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Home » Organize

Summer Meal Ideas That’ll Simplify Your Life

November 10, 2021 Filed Under: Organize, Printables

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Summer is upon us! Which means, it’s time to get out of the kitchen! I don’t know about you, but during the heat of summer, I prefer to spend as little time as possible in my kitchen. However, my family still has to eat. Which is why I’ve devised this master list of super simple summer meal plan ideas which includes tons of meal combinations that can be prepared on the grill or in a skillet in no time flat. These simple summer meal plan ideas are adaptable to any family size!

In addition to being super simple, you can also tweak this plan to accommodate any dietary restrictions you or your family may have.

Looking for some simple Summer recipe ideas? Look no further! This Summer meal plan will give you tons of dinner ideas that will get you out of the kitchen and {insert-favorite-summer-activity} fast! #summer #summerfood #summerrecipes #simplesummer #summertime

SUMMER MEAL PLAN IDEAS

*Pin this post for later!

During the Summer months, my family naturally craves lighter, healthier meals. No one wants to sit down with a bowl of chili when it’s 90+ degrees out. As such, I make sure to prepare lots of chicken and fish on the grill, which I serve with bread, fruit, and vegetables.

BOOM! An easy peasy, healthy dinner magically appears on the table in very little time.

MAKE A LIST AND CHECK IT TWICE

I’ll admit, I pretty much drop any “official” meal planning over the summer. Here’s what I do instead.

I make a list of meats, bread, starches, fruits, and vegetables that I know my family will eat. Then, I make a short master list of my favorite spices and marinades. Finally, armed with my master list, I go shopping and stock up on these foods.

If you don’t want to make your marinades from scratch, here are some yummy alternatives:

Salt Licks Favorites Assortment (dry rub, sauces, and marinade)

Tony Chacheres Creole Style Butter Marinade

Bad Byron’s Butt Rub (hey, I didn’t name it)

Each evening, I plan the following night’s dinner. I choose one item off of the list of meats, one way to season/marinade it, 1-2 items from the bread or starch category, one fruit, and one (or more) vegetables. I thaw the meat overnight if needed.

The next morning, I place the meat into a gallon-size Ziploc baggie with some seasoning/marinade and let it sit for the day so it can soak up the goodness. An exception to this is fish. Fish only needs to be seasoned/marinated within 1 hour of cooking. Otherwise, it tends to get “mushy”.

LET’S GET COOKING

When it’s time to prepare dinner, I simply fire up the propane grill or use a skillet to prepare the meat for our meal. I use this cast iron skillet when cooking with gas, and this non-stick skillet when using my electric stovetop. Then, I quickly prepare any starches, sides, and salads while the meat is cooking. While the grill is preheating I scavenge the garden for any ripe fruits and veggies. If I am able to find some, I will serve them with dinner. Otherwise, I will either heat up some frozen vegetables in the microwave, or I will serve raw store-bought veggies instead.

I would totally cook this way year-round if I could. Unfortunately, I live in a 4 season climate and it’s really difficult to grill when the ground is covered with 3+ feet of snow. Although, I have some friends who do!

If you’re looking for some super simple summer meal plan ideas to get you started, here’s my master list. (A printable version is included at the bottom of this post)

[one-fifth-first]

MEATS

GROUND BEEF

HOT DOGS

BRATS

CHICKEN BREASTS

PORK CHOPS

STEAK

FISH

RIBS

[/one-fifth-first]

[one-fifth]

SEASONINGS

BBQ-DRY RUB OR MARINADE

CITRUS MARINADE

ASIAN BLEND

ITALIAN SPICES

BEEF MARINADE

BASIL & GARLIC MARINADE

MEXICAN SPICE BLEND

CHICKEN MARINADE

[/one-fifth]

[one-fifth]

BREAD & STARCHES

HAMBURGER BUNS

HOT DOG BUNS

ITALIAN BREAD

FRENCH BREAD

TORTILLAS

ROLLS

TEXAS TOAST

BAKED BEANS

WHITE POTATOES

SWEET POTATOES

RICE

NOODLES

CHIPS

[/one-fifth]
[one-fifth]

FRUITS

APPLES

STRAWBERRIES

BLUEBERRIES

APPLESAUCE

PEACHES

GRAPES

MELON

ORANGES

BANANAS

PEARS

[/one-fifth]
[one-fifth]

VEGETABLES

LETTUCE

SPINACH

CUCUMBERS

TOMATOES

MUSHROOMS

ONIONS

CORN

PEAS

BROCCOLI

GREEN BEANS

SNAP PEAS

CELERY

[/one-fifth]

EASY-PEASY LEMON SQUEEZY

This is the easiest method I’ve found for feeding my hungry family throughout summer. I love that I can customize this list to suit my family’s dietary restrictions and preferences. By serving meals that go from prep to table in 30 minutes or less, I am able to spend more time lounging by the pool and less time slaving over a hot stove.

Here’s a free summer meal plan printable which you are free to use and share. Please don’t distribute/sell/claim this printable. Please send your friends and family to this post if they would like to print one for themselves.

Here's a helpful list of summer meal plan ideas for when you are stumped for dinner ideas. #summer #summerfood #summerrecipes #summerprintables #summermealideas

Now, get out of the kitchen and enjoy your Summer!

Looking for some simple Summer recipe ideas? Look no further! This Summer meal plan will give you tons of dinner ideas that will get you out of the kitchen and {insert-favorite-summer-activity} fast! #summer #summerfood #summerrecipes #simplesummer #summertime #summerprintables

READ MORE: 

  • Simple Meal Planning For Beginners (with free printable)
  • 10 Pantry Organization Hacks (You Can’t Afford To Miss)
  • 21 Brilliant Ways To Organize Kitchen Cabinets

About the author

cheryl-uncluttered-simplicity

Cheryl is a mother of three (already big) boys and in 2016, she founded the Uncluttered Simplicity blog. Since the start of her blog, she has travelled a personal (and sometimes very challenging) journey to become a minimalist and even went tiny for six months. She has paid off large amounts of debt and experienced the joy and simplicity of decluttering and organizing her small home and entire life.


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