pasta Salad

6. Charcuterie

True, cheese and salami might not be great choices if you're going to be out for hours in the heat of the mid-afternoon. But if you're eating right away or going at sunset, these bites are easy to pack, require no assembly, and can be eaten without utensils.

7. Lettuce wraps

These may seem overly complicated, but this is our suggestion in lieu of a salad. Wrap up some chopped vegetables or other components in big, oversized leaves of iceberg lettuce. Then wrap in foil, so you can just peel it back and eat.

8. Cookies

Don't forget dessert! Cookies are a simple finger food to curb your post-lunch sweet tooth. You won't hear me say this often, but it's probably best to skip anything chocolate to avoid a melty mess.


Recipe: Peanut Butter & Jelly Icebox Cookies


Recipe: Reverse-Engineered Biscoff Cookies

What are your go-to foods for a day at the beach?

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Sun Safety In The Summer Months

Image courtesy of Wikipedia

With this intense heat comes some serious danger. The heat wave coming on can be battled by following some simple tips. Staying out of the sun and keeping yourself hydrated are just a few of the things you can do to keep yourself safe. For more head to Patch.com.


With a brink-of-summer hot spell settling over Southern California this week, authorities urged the public to take some simple common-sense steps to avoid heat-related ailments.

Temperatures are expected to be 15 to 25 degrees above normal across Southern California through the end of the weekend, according to the National Weather Service.

A heat advisory for San Diego County’s deserts is scheduled to remain in effect until 7 p.m. Sunday. High temperatures this afternoon were expected to range from 109 to 114 degrees, and from 110 to 115 degrees on Thursday.

Sheriff’s department officials advised those venturing into the region’s swelter-prone eastern regions to hike wilderness areas to take basic precautions, starting with making sure a friend or family member is aware of the planned outing, the destination and the expected return time, just in case something unforeseen occurs.

The agency also recommended avoiding solo hikes; dressing in suitable attire, including boots, hat, sunglasses, gloves and a helmet, if necessary; choosing trails appropriate to physical-fitness level; and bringing along sunscreen, a fully charged cellphone, a flashlight, a map, a GPS device, a first-aid kit, a multipurpose tool or knife and a whistle, along with ample food and water.

State workplace-safety officials called on employers with outdoor workers to protect them from the intense temperatures.

“During times of sustained high heat, it is especially important that employers take the necessary steps to prevent heat illness for their outdoor workers,” said Christine Baker, director of the state Department of Industrial Relations.

California’s 10-year-old regulations for heat-illness prevention were amended effective May 1. The changes clarify requirements related to the provision of water rest and shade protections for all outdoor workers, which are detailed in Cal/OSHA’s guidance on the new requirements.

Employer requirements under the heat regulation include:

-- training for all employees and supervisors about heat-illness prevention;

-- provision of cool, fresh water as close as practicable to the work area at no cost to workers;

-- shade provided whenever the temperature rises above 80 degrees Fahrenheit and enough shade to accommodate the number of workers taking a break;

-- encouragement of employees to take cool-down rests and monitoring for symptoms of heat illness; and

-- acclimatization to ensure that workers, especially new hires, safely adapt to increased temperatures during a heat wave.

Special high-heat procedures are also required when temperatures reach 95 degrees or higher and workers are at greater risk. At these times, supervisors must take the following extra precautions:

-- observe workers for signs and symptoms of heat illness;

-- hold pre-shift meetings on safety and remind workers to drink water frequently;

-- require that workers take a cool-down rest every two hours; and

-- ensure effective communication systems are in place so that emergency assistance can be summoned immediately if necessary.

Cal/OSHA inspects work sites in outdoor industries such as agriculture, construction, landscaping, and others throughout the heat season. Through partnerships with various employer and worker organizations in different industries, the agency also provides consultation, outreach and training on heat illness prevention.

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Clean Habits = Clean Home

Image courtesy of Pixabay

Cleaning your whole home can be difficult. But cleaning in smaller sections can make it easier. If you adopt these 4 cleanly habits, you can cut down on your cleaning time. These 4 tips from Apartment Therapy can help you become a cleaner person.


Want a cleaner home? One that gets cleaner easier, stays cleaner longer, and doesn't feel like the act of cleaning dominates your life? There are four habits that can be life-changers; could they change yours?

Carve out (and schedule) your cleaning chunk

We have provided you with a lot of different cleaning schedules over the years. What they've all got in common is that at some point in time you've got to carve out time where you pull out cleaning supplies and do a little scrubbing. The trick is knowing what excuses you're using (→ How to Motivate Yourself to Clean Regularly, For People Who Hate Cleaning), plan treats/fun/blackmail for yourself accordingly and then actually physically schedule your time chunk in your calendar/phone. And then you want to keep that cleaning date. It'd be great if you can make it a regular block of time you keep at the same time each day/week/month, but you've got to work with what complements your lifestyle.

Find the tools that work for you (no judgments)

Hey, if keeping an identical set of cleaning supplies in every room of the house (so you don't have to walk all.the.way.across.the.house when you want to clean a room) helps you keep your home clean, then you do you, you know? Or, if keeping those-really-expensive-but-super-handy cleaning wipes on hand helps you keep on top of things in between deep cleanings, no judgment on our part. We encourage you to try cleaning alternatives, but don't be afraid to go back to the tools and styles that work for you.


