School is out and summer vacation is in full swing. This season is filled with fun things like camp, sporting events, trips to the zoo, and adventures. Quick lunches are the norm for my family during the summer as we jet from place to place. Here are some lunchtime ideas I use so that I can spend less time in the kitchen and more time making memories.
Easy Summer Lunch Ideas
- Plan and Prep
Having a plan is how I get most things done and how I save on food. When I have a plan I’m less stressed when it comes to meals and I’m less likely to spend extra money on fast food or food deliveries. I also prep all that I can ahead of time.
- Remix Dinner
I purposely make too much so that we will have leftovers for lunch the next day or for another day during the week. I’ll often make some changes or remix dinner. For example, if we have pulled pork for dinner I will remix the pulled pork into pulled pork sandwiches or one of my kids’ favorites, pulled pork tacos with coleslaw.
- Smoothies
My kiddos love smoothies and I love that they are getting so many servings of fruits and veggies. I also love that smoothies can be made quickly, especially when you’ve done some prep work. I often cut up the ingredients, store them in bags and freeze them. I can give them each a smoothie and we can hit the road and bypass fast-food joints.
- Small Plates
My kids love a good charcuterie board. I make plates with an assortment of things like sliced fruit, veggies, olives, cheese, meat, etc. with various dips and my kiddos love it. This is usually how I get them to try new foods and we eat picnic-style in the living room.
- Sandwiches and Wraps
Sandwiches and wraps are another quick on-the-go meal. This is also my go-to when we go to places like the zoo or the park. From a good ole PB&J to a Philly cheesesteak or buffalo chicken sliders. Sandwiches can be as simple or as complex as you want or time will allow.
Bonus Tip: Keep sandwich ingredients in the reach of your kiddos. You can use divided storage containers to store ingredients and let your children make their own sandwiches.
- Kid-made meals:
My children enjoy helping me in the kitchen. I often use these times to sneak some educational activities into their kitchen fun. My kids’ favorite thing to make is Naan Pizza. It’s super easy and takes less than 30 minutes to make from prep to finish (even less if you prep ahead of time). This is another way I get my kiddos to try new foods.
