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It’s not even officially summer yet here in Seattle and I’m already feeling the crunch and weirdness of summer schedules. Are you too? If so, then this post about easy summer food ideas is for you!
In this post and podcast episode (you can listen above!) I’ll be talking about:
- Summer food schedules (3:00)
- Great, seasonal summer foods (6:24)
- Nutritious and delicious summer snack ideas (9:00)
- Easy summer dinner ideas (12:22)
Easy Summer Food Ideas
One of the most common things that I hear from folks is that when summer comes along all of our routines are thrown off.
Between friends and pool parties and fun, you’re having an amazing time, but oftentimes it throws off all the hard work you’ve done around food with your family in the rest of the year.
So in today’s episode on summer food ideas, I want to help you not lose momentum, while also helping you make the most of summer. After all, a little bit of structure and planning can better allow us to have fun and enjoy ourselves and also get rid of any food guilt or stress.
Summer Food Schedules
So when it comes to summer food schedules, I keep it pretty darn simple. I basically keep our schedule the same as the rest of the year.
I shared more about that in this episode, but in case you’re new here, here’s what our schedule looks like:
- Breakfast: 7-8 AM
- Morning Snack: 10-11 AM
- Lunch: 12:30-1:30 PM
- Afternoon snack: 3-4 PM
- Dinner: 5:30-6:30 PM
- Bedtime snack: 7-7:30 PM
One easy way to pack in more nutrition is to make that afternoon snack more like a full meal. So I like to serve something veggies, fats, and protein because it’s when my kids are most likely to eat.
Why is a food schedule important?
And if you don’t have a schedule in mind yet, I would really encourage you to think about this. Because whether your kids are two or 12 I think having really clear expectations around when they’re going to be eating and what’s available to them at those times is helpful so that:
- They know when food is available (and when it will be available again)
- You know what food and how much you need to purchase based on when you’ll be serving things
I have found that it is so tricky when my kids have like endless access to the snacks to know what we need to have on hand. Creating a structure like this, whatever that structure may look like for you, is a really simple way to create guidelines for yourself as well.
Want to hear more about why a snack schedule and YOU deciding when your kids eat is so important? That’s also in this post where I talk about Division of Responsibility in feeding (DOR) which outlines the guideline that:
- Parents decide:
- What
- When
- Where
- Kids decide:
- How much
- Whether
Another benefit to having a schedule and guidelines during the summer? It helps you create a balanced baseline so that treats are just interludes to otherwise nutritious, balanced eating.
This is how more structure in your feeding can actually provide more freedom in the long run. Then when dinnertime becomes beach time and ice cream with friends, I know they’ve got that healthy snack earlier and it’s a lot less stressful for me and a lot less impactful for them.
Seasonal Summer Foods
Summer is full of all the best foods, in my humble opinion, and I’m not just talking about ice cream here.
There is so much amazing, seasonal summer produce available to enjoy. And I share this because I think focusing on what’s fresh and in season can be a great lesson and also source of nutrition for children.
Some of our favorite seasonal summer food ideas are:
- Heirloom tomatoes
- Strawberries
- Blackberries
- Raspberries
- Blueberries
- Watermelon
- Sweet Corn
- Zucchini
- Green Beans
- Peaches
- Cherries
- Apricots
- Plums
Want a full list of seasonal items for inspiration? You can find more in the Seasonal Food Guide.
Summer is an amazing time to focus on these less processed, more nutritious foods and really highlight the things that are at their best in the summertime.
One of our favorite ways to teach about this is to actually go out to a farm or go berry picking and see the growth and abundance in action.
Having a BBQ? Consider adding some fresh seasonal produce alongside it to help increase balance and exposure.
Healthy Summer Snacks
As I mentioned earlier, snacks are a great way to pack in a bunch of nutrition, especially when the days can be a bit unpredictable. We keep it really simple around our home and I’d love to help you do the same!
Here are some ideas for summer snacks that are balanced, include some of that seasonal produce, and are loved by kids:
- Peaches with fresh mozzarella
- Slices of watermelon and trail mix
- Cherries and yogurt
- Chomps or salami with sliced bell peppers
Also, one of our favorite summer food ideas is to make our own popsicles. This is a great way to pack in extra nutrition and some of that seasonal produce.
We love this popsicle maker because it makes them in those classic popsicle shapes and can easily be tucked away for the rest of the year. But this one and this one also look amazing!
Feel like popsicles are too ambitious? You can keep it really simple by just using leftover smoothies to make them!
Here are some amazing, nutritious popsicle recipes:
We also love making no-bake treats in the summer. Here are some kid-pleasing favorites:
And these are our favorite donut holes that I mentioned…you’re welcome!
Easy Summer Dinner Ideas
In the summer I am just not inclined to turn on a stove or oven to make something. Given that, one of the keys to making healthy dinners in the summer is doing a little bit of pre-cooking.
What is pre-cooking? Basically, it’s very pared down meal prep. I made this video fo 5 easy, healthy meal prep things you could do in 5 minutes or less that might help:
Some ideas?
- Make hardboiled eggs
- Cook a whole chicken in the Instant Pot
- Slice up veggies and store them in the fridge
Other things that don’t require any prep at all?
- Buy pre-made bagged salads
- Rely on canned beans
- Use rotisserie chicken
Want more ideas? I have a post on 15 Summer Dinner Ideas for Hot Days that might help!
Want even more ideas? Here are a few that look great:
Conclusion: Easy Summer Food Ideas
These are all the ideas I have for you today. I hope it’s helpful as you get into the craziness of summer!
Feeling inspired? I encourage you to make a master list of healthy summer snack ideas for your family.
Once you’ve done that, hop on over to Instagram and tag me (@cookingwithafullplate) so that I can see what you’re planning to have on hand for those hungry kids!
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