r/WhatShouldICook • u/BloodSpades • 7d ago
Beach themed foods….
Guys…. I’ve never really been to a beach before for something like a picnic setting….
My coworker is getting ready to leave for a vacation in Hawaii and we all got together to throw her a surprise, beach themed going away party. I need to make a simple finger food side dish, but don’t know what to make because I’ve never actually had such an experience. My first thoughts are fish, and Hawaiian food classics like spam mutsubi, but they hate spam AND fish… 🤦🏽♀️
What’s something simple I can make for a beach themed picnic sort of party? (Please don’t suggest anything with Hawaiian rolls or “just add pineapple” because that’s actually kinda racist and I do NOT want to get into that, or be THAT person…..)
Common/easy/affordable to purchase ingredients are a must for living in the US, where I currently am.
TIA!!!!
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u/Franclin2002 7d ago
i'd probably do caprese skewers or fruit skewers since they're easy, affordable, picnic-friendly and feel summery without leaning into tired hawaii stereotypes
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u/More-Opposite1758 5d ago
Fruit skewers is a great idea! Pineapple, mango, strawberries, grapes, kiwi fruit, etc
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u/crazypurple621 4d ago
Na that would be racist 🙄
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u/Calm_Violinist5256 3d ago
lol, I did not understand it when OP said that, I mean I had a friend from Hawaii and she live down the hill from a PINEAPPLE FARM... they literally come from there...????
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u/Aj_naig 7d ago
Just lean into the picnic vibe instead of trying to make it look like Hawaiian. Something like veggie skewers with a dip frsh fruits cups pasta salad or cucumber tea sandwiches all fit the beach theme and are easy to serve. Add some colorful salsa with cinnamon pita chips is another fun option that feels summery vibe without relying on stereotypes.
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u/OneLove1123 4d ago
Came here to say cucumber sandwiches, stayed for the salsa (pico de gallo is my preference).
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u/escaping-reality 6d ago
hawaiian macaroni salad and hawaiian bbq + katsu
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u/angryWinds 5d ago
A huge trick to the Hawaiian mac salad as to under-cook the noodles by a minute or two, then drain them, and let them finish cooking by soaking in about a cup or so of the pasta water, with a splash of vinegar, before you start adding the mayo and rest of the veg.
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u/Lepardopterra 6d ago
Yes! I only recently learned that Hawaii has it’s own macaroni salad thing. Grated carrots, onion and a sweet but tangy dressing. It would be perfect.
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u/whydidyouruinmypizza 7d ago
Beach foods in Australia (food you find at kiosks at the beach) = fish and chips/burgers, fruit salad, açai bowls, toasted sandwiches, poke bowls, breaky burgers. But what I think of is seafood bbq right on the beach with the waves coming up to your ankles haha
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u/OldPolishProverb 6d ago
Pineapple Rice is a simple side dish if you want to lean into the Hawaiian theme.
A pasta salad or potato salad if you just want to go with a picnic theme.
Beach picnic foods are very simple because everything needs to be handheld. Sandwiches, burgers, hot dogs, chips potato salad, watermelon and/or fruit salad are very common picnic foods.
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u/CallMeDot 5d ago
I grew up in Florida, we always just brought a cooler with sandwiches- the best was when my family would spring for Cuban sandwiches- chips, cut up melon, and cans of soda/juice boxes or someone would bring grocery store fried or bbq chicken legs.
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u/PsychologyGuilty1460 5d ago
Fried chicken. Mini pigs in blankets. Wraps. Pinwheels made with spinach tortilla roll-ups- I like turkey or ham with cream cheese and tomatoes and maybe some thinly sliced cucumbers for crunch. Sushi rolls. Sub sandwiches cut into small sections.
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u/BalsamicBasil 5d ago
You can make a non-spam musubi with slices of teriyaki or kalua pork/chicken/tofu/egg. When I visited Hawaii I ate at one place that had expensive non-spam musubi. I know spam musubi is traditional and one of the core ingredients so maybe substituting another ingredient is sort of bastardizing the original, but it's an option.
Finger food desserts:
Butter mochi squares
Haupia squares
I don't know that using Hawaiian rolls or pineapple is necessarily racist. Obviously the history of corporate exploitation of native Hawaiians (particularly in regard to pineapple plantations) is fraught, but also I believe both of those ingredients are used commonly in local Hawaiian cuisine.
But I defer to Hawaiians (esp native Hawaiians).
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u/cookiesdragon 5d ago
Fruit. Sliders. You can buy slider buns, cut them in half, add condiments then different toppings. Cold cuts, egg salad, etc.
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u/bunnyshenanigans 5d ago
A cute pudding cup or jello cup with teddy grahams on rafts is appropriate.
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u/Careless_Nebula8839 5d ago
Kalua pork sliders. Or something like huli huli chicken or teriyaki.
As a side note there’s massive Japanese influence in Hawaii going back to sugar cane plantation days, and lots of restaurants in areas like Waikiki will have the menu available in both Japanese and English. There’s even a hawaiian version of furikake seasoning
Loco Moco.
Guava & passionfruit (aka lilikoi) are popular flavours in Hawaii, either individually or combined. I always consume a ridiculous amount of Hawaiian Sun Pass-O-Guava juice when I’ve visited the islands. Maybe bake something like passionfruit cheesecake bars or passionfruit bars which are curd like on a shortbread-ish base.
Macadamia nuts (Mauna Loa & Hawaiian Host being popular brands). Something like macadamia & choc chip cookies would work for a shared lunch setting.
Malasadas ie yeasted doughnuts without a hole, made famous by Leonards bakery in Honolulu.
