Best Miami Beach Eats From Amy Smith of Joe's Take Away

Smaku Flickr.

Beetlejuice style.

Sunbathing, boozing, and building sandcastles at the beach require little effort. But eating is another story. A long day at the shore can easily lead to a food disaster of epic proportions -- sand in your coleslaw, wet sandwiches, melted ice cream.

But there are foods that make beach eating a little easier -- not to mention specific ways to pack a picnic, serve it up, and keep our sandy oasis pristine.

So to prepare you for the upcoming summer that begins in earnest this post-July 4 weekend, Short Order spoke to Amy Smith, executive chef of Joe's Take Away, for her expertise on oceanfront eats. Here are her suggestions:

(Note: With all the drinking that's likely to go down over the next four days, eating becomes that much more important. So be prepared.)

Cold salads and sandwiches
These simple foods are no-frills and easy to nosh on. Stow salads on gel packs (better than ice). And secure those sandwiches with plastic wrap -- there's nothing worse than soggy bread.

Shrimp cocktail
This dish was made for summer afternoons. Throw the shrimp in some Tupperware, pack a few ramekins of cocktail sauce, and shovel in the little suckers.

Fried/barbecued chicken or ribs
Hands-free food is best. Throw some wet naps in the mix and get to meatin'.

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Cheese and crackers with a fresh baguette
These accouterments will pair quite nicely with the um, "fruit juice," you brought to sip.