Today, on Redhead Mom, I’m sharing a partnered guest post about summer meal ideas for parents.
Summer is a great time to bond with the kids. There are plenty of fun activities as a family. But juggling your busy schedule and keeping the kids entertained can leave you little time to cook. Don’t worry.
Summer calls for wholesome, simple meals. Since you’ll spend most of your time outside, you need easy recipes to prepare quickly. The meal ideas above are colorful, tasty, and nutritious; your family will love them
Below, we have listed delicious summer meal ideas to keep your family happy and well-fed.
Smoothies
Smoothies are easy to whip up. They are healthier than juices because they keep fibre. You can also use them to hide vegetables your kids don’t like. The key to getting kids to enjoy smoothies is using their favourite fruits.
For the ingredients, you need frozen berries, granola, banana, spinach, almond milk, and chia seeds. To prepare, blend everything except the granola and chia seeds until smooth. Pour into a bowl and top with granola and chia seeds.
Overnight Oats
Overnight oats are a great breakfast for busy mornings. They are very nutritious and can be added to pancakes or smoothies. The key is to prepare your oats the night before.
To get started, you’ll need rolled oats, milk, yogurt of your choice, a sweetener like maple syrup or honey, and some fresh fruit. To prepare, add oats, milk, and yogurt to a jar. Mix in your favourite sweetener and put the jar in the fridge. In the morning, top the oats with fresh fruit before serving.
Grilled Veggies and Chicken Skewers
Grilled veggies and chicken skewers are easy to make and right for dinner after a long day in the sun. You’ll need chicken breast, bell pepper, zucchini, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, eggplant, and Italian dressing.
Start by pouring the vegetables in a bowl and dressing over them. Do the same with the chicken in another bowl. Put both bowls in the fridge for at least four hours to marinate.
When you’re ready to cook, preheat your grill to 424°F. Charcoal grills work too. Thread the marinated chicken and veggies onto skewers. Lightly oil the grates and place the skewers on them. Grill each side for five minutes, and your meal will be ready.
Avocado Toast
Kids love avocado toast. It’s trendy, healthy, delicious, and quick to make. First, gather the ingredients: whole-grain bread, ripe avocado, an egg, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Toast the bread. Cut your avocado in half, scoop out the flesh into a bowl, and mash it with a fork. For each half avocado, add a pinch of salt.
Place the toasted bread on a plate and spread the mashed avocado on top. Add your fried egg or slices of boiled eggs and season with pepper and red pepper flakes. Enjoy your tasty creations!
Chicken Caesar Salad Wraps
If you love Caesar salad, you’ll love these chicken Caesar salad wraps. They are quick to make, especially if you have leftover chicken. To prepare this dish, you’ll need Romaine lettuce, grilled chicken, Caesar dressing, croutons, whole-wheat tortillas and Parmesan cheese.
Start by combining lettuce, Parmesan cheese, chopped chicken, croutons and Caesar dressing in a bowl. Season with pepper and salt to taste. Heat the tortillas in a microwave until warm and place on a plate. Add the salad to each tortilla and roll them up. Enjoy your meal!
Caprese Pasta Salad
Caprese salad is a delicious meal, but it becomes even more satisfying when served with pasta. The kids will love it. To make Caprese pasta salad, you will need pasta, half-cut grape tomatoes, mozzarella balls, basil pesto, Italian dressing, basil leaves, and black pepper to taste.
Start by cooking the pasta according to the package instructions. Once it’s done, run it under cold water and drain it well. Combine the pasta with all the ingredients in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper. For the finishing touch, garnish with fresh basil leaves.
Broiled Salmon on Rice with Broccol
This rice and salmon recipe is healthy and easy to make. It’s so delicious that even the pickiest kids will enjoy it. You’ll need brown sugar, low-sodium soy sauce, long-grain white rice, broccoli, skinless salmon filets, onion, olive oil, black pepper, and salt to get started.
First, mix the soy sauce and sugar in a bowl and set aside. Cook the rice as usual and add the broccoli in the last four minutes. Once done, turn off the heat and wait five more minutes before opening the lid so the broccoli softens.
Next, put the salmon and red onion on a baking sheet. Season them with pepper and salt to taste, then drizzle with olive oil. Broil the salmon for 10 minutes. About two minutes before it’s done, spread half of the soy sauce glaze over the salmon. Serve the rest of the sauce on the side. Enjoy!