How to Get Healthy Meals on the Table FAST this Summer #healthyeating #summer #summerfood #familyfood
Getting healthy meals onto the table in the hot summer months can seem like a lot of hard work.
After all, when it's hot the last thing you feel like doing is standing over a hot stove!
The great news is, it’s totally possible to get healthy meals on the table during summer without suffering heat stroke!
Read on to find out how to get healthy meals on the table fast this summer...
Creating meals in the summer can be hard work, especially if you’re standing in a hot kitchen after a long day at work or wrangling the kids.
To avoid the stress and heat, it's so easy to opt for unhealthy convenience foods or take-out.
However, this isn’t going to do wonders for your wallet or your healthy eating plan!
If you want to stay healthy during the summer, there are lots of ways you can create quick and easy meals.
You really don’t need to spend hours in the kitchen!
If you’re determined to eat healthy but can’t stand the thought of cooking, read on...
How to Get Healthy Meals on the Table FAST this Summer
Want to eat healthy this summer but concerned about the heat?
Check out these 7 awesome tips to get healthy meals on the table fast this summer.
1. Menu Planning
Menu planning can really help you to stay healthy during the hot summer months.
Plan your weekly meals ahead so that you don't have to add decision fatigue around dinner to your already hectic day.
If you’re not sure what meal is to come during the week, you could spend a long time going through your cupboards trying to figure out what sounds good.
Instead take half an hour at the weekend to plan your meals for the coming and jot down a grocery list as you plan.
Next, go through your cupboards and cross out anything that you already have.
Remember to add extras like easy breakfasts, lunches at home or packed lunches for day trips and snacks and you'll save hours of planning time and the stress of trying to remember it all each day.
2. Grill
Make summer eating so much easier with grill cooking. After reading this, your grill is sure to become your new best friend!
Grilling is a fun past-time and many people enjoy preparing food on it during the weekend, but have you tried using your grill during the week as well?
Not only will it keep your house from getting warm while using it, but grilling can be a healthy way to cook food.
Best of all, grilling takes very little time to prepare.
Put your vegetables in foil or right on the grill, then the side dishes can also be something simple like baked potatoes and vegetables with seasoning in foil and a salad.
Some grilling ideas:
3. Slow Cooker
Want to eat a healthy, wholesome meal during the summer but can’t face the heat?
Invest in a slow cooker!
You might think of the slow cooker as a winter appliance, but you’re missing out on wonderful meals that don’t heat your house up.
These are especially easy if you have prepared freezer meals ahead of time, chilli for example.
Dump them into the slow cooker insert and turn it on low.
Let it cook and, by the time you get home, you will have dinner waiting.
Read more: The Best Instant Pot for Busy Moms
4. Leftovers
One of the easiest ways to keep cool in the kitchen is to have leftovers.
Using up leftovers is a great way to save on cooking during the summer.
When you do cook, create a bigger batch than normal and then use the leftovers during the week.
When it’s not extremely hot and you are cooking in the kitchen, make extra for that one night you know the weather is going to be hot.
You’ll be happy you did.
Or fire up your garden pizza oven and throw whatever you have left in the fridge on top of a pizza base.
Top with cheese, add a salad and you have a delicious, easy meal.
5. Prep Ahead on Weekends
Want to save a whole lot of cooking time this summer? Make use of meal prep time at the weekend.
Prepping saves you time and is a super way to make an easy meal.
There are a few different ways to prep your meals.
One would be to pick a day during the weekend, or when you have time off from work.
Cook, chop and prepare all the meals for the week ahead, or reduce your cooking time this summer by creating large batches.
When you’re facing several days during the week that are going to be hot, then you can prepare ahead of time.
There are several easy foods that can be precooked or prepped before, so that you can grab something quickly and throw it together for a meal.
6. Freezer Meals
Freezer meals can prove invaluable when it comes to preparing healthy summer meals.
When you are making casseroles, slow cooker meals and soups, make an extra portion or two and put it in the freezer.
Another way to get freezer meals that are healthy is to create a menu and then schedule a day to get it all done, as we said above.
Making soups, casseroles, lasagne and other freezer-friendly dishes and freezing them for future use is a great idea.
Then all you have to do is add a salad, maybe some bread and a vegetable dish, and you're good to go.
7. Cold Meals
Don’t feel like cooking this summer? Don’t! Enjoy delicious cold meals.
There’s plenty of cold meals you can enjoy on hot summer days.
From cold soups to salads – there’s something you’re sure to love.
It's simple to find recipes that you don’t have to cook.
These can include bean salads, green salads, sandwiches and fruit salads.
By boiling the pasta ahead of time you could easily make up a pasta salad.
Even a whole bunch of finger foods or appetizers for dinner on occasion would be fun for the family and easy on you.
Tomatoes, cucumber, cheese, pickles, olives and some good bread is a meal in itself.
Just add some fresh fruit and you have a feast.
Some sandwich meal ideas:
Fast, Fresh & Healthy Summer Meals Made Simple
Getting healthy meals on the table quickly this summer doesn’t have to be a challenge.
With smart planning, time-saving kitchen hacks, and a focus on fresh, seasonal ingredients, you can enjoy nutritious, flavourful dishes without the stress - or the heat!
Whether you’re meal prepping ahead, leaning on quick recipes, or embracing no-cook options, these strategies will help you eat well and feel great all season long.
Ready to make your summer dinners faster and healthier? Start today and savour every sun-filled bite!
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