Need some easy weeknight meals for summer? Here are ten recipes, for a two-week, real food meal plan that will keep you out of the kitchen and enjoying all the things summer has to love!
You guys!! It is finally summer! Since spring was, um, weird this year with all the stay-at-home stuff, I think maybe it feels like summer took even longer to get here than usual. I wait eagerly for the leaves on the trees, spring flowers, and just green-ness in general. And, of course, the delightful day when I can send the kids out to play in bare feet. That is the best day.
So, as we start spending more and more time outside, who wants to be slaving away in the kitchen? I still want real food dinners, but I want lots of salads and cold foods or just something that I can make on the stovetop or in the Instant Pot to keep from heating up the kitchen.
Here are 10 real food dinners you can make in a flash that will do just that. Some of the recipes are mine, and some I’ve found around the web. Pick your favorite five or make all ten for two weeks’ worth of easy weeknight meals.
Foodie FAQ’s…
1. What sort of supplies do I need for my kitchen?
These are stovetop or cutting board types of meals! We’re keeping the oven off to keep you cool! However, one recipe does call for zoodles (zucchini noodles) which you can buy premade in the produce section if you don’t have a vegetable spiralizer.
2. What about the Instant Pot?
I do include some Instant Pot recipes in this mix. I know not everyone has one, and they are kinda’ big and bulky and don’t look all that pretty on the counter. However, they are gaining a TON of popularity for good reason! I never even sat down to try to figure mine out. I just followed the instructions in each recipe, and I have yet to blow up my kitchen with it!
The Instant Pot is one of those things you get for Christmas from a family member, and then you think, “When am I going to actually use this thing?” And then you do. And then you never go back. Sometimes they have crazy deals for these things, so keep your eyes out. You might snag one for a great price.
3. How do I generate a meal plan and grocery list for these recipes?
Want to take it to the next level? Try a meal planning/grocery list generator app! I don’t personally use these since I’m a little more free form when it comes to meal planning (and also use my print cookbooks for recipe inspo), but if all your recipes are digital/found online, this could be quite the life hack! (I do use Paprika for storing recipes that I create, but I haven’t used it’s meal planning function.) Click through to add the recipes you want to make and generate a shopping list in a minute. Beautiful.
Recipe Roundup: 10 Easy Weeknight Dinners for Summer
10 easy weeknight dinners with real food ingredients to keep you out of the kitchen and enjoying the summer! No oven required!
This salad is so filling and so perfect for summer. I love salad suppers because they take next to no time to make and hardly dirty a single dish!
I'm a huge fan of breakfast/brunch foods for dinner, and this one is a great summer version! Really fresh. Really easy. Super satisfying.
A simple stovetop meal for weeknights. Keep the oven off and whip this up for a quick and easy dinner.
I love grains in salad as they help fill us up, and quinoa is a yummy gluten-free option. Only dress what you're going to eat for dinner so you don't end up with soggy leftovers for lunch.
Zucchini Noodle Salad Recipe with Bacon & Tomatoes (Low Carb, Paleo)
I'm not always a huge zoodle fan, but this cold salad for summer would handle zoodles quite well! I'd grab a rotisserie chicken from the store to serve with this salad, as I think it'd be a bit too light of a meal for my family for dinner.
Never too much Mexican food for me in the summer. This one only requires the broiler for about 15 minutes, so you don't have to worry about heating up the kitchen.
My family went crazy for this one. It took next to no time to make (and clean up!), and really filled us up.
I love pasta salads in summer, but some recipes use a lot of processed meats and cheeses. We enjoyed this cleaned-up version of pasta salad quite a bit. Plus, lunch leftovers of pasta salad are always nice, too!
Mangos and cilantro give me all the summer feels! This stir fry whips up quickly on the stove. Always a crowd-pleaser!
What a fun take on chickpeas! Plus, a not-gross, real food ranch dressing?! Yes, please! (I'd serve with rotisserie chicken to round out the meal.)
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