Tea Blog

Tea at the beach is not always something that comes to mind when loading up the cooler and the car and rounding up the kids. But tea is a great thirst quencher in that hot sun.

There are many pre-made bottled teas (most of the best known brands in tea as well as some lesser known brands seem to have their versions) that may not taste quite as fresh as what you make yourself but can certainly offer a convenient alternative. They come in a variety of flavors, such as lemon, raspberry, pomegranate, mango, blueberry, passionfruit, watermelon, peach, and a host of combinations available both sweetened and unsweetened. Even better is that they are not all made from the same boring black tea (usually Orange Pekoe). Green and white teas are also now showing up with regularity in these bottles.

Skip the bottle by steeping up your own tea. Many folks put ice in their tea to chill it, but you can also pour the tea into bottles (after it’s cooled to room temperature) and then chill the bottles overnight in the refrigerator. Load up the cooler the next day with these bottles of tea and plenty of ice. The tea will be cold but not get diluted by the ice. Another alternative is to steep the tea, chill it overnight in the refrigerator, and then pour some in your travel mug. A great option if you’re the only tea drinker in the crowd. The kids and spouse can have their lemonade or fruit juices (or maybe some iced coffee) while you hog the good stuff!

Whichever way you choose to stock up on your tea, be sure to bring enough to last awhile. And, of course, some suitable beach time treats like cold fried chicken (or even chicken nuggets that were cooked and then put in the refrigerator overnight), fresh fruits and veggies, salads (preferably that don’t contain mayonnaise), hard-boiled eggs, and cheeses that will taste good and maybe even a little better when they are a bit warm.

Don’t forget those Ray-Bansor other sunglasses to protect your sensitive “peepers” from the bright sun made even brighter by being reflected off of the waves and sand. They also cut down on glare so you can see important things like the hunky lifeguar… uh, I mean, the label on your bottle of tea more clearly.

Stay safe in the sun, too, especially since that tea will make you feel nice and cool so you may not realize how hot the sun is on your skin. That’s where sunscreen comes in handy. Banana Boat® is my favorite. The scent just says Summer! And they stand up to salt water, sun, sand, sweat, wind, and melted ice cream from that cone your son or daughter wanted you to hold while they went to play in the waves.

My thanks to Shelley Jacobs Rodnerfor her beach updates that inspired this article. Oh, and for that special photo of the hunky… uh, professional and ever vigilant lifeguards!

See also:
Is That Bottled Stuff Really Tea?

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