As a pediatric and family nutritionist in Portland, OR, eating healthy and nutritious meals is always a top priority. Eating the same meals weekly can not only be boring but can also be a stress point in our family.
Now with Summer here, I’m glad to change up the recipes my family is eating. My husband is grilling more on the BBQ, and we tend to eat fewer oven-prepared meals. Summer is a great time to hit the farmers market more regularly, including a lot of kids’ favorites such as corn on the cob, green beans, and fresh basil (to make pesto). My family doesn’t eat beef or pork, so the recipes I’m sharing with you are ones we often rotate throughout the summer since they are easy and enjoyed by everyone in my household.
Turkey Burgers
This is a turkey burger recipe my husband created. It’s easy to make these ahead and keep them in the freezer for an easy quick meal.
Fish Tacos
We often don’t use a recipe for fish tacos since we have tacos so often and change it up each time. Here is a recipe from Cooking Classy similar to how I like to make tacos. The fish can be done on the grill but done even easier in a skillet on the stove.
BBQ Chicken, corn on the cob, and green beans
We like to use Stumps BBQ sauce, the sweet and spicy. It can’t be any easier than tossing up some chicken breasts or thighs with BBQ sauce a few hours prior to grilling them. Corn on the cob is great to include in the summer. I like to pre-cook ours in some boiling water and then finish them up by wrapping them in foil and grilling them next to the chicken. Green beans are great in the summertime, and my kids like to eat them. Here is an easy recipe for green beans.
Tomato Almond Pesto Penne
Tomatoes and basil are so plentiful in the summer, so this is an easy favorite. It’s a meatless meal with plenty of protein from the almonds and parmesan. I like to serve with salad and steamed broccoli that is tossed in lemon and a little butter.
Grilled Salmon Skewers, couscous and asparagus
This one way to serve salmon from Natasha’s Kitchen is kid-friendly with lots of flavors. Another option is to use the same marinade included in the recipe and grill the salmon without cutting it up into kabobs. Salmon is such a great source of Omega 3’s and great food for kids. I’m grateful my kids love salmon, so we have it often. I would serve this with asparagus that can be tossed in olive oil, grilled on a veggie rack, and then tossed with butter and lemon. Couscous is another favorite at my house, and I like to use a box mix, so it’s ready in 5 minutes.
BBQ Chicken Salad
This is a great recipe to include the same week when making BBQ chicken. The leftover chicken can be chopped up for this salad. I would serve this to my young kids family style so they can pick and choose their favorite (black beans, corn) and serve with bread or a side of corn chips.
With 5 great meals planned for the week, you’ll definitely need to plan a leftover night for the 6th night, and at my house, we eat at Grandma’s house on the 7th night, but if we weren’t, we’d likely work in a night to have an easy dinner at Laughing Planet (which is a Portland chain for fresh Mex), another favorite for my family.
We Want to Hear From You & Help You
I’d love to hear if you try any of these meals and what you think! I’d also love to hear what your favorite Summer go-to dinners are. If you deal with picky eaters like we do, the course below will help you and your family. We want you to succeed as a family and would love to help.
Ready To FINALLY End Picky Eating and Start Enjoying Family Meals?