Don’t fall in love with (all) your stuff

This is pretty much the definition of "easier said than done." But think about trying on — and practicing — a home mindset of recognizing which core things really make a difference in your home - and which are just taking up space. Love your most treasured items such as your art, family heirlooms, and the items that have stories to them. But then work on cultivating a don't-give-a-flip attitude about the other small things in your home that aren't really special to you and might be better off in the outbox for donation day. Continuously working on that kind of in-or-out mindset will make it easier to make decluttering decisions in the future.

Put things back

There are a lot of variations of this idea in keeping a home clean. There's the grab-something-every-time-you-leave a room trick, ensuring that items always eventually make their way to their homes in your home. There's the act of pausing after finishing an activity like cooking and taking a minute to tidy up before sitting down to eat. The result is the same any way you want to approach the idea: Your home will not get as messy or cluttered if you fold in the simple act of putting things back where they belong immediately after using them.

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Cool Down With A Delicious DIY Treat

Image courtesy of Cathy on Flickr

Summer can get hot so you’ll need some help cooling down. What’s better than a yummy popsicle? Not only is it delicious and chilling, but it’s healthy too! These fruit popsicles from Sally’s Baking Addiction will hit the spot and keep you cool on stifling summer days.

Ingredients:

• 1 large ripe banana, peeled, cut into chunks, & frozen
• 12 large strawberries, sliced in half
• 1/2 cup pineapple juice (or orange juice)

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT

• Popsicle mold (here is the one I own)

Directions:

1. Blend all of the ingredients together on high speed until smooth - about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the blender as needed as you go.
2. Pour the mixture into popsicle molds. If your popsicle mold has slots for sticks, you can insert them before freezing - if not, freeze for 2 hours, then put a wooden popsicle stick in the middle (that is what I did). Continue to freeze for an additional 6 hours or overnight - overnight is recommended for easy removal.
3. Run popsicle molds under warm water to easily remove. Eat on a hot day. Enjoy!

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Happy Independence Day Weekend!

Happy Independence Day! We hope your weekend is filled with friends, family and fun!

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7 Ways to Stay Sun Safe This Summer

The first day of summer was yesterday and with this weather heating up, we’re in for a sunny summer! Keeping your skin protected from the sun’s rays is smarter than lying out and soaking them up all day. You can enjoy the sunshine while still staying safe. These tips and facts from Real Self will help keep you safe from the dangerous UV rays.

Summer's almost here, and you know what that means: outdoor festivals, backyard barbecues, and days at the beach! Unfortunately, there's nothing like a sunburn to put a damper on the fun, not to mention leave behind some pretty unsightly tan lines.

However, there's more to using sunscreen than preventing crazy patterns and itchy skin. Any time a RealSelf user asks our doctor community how to prevent wrinkles and other signs of aging, their #1 tip is to wear sunscreen daily. Not only is UV radiation the most common cause of facial aging, but 90% of skin cancer is caused by exposure to the sun. (An even scarier statistic is the fact that one in five Americans are expected to develop the disease in their lifetime.)

You may think your avoiding UV damage isn't always as simple as "my moisturizer has SPF 15." To help you avoid the risks of too much exposure, we turned to dermatologistDr. Susan Van Dyke and the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery (ASDS) to bring you these seven facts about proper sun protection:

1. Anything greater than SPF 50 provides the same protection
"A 50 SPF blocks 98.00% of UVB light (the burning rays) while a 100 SPF will block 99.00%,” says Dr. Van Dyke. “This level of benefit [to either] is of course contingent on applying enough and reapplying frequently."


2. Makeup and moisturizers with sunscreen aren’t always enough
Unless your makeup/moisturizer provides broad spectrum sunscreen and is reapplied throughout the day, it isn’t enough protection for all day sun exposure. According to ASDS, it’s fine if “you are only walking to your car from work or going into the store. But if you are going to spend a few hours outdoors, then you need to wear a broad spectrum sunscreen."


3. You need to reapply every 2 hours
"The active ingredients in sunscreen break down when exposed to UV light," says Dr. Van Dyke. "To maintain the SPF on the label, you need to keep reapplying as the ingredients lose effectiveness: every 2 hours, more often if you sweat or swim."


4. You should use one ounce to cover your whole body
According to ASDS, “Research shows that many people put on about half of the amount of sunscreen they need, so be sure to lather it on." And don’t forget the sensitive skin on your lips: Use lip balm with an SPF of 30 or higher.


5. It’s not a free pass to suntan all day
"Sunscreen is not 100% even in the best of cases," warns Dr. Van Dyke. "Realistically speaking, few of us follow guidelines perfectly. If you really want to save your skin, the best approach is to use sunscreen, cover up (hats, sunglasses, SPF clothing), and seek shade."


6. Tanning oil with SPF 10 doesn’t count
“Less than an SPF of 15 doesn't protect you from the cancer-causing side effects of sun exposure,” says Dr. Van Dyke.


7. Don’t wait til you’re in the sun to apply
“Sunscreen should be applied one-half hour before going outside, giving the skin time to absorb it,” says ASDS.


The next time you're picking out sunscreen, here's what you should look for:

Titanium Dioxide and Zinc Oxide
Minimum SPF 15, ideally 30-50
Broad spectrum UVA/UVB (UVB causes burns, but UVA is also damaging to the structure and health of skin)
Water resistance if you'll be swimming or sweating

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Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there doing their best to be role models for their children. Thanks for everything!

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