I know the last thing you want to do when it’s this dang hot outside is cook. This is the time when ya gotta have some easy, go-to no-cook recipes.
These have been our go-to low cook (ie. just the stove, no oven required) and no-cook recipes this summer for quick, easy dinners.
An Example of a Low/No-Cook Recipe Kinda Week…
Monday…
usually early in the week I cook a whole chicken in the slow cooker and that night we’ll have it with carrots or sweet potatoes (I like to put the roots at the bottom of the slow cooker to prop up the chicken – they cook in the juices and taste delicious!). And I’ll make a simple green salad to go with it.
Tuesday…
The next night we may do beef tacos (Taco Tuesday!) or nachos (my girls’ favorite) with beef, tomatoes, avocado, cilantro (all the fixins!).
Wednesday…
I may bring the leftover chicken back in a stir fry or with a different salad. I may steam some veggies, or saute some frozen veggies like broccoli or mixed veg.
Thursday…
there’s usually a smorgasbord of leftovers, or if not I’ll pull some salmon out of the freezer to defrost, which I love with a crisp slaw salad in the summer. This is my kinda no-cook recipe!
Friday…
is what our girls know of as “mac and cheese and movie night.” So I make them Annie’s organic, grass-fed mac and cheese and Ross and I will get take out or go out (trying to do more of this!).
And that’s a week!
So you may be wondering… and your kids actually eat all of that?
The answer is yes and no. Their preferences change daily. So I always offer it – they get a little bit of everything on their plate (and I take the complaints). Here’s more about my strategy for getting my kids to eat more things if you’re interested.
I also make sure there’s something I know they’ll eat – even if that means sautéing some extra frozen broccoli or peas and carrots if I know they won’t eat the salad.
I figure as their little taste buds are developing the most important thing is sending the message that this is what dinner is. — regardless of whether or not they eat every little thing…. as frustrating as it is to throw away food you put all that love into (sigh).
Here’s a great resource on navigating kids and picky eating.
All of these recipes (minus the mac and cheese) you can find on the blog.
My Fav Summer No-Cook Recipes
The Easiest Pulled Chicken Tacos
Beef Tacos + Cilantro Cauliflower Rice
The Easiest Salmon Ever + Summer Strawberry Salad
Tomato Basil Fruit Salad
Summer Beet + Watermelon Salad
The Easiest Chicken Recipe You’ll Ever Make
Simple Slaw Salad with Salmon
Watermelon Gazpacho
Coleslaw Salad
A Salad That’s Also a Dip
The Best Spaghetti Sauce
Rainbow Fruit Kabobs
Orange Creamsicles
The Ice Cream You can Eat For Dinner
It doesn’t get much easier than some of these no-cook recipes. They’re perfect for summer, and just so dang easy too!
If you Want More Help (As In Just Tell Me What To Do So I Don’t Even Have to Think About It…)
There’s also my DIY online program – So Flippin’ Easy – that gives you 4 whole weeks of meal plans (that’s breakfast, lunch and dinner) and teaches you how to make all this delicious food in 10 minutes or less so you can eat well, without spending hours in the kitchen every day.
It’s “literally life-changing” as multiple people who have gone through it tell me.
Get started today with So Flippin Easy right here.
