Summer is here! And it’s hot out! This means you might be in the mood to cook and eat different foods than the rest of the year. There’s also an abundance of fruits and veggies in season during the summer months.
And I’m excited to cook and eat most of them (except green peppers)! At the same time, plenty of days it’s so darn hot that I don’t want to stand over a hot stove or grill.
Most of the time, I love to cook, including weeknight dinners. Don’t get me wrong, there are also nights I don’t feel like cooking and we eat plenty of Trader Joe’s Mandarin Chicken or takeout!
We each define our “go to” or “easy” meals differently. I think a “go to” meal takes me less than 30-45 minutes to make. Some of my “go to” meals here and in my previous “go-to” meals post may fall into different categories for you.
In one of Anna’s previous posts about her family’s “go-to” meals, she wrote about how she and her husband, Dan, categorize meals: go-to meals, make ahead/slow cooker meals, standard meals, and special occasion meals. I love how they organize their meals!
My Summertime “Go-to” Meals
- Orzo salad with shrimp, olives, feta, and lemon; sliced tomato and cucumber
- Pasta with tomatoes, basil, ricotta salata, and red wine vinaigrette; mixed green salad, baguette
- Peanut sesame noodles with chicken; sliced cucumber and avocado
- Crispy shrimp (or peel-and-eat shrimp), green beans with vinaigrette, and corn on the cob
- Corn on the cob, green beans, deviled eggs, baguette
- Pasta with zucchini and summer corn and cilantro, mixed green salad, cut fruit
- Zucchini fritters, fruit salad, sliced tomatoes, cucumbers, baguette
- Pulled pork sandwiches, cabbage salad, and green beans
- Grilled fish or chicken with crisp veggie salad and farro or couscous
- Meats, cheeses, olives, cornichons, bread and crackers, fruit, and raw veggies with dip
- Pasta with sautéed zucchini, yellow squash, grape tomatoes, and fresh mozzarella with a salad of sliced cucumber and avocado
- BLTs (or any sandwich), watermelon slices, and potato chips
- Lentil salad, farro, and asparagus
- Tuna Nicoise salad, bread
- Tomato basil pie, green beans, and fruit
- Mushroom, leek frittata (or any combination of veggies), raw veggies, and bread
- Shrimp or fish tacos, cabbage slaw, chips, and guacamole
- Chicken tacos made with store-bought roast chicken, salsa, guacamole, grated cheese, watermelon slices
- Pasta with pesto(maybe add peas), salad, and bread
What are your summertime “go-to” meals? My go-to meals are a big part of my family meal planning each week.
We’re Elizabeth & Anna!
It’s great to have you here. We’re registered dietitians and we share tips to support you in raising kids with a healthy relationship with food.
