Healthy Summer Dinner Ideas

Published: Jul 16, 2021 · Updated: Jun 14, 2023 by Laura Fuentes · This post may contain affiliate links

Take a break from the heavy cooking with these Healthy Summer Dinner Ideas that are fresh, delicious, and family-approved.

4.95 from 18 votes

These Healthy Summer Dinner Ideas are fresh, delicious, and family-approved! Whether you choose to cook these in the kitchen or fire up the grill to cook some of the ingredients, these recipes give you more time for what really matters: family, daytime trips, and pool time.

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Speaking of, let’s get on with the summer dinner ideas so you can chill out from the heavy cooking and get on with all the hot weather festivities!

Easy Summer Dinner Recipes for Families

During the warmer months, fresh produce is abundant and ready to be used in all sorts of simple meals that both taste and look impressive. No spending half the night in the kitchen with these either, each of them quick to assemble and can be prepped ahead to save you even more time. Perfect example: our first recipe, the Cilantro Lime Chicken with Avocado Salsa!

corner of large sheet pan with baked chicken topped with avocado salsa

Avocado Chicken with Cilantro Lime

4.95 from 35 votes

Are you thinking what I’m thinking? This is the type of recipe you’re going to want to make often, save leftovers for salads, and maybe, just maybe… make yourself a margarita.

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Baked Sheet Pan Sausage and Peppers

5 from 25 votes

Make this easy sheet pan sausage and pepper recipe for a quick weeknight dinner with easy cleanup.

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Avocado Salmon Bowls with Spicy Mayo

5 from 26 votes

These avocado salmon bowls drizzled with spicy mayo are everything you love about eating out but made healthy at home.

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Thai Pasta Salad with Peanut Dressing

5 from 55 votes

A refreshing and delicious Thai chicken salad with pasta, fresh veggies, and crushed peanuts all tossed in homemade Peanut Dressing!

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Bacon and Spinach Frittata

5 from 37 votes

This Bacon and Spinach Frittata is one of those no-fuss summer dinners that you can whip up in a flash, and toss in the oven for a simple one-pan dinner.

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Want to see how some of these summer recipes come together in a video? See my favorites below:

Light Summer Meals

When the summer’s heat gets turned up we all tend to crave lighter fare such as salads, sandwiches, and grilled foods. The recipes below made great additions to your menu while keeping it light and satisfying.

sliced and grilled vegetables on skewers

Grilled Veggie Kabobs

5 from 33 votes

Perfectly grilled veggie kabobs are a perfect summer recipe that’s healthy, colorful and delicious.

Make This Recipe two cauliflower tacos in a paper plate

Roasted Curried Cauliflower Tacos

5 from 18 votes

If thinking about tacos brings up meat-stuffed tortillas that are hard to resist, I’m here to tell you that these flavorful and incredibly easy-to-make veggie-filled tacos are both filling and worthy of taking up your Taco Tuesday menu.

Make This Recipe bell pepper nachos topped with cheese and sour cream

Low-Carb Bell Pepper Nachos

5 from 31 votes

This keto recipe is a lighter take on the classic dine-out meal. Whether you use ground beef, turkey, or black beans to load up your nachos, this is a super simple recipe that will satisfy your craving for a loaded chip!

Make This Recipe overhead view of blue plate with mango shrimp stir fry

Sweet and Spicy Mango Shrimp Stir-Fry

4.95 from 60 votes

This light mango shrimp stir fry comes together in minutes! It’s a great dinner solution for busy summer nights!

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No-Cook Dinner Ideas for Hot Days

On hot evenings when you don’t want to turn on the stove, oven, or fire up the grill, using meal-prepped ingredients to build a salad is the perfect solution. You can use pre-cooked chicken and hard-boiled eggs prepped earlier in the week, or put the microwave to use to cook up some bacon for a salad or wrap. Here are few recipes that put these practices to the test with delicious results.

Chicken Caprese Salad with Avocado

5 from 49 votes

I love this Caprese salad recipe because it’s easy to make ahead by using up leftover chicken, making the vinaigrette ahead of time, and keeping it in the fridge until the last minute where all you have to do is dice up the avocado and dress it up!

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Cobb Salad Lettuce Wraps

5 from 29 votes

Full of protein and veggies, these cobb salad lettuce wraps make a cool and refreshing summer dinner the whole family will enjoy.

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BLT Salad

5 from 50 votes

Crunchy bacon, lettuce, fresh tomatoes with avocado and homemade ranch everyone’s favorite bacon sandwich gets revised into this filling dinner salad.

Make This Recipe blt wraps on a cutting board

Easy BLT Lettuce Wraps

5 from 18 votes

This BLT Lettuce Wrap is a low-carb twist on your favorite sandwich. Packed with bacon and topped with an epic homemade ranch, this is an unforgettable light Summer dinner.

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Avocado Egg Salad

5 from 22 votes

Say goodbye to boring egg salad and hello to this epic avocado egg salad recipe. Pair it with bread, over crackers or eat it straight from the bowl. It’s that good.

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Easy Summer Sides

Whether you have a few pool parties to attend and need a side dish to bring along or want something quick to assemble and serve alongside those steaks on the grill, these recipes are the epitome of fresh. Everything from salads to potatoes, these ideas are crowd pleasers and can be prepped ahead for easy assembling and serving.

Watermelon Feta Salad

4.86 from 102 votes

Made with fresh mint and a homemade orange dressing this Watermelon Feta Salad is the perfect pairing for your next Summer Dinner.

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