Summertime should be fun and carefree yet we still have certain responsibilities. I don’t know about you but my family still expects dinner even when I’d rather be sipping iced tea on the porch. That’s why I’m creating a simple menu plan for summer.
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Creating a Simple Menu Plan For Summer
If you’ve followed me any length of time you know that I depend upon a weekly menu. I may not end up sticking to it 100% but I find it very helpful to have a plan.
Summer is a busy season for us as we host a lot of live music events. I don’t always know what our week holds so menu planning can be a bit of a challenge. This summer I’m doing things a bit differently.
I’m assigning each day of the week a theme of sorts. I will then have a few options to choose from for each of those themes. For instance, “Taco Tuesday” could be regular beef tacos, fish tacos or any type of Mexican food such as my Sour Cream Green Chile Enchiladas.
At some point over the weekend I’ll choose from my list, make a grocery list and pick up whatever I need.
I’m keeping it simple so you probably won’t see a lot of new, complicated recipes from me this summer.
If this sounds like something that would work for you, here are some ideas to get you started:
Menu Themes
Meatless Monday – I have quite a few meatless recipes here on the blog. Look under the drop-down menu under the header…Dee’s Kitchen > Recipes > Vegetarian
Taco Tuesday – Anything Mexican, including my Lentil Tacos, Sour Cream Green Chili Enchiladas, Easy Vegetarian Enchiladas, etc.
Pizza Night – This could be take out/delivery, frozen or homemade.
Spaghetti Night – Spaghetti is such an easy meal, especially if you keep a jar or two of good pasta sauce in your pantry.
International Night – It’s fun to try different cuisines. Check out my International Week menu for some inspiration.
Salad Night – Summertime is perfect for salad suppers. You can either plan a main dish salad for everyone or set out lots of fixings and let each person design their own.
On the Grill – Avoid heating up the kitchen by grilling outdoors. Steaks, burgers, chicken, seafood, fresh veggies…everything tastes better when it’s grilled. Bonus: Less kitchen cleanup!
Date Night/Dinner Out – This can be anything from coneys at the Sonic Drive-In to a special date night meal at a fancy restaurant.
Soup and Sandwiches – This is a good choice for a Saturday spent working in the yard. You can certainly open a can of soup for this one or consider making a huge pot of your favorite vegetable soup and freezing in meal-size portions.
Slow Cooker or Instant Pot – When it’s too hot to turn on the oven that’s when the slow cooker or Instant Pot is a perfect choice. Check out my Instant Pot recipes here on the blog. Hover over the Dee’s Kitchen drop down menu > recipes > Instant Pot. You can also search for my slow cooker recipes.
Do you have certain types of meals on designated nights? If so, I’d love to hear about them. Leave me a comment. I’m always looking for new ideas.
You may also enjoy:
How to Create a Weekly Menu Plan
That’s a fun idea. I do themed days sometimes, but don’t make a habit of assigning a spacific theme to a certain day on a regular basis.
I don’t usually have specific days, either but I’m going to give it a try for the summer. With flexibility, of course.
Love this!
Thanks!