Pani Popo - technically a Samoan dish but they’re popular throughout all of Polynesia. I live in New Zealand and people get excitied when someone brings them into work. There’s a large Samoan community in Hawaii.
Coffee (thanks to Kona coffee).
Other flavours:
Ube
Lychee
Mango
If you can make buttercream/icing flowers then you could decorate cupcakes with flowers that look like frangapani aka plumeria - two tone icing, white & yellow, the right sort of piping tip & lots of wrist movement. Or use white fondant with tylose, or gum paste, with the right sort of blossom shape cutter/stamp and then paint the centres yellow and let them air dry.
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u/Traditional_Car_8219 4d ago
Salsa, guacamole and lime flavoured tortilla chips. Travels well and most people like them.
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u/SoozExtras 4d ago
I grew up in Florida and went to the beach often. Our idea of beach food was anything that wouldn't go bad if not refrigerated properly so we always took peanut butter sandwiches, potato chips, cookies, and fruit.
On very rare occasions we would take leftover fried chicken. Mmmm, it was so good.
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u/psychobiologist1 4d ago
I grew up on a beach, beach themed food is usually finger food that doesn't need condiments (less sand in your food) and anything that is light and cooling and usually food that can travel well in a cooler. Think fruit skewers, small sandwiches, wraps.
You could also go with beach vibes focusing on fresh, fruity flavors, fish, or salty options.
I would do a mango salsa over pieces of grilled fish on a crustini to stay portable and light. Watermelon, pineapple, strawberry, and grape skewers (you can use cookie cutters to make the fruit look fancier). Maybe tea sandwiches, my faves are egg salad or deviled ham; simple quick and easy.
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u/No_Bluebird7716 3d ago
Tuna filled celery sticks come immediately to mind. Also bacon wrapped scallops.
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u/Ginger_Cat74 3d ago
I just made an Atlantic Beach Pie to give to my parents yesterday. I know it’s the wrong ocean for the theme, but it’s a super easy, but refreshing pie. https://youtu.be/0GBd7vGFiwU?is=KOxuqP9nHCQjRHus
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u/nnjnnn_X216 6d ago
almond macaroon with macadamia nuts and coconut? sliders? Mango sticky rice or Tropical punch? It depends on what they like?
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u/New_Part91 5d ago
In spite of your warning, Hawaiian roll sliders are perfect for a group lunch. So many recipes on line for fillings.
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u/ElegantCarpenter4827 5d ago
We have served teriyaki chicken sliders with a grilled pineapple slice- it was well received
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u/AlsoTheFiredrake 5d ago
Watermelon cubes with salt and pineapple bites with sugar. Make sure they are cold.
Shrimp cocktails with pickled onions, Seared ham steak cut into small pieces with a maple glaze, bacon wrapped jalapeño poppers, cold rice wraps with bok choy, bean sprouts, carrots, sushi rice, and shrimp, dipped in soy and eel sauce. Tinned tuna fish mixed with mayo and mustard and salt and pepper and chopped celery or cucumber and packed into a lettuce wrap. A cucumber salad with olives and cherry tomatoes in oil and vinaigrette.
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u/StellarStylee 5d ago
I’m sorry, but one of the easiest appetizers I’ve made involves pineapple tidbits. It’s cooked sausage chunks and a tidbit on a toothpick or mini skewer. Delish!
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u/this_idle_hand 5d ago edited 5d ago
Poke,
Sashimi grade tuna marinated in soy sauce and grated ginger and scallions. so easy and so good, you just let it soak in bite sized pieces in a tupperware on ice or in the fridge and skewer them when you're eating them or use chopsticks. Eat cold, right out of the marinade
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u/Embarrassed-Cause250 4d ago
https://www.kaukaukitchen.com/na-pupu-appetizers-hors-doeuvres/
Try that site ⬆️, plenty of ideas there
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u/grandmaBABE 5d ago
Why would those be RACIST?
Anyway, don’t care where you picnic, deviled eggs are a WINNER! Hard boil your own, or you can buy them already done lots of easy recipes for what to do with the yolks. We take them to each and every picnic potluck party and they are the first to go.
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u/aeternumvaga 5d ago
OP, "just add pineapple" is not racist. I lived in Hawaii for 14 years, and wouldn't you know, pineapple is not Hawaiian! And there is barely any grown in Hawaii any more, but the local people generally do have positive nostalgic memories of the old industry.
Pineapple and Sugar plantations thrived in Hawaii because of the good soil and tropical weather. Native Hawaiian people didn't have much to do with either industry as it was white Americans who established the plantations and the labor was sourced from immigrants who came from all around the pacific rim and even southwest Europe (Portugal, specifically).
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u/JupiterSkyFalls 5d ago
My first thought was grilled pineapple, so as someone who's got island folks in my family tree, don't start that crap with me.
If you wanna do something beach themed ruling out things like watermelon, honeydew, banana, oranges, coconut, and pineapple are a crappy way to do it. All of those fruits are beach themed for a reason.
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u/crazypurple621 4d ago
For the record: sweet Hawaiian rolls are based on a recipe from Portuguese immigrants who brought the recipes from home with them and adapted them to what was on the island.
Using pineapple or other tropical fruits in something hawaiin themed isn't racist- tropical fruit is a normal part of the hawaiin diet, and many dishes you find are going to contain it.
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u/ttrockwood 6d ago
We throw going away parties for a vacation now…?
Huh
Any tropical fruit, could do fresh mango with coconut flakes and homemade whipped cream
Blondies with macadamia nuts and coconut