Easy cold recipes and how to pack them without any fuss
Today I’m bringing you the best recipes to take to the pool. Cool, easy to make and perfect for summer.
When the heat really kicks in and we get to spend the day at the pool, the last thing we want is to complicate life with heavy meals or dishes that need a microwave. So here’s a selection of cold, practical, tasty recipes, ideal for making ahead and taking along nice and chilled. I’ll also share ideas for transporting everything safely so you can enjoy the day without stress. Let’s get into it!
Refreshing salads
Pasta salad with tuna and vegetables
Ingredients (serves 4):
- 250 g short pasta (rotini or bowties, for example)
- 2 cans of tuna
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 green bell pepper
- 1/2 red onion
- Sweet corn
- Green olives
- Extra virgin olive oil, vinegar and salt
Quick method:
Cook the pasta, drain and let it cool. Then add the rest of the ingredients chopped up, dress to taste and store in an airtight container so it keeps well.
Spanish country salad
Ingredients (serves 4):
- 4 medium potatoes, boiled
- 2 hard boiled eggs
- 1 tomato
- 1/2 spring onion
- Red and green bell pepper
- Green olives
- 1 can of tuna
- Oil, vinegar, salt
Quick method:
Chop all the cooked ingredients, mix and dress. That’s it. Perfect for the cooler and eating cold. Because of the potato and egg, this one needs to stay properly chilled, so pack it right against an ice pack.
Chickpea salad
Ingredients (serves 4):
- 1 large can of chickpeas
- 1 cucumber
- 1 large tomato
- 1/4 red onion
- Lemon juice
- Fresh parsley
- Oil, salt and cumin (optional)
Quick method:
Rinse the chickpeas, chop the rest of the ingredients, mix everything well and dress. Filling and refreshing!
Tabbouleh
Ingredients:
- 1 cup couscous
- 2 tomatoes
- 1 cucumber
- Fresh mint
- Fresh parsley
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Oil, salt
Quick method:
Hydrate the couscous with hot water, chop everything, mix it together and let it cool fully before putting it in the fridge. A delicious, flavor packed vegetable dish.
Cold tapas that always work
Spanish potato omelet
Ingredients:
- 4 medium potatoes
- 1/2 onion (optional)
- 5 eggs
- Salt and olive oil
Quick method:
Fry the potatoes and onion together, drain off the excess oil and mix with the beaten eggs. Set it in the pan and let it cool. Perfect in a sandwich or as a cold tapa. Cook it through rather than leaving it runny in the middle if it’s traveling, and keep it in the cooler until you eat.
Cold croquettes
Suggestion: make homemade stew, ham or chicken croquettes. They’re good cold and you can make them the day before. Since they’re milk based, keep them in the cooler rather than at room temperature on a hot day.
Tuna empanadillas
Ingredients:
- Empanada dough rounds
- 2 cans of tuna
- Tomato sauce
- Chopped hard boiled egg (optional)
Quick method:
Mix the tuna with the tomato sauce and the egg, fill the rounds, seal them and bake or pan fry. They’re just as good cold and they travel beautifully in the cooler.
Cold meatballs in sauce
You can make homemade meatballs (meat or vegetarian) in tomato sauce. Store them in an airtight container, keep them cold, and eat them tapas style. Delicious.
Piquillo peppers stuffed with tuna
Ingredients:
- 1 jar of piquillo peppers
- 1 can of tuna
- Cream cheese
- Salt and pepper
Quick method:
Mix the tuna with the cheese, stuff the peppers and you’re done. Keep them in a container and refrigerated.
Easy sandwiches and snacks
Serrano ham and tomato sandwich
Ingredients:
- Rustic bread
- Serrano ham
- Grated tomato
- Olive oil
Quick method:
Build the sandwich with the tomato and ham, and add a drizzle of oil over the ham. Wrap in wax paper or foil so it stays fresh.
Cold wraps
Filling ideas:
- Hummus + lettuce + shredded carrot
- Roast chicken + light mayo + spinach
Tip: cut each wrap in half and wrap it well in foil or plastic wrap. The chicken and mayo version needs to stay cold, so pack it deep in the cooler.
Assorted mini sandwiches
Cream cheese with cucumber, deli ham with lettuce, the possibilities are endless. Kids love them!
Desserts and sweet snacks
Cut fruit
- Melon, watermelon, grapes, strawberries…
- Tip: use airtight containers and take them in a cooler with ice. Cut fruit counts as a perishable food, so it needs to stay cold too.
Homemade cake
A yogurt or lemon loaf. With no filling or cream, they hold up well in the heat.
Drinkable yogurts or custards in little jars
Take them chilled. Toss a wooden spoon in the bag and you’re all set.
How to transport all this food
Cooler or insulated bag
- Use ice packs, frozen the night before, and be generous with them. Aim to keep everything below 40°F, and remember that on a hot day perishable food shouldn’t sit out more than an hour once it’s out of the cooler.
- Organize by type of dish (salads on one side, sandwiches on the other, so the sandwiches don’t get squashed).
- Keep the cooler in the shade rather than in the sun, and open it as little as possible.
- Bring an extra little bag with napkins, reusable cutlery and trash bags (please, don’t leave a mess at the pool).
Extra tips
- Skip mayonnaise or egg based sauces if you can’t keep things properly cold in transit.
- Label the containers if there’s a big group of you.
- Bring a cool drink, like lemon water or iced herbal tea.
- When in doubt about whether something has been sitting out too long in the heat, throw it out. It isn’t worth ruining the day.
Your turn!
Do you have a signature dish you always take to the pool? Are you going to try any of the ones I’ve shared here?
Tell me in the comments. And if you enjoyed this post, share it with your pool friends!
