Cold dinners, minimal cooking dinners and lazy, throw-together-because-it’s-far-too-hot dinners. We’ve got ’em all this summer.
You can make dinner as fancy as you like or you can opt to throw your fridge crisper contents on a board and call it a grazing platter (my mum’s personal favourite when I was a child).
But just in case the kids are growing bored of the cold meat and salad option, we have some fab summer night dinner suggestions!
10 incredibly easy summer dinner ideas
1. Reuben Potato Salad
It’s true, you can make a meal of potatoes. A de-constructed reuben sandwich if you will, this reuben potato salad promises to deliver BIG on flavour and definitely won’t leave anyone hungry.
2. Chicken Pasta Salad
If a salad has meat in it, it instantly counts as a meal instead of a side dish, am I right? Try this drool-worthy chicken pasta salad on for size one night this week. Yum!
3. Cobb Salad
OK, so cobb salad is possibly just really dressed up meat and salad, but oh so fancy on a plate AND delicious. Plus there’s copious amounts of bacon. Chicken Caesar cobb salad is perfect for an evening meal. Swap out the chicken for prawns or even fried halloumi for a meat free version.
4. San Choy Bau
Nothing says summer food quite like giant lettuce leaves. San choy bau lends itself to any packet of mince and is delicious, every time!
5. Teriyaki Chicken Packed Wraps
I love a lunch for dinner, nearly as much as I love a breakfast for dinner. Chicken teriyaki wraps go down well for any meal, and are often something kids will wolf down in record time. Shredded chicken or crumbed chicken tenders are wonderful additions!
6. Salmon with Avocado Salsa
My personal go-to dinner for night when I just can’t be.. bothered. Salmon with avocado salsa takes less than 15 minutes to get on the table, is light and super fresh. Looking for more? Bulk up this dish with extra salad or steamed greens.
7. Tortilla Pizzas
Now here’s a little secret weapon that’s going to save you so many last-minute dinner dilemmas. Lunch wraps and tortillas can absolutely moonlight as pizza bases. Let the kids go to town making their own margherita tortilla pizza or top a wrap with all your regular pizza favourites.
8. Tuna Nicoise Poke Bowl
An awesome dinner option if you do feel like putting in a bit of effort (if you can call cooking noodles and boiling eggs an effort), tuna nicoise poke bowls are mighty delicious!
9. Cob Loaf sandwich
Its proper name, a French pan bagnat, is a layered sandwich type cob creation best made the night before. Can’t even be bothered with that? How about just chowing into a cob loaf dip instead? We won’t judge, honest.
10. Cheese and Bacon Quiche
Quiche is always a winner in our home. No time for pastry, no matter! Use frozen pastry or go for a crustless quiche and pair with a simple salad. Too easy!
Want some more yummy summer dinner options for when it’s too hot to slave over the stove? Try these 10 easy salads.
