Hot weather meal inspiration

[EndlessSoreThroat]

DCs are 2 and 5. They are not too fussy (though not keen on trying new things) but their favourite meals are soups and stews, cottage pie, lasagna, risotto etc which I don't quite fancy in this weather.

I've unfortunately not had them used to eating salad bits, apart from corn, cherry tomatoes and cucumber.

I'd love some inspirations for 30 degree days like today. Thanks!

New potatoes, halved with parsley and butter, ham or salmon fillet, cold boiled eggs.

sandwich or rice cakes or breadsticks in dippy things like guacamole and homemade milk shakes and smoothies.
Prawns in lettuce boats, chicken in pita bread
baby mozzarella balls and pasta pesto salad
sweetcorn and blackbeans salad nachos
avocado toast
banana and peanut butter bread
wraps
tzatziki with toasted pita triangles, cucumber sticks and chicken kebab

Rotisserie chicken, French baguette liberally buttered, sliced tomatoes with a sprinkle of salt. If you can face cooking anything then corn on the cob with seasoned butter goes well with it.

We love poke bowls in the summer

Chicken or tuna pasta salad with sweetcorn, cherry tomatoes, cucumber and a bit of mayonnaise has always been a hot weather favourite for us

Baguette, new potatoes and then whatever else;

Grilled halloumi
Chopped salad
Grilled Salmon
Roast chicken
Quiche
Corn on cob

All summer go to's

We also have pickles, coleslaw, pasta salad, olives out at all the meals

'Picky bits'

Spanish Omlette or frittatas with any picky bits they do like.

I've just made savoury flapjack, which I'm planning to let go cold and serve with cold boiled eggs, potatoes and a bean salad.

First time but I have high hopes the kids will regard this as a kind of snack and it will pass inspection!

We’ve just had baked salmon, new potatoes with mint and butter and a mixed salad of tomato, cucumber, spring onions, sweetcorn and chopped peppers in a peanut dressing 😋

Following for ideas

Tonight is slow cooker pulled pork tacos with coleslaw, easy and fairly light.

We've recently had a whole chicken again in the slow cooker, with potato salad, normal salad, baguette etc

I will sometimes roast a chicken in the morning and then we have it cold for lunch with a fresh French stick and butter, salad, mixed tomatoes etc. ALL THE AIOLIO.

Roasted Mediterranean vegetable cous cous or buttery baby potatoes with mint or sage from the garden.

A cheese or charcuterie board prepped for dipping in and out of!

My toddler also loves homemade crab salad with breadsticks and things like hummus and taramasalata with pitta.

What a poke bowls @countdowntonap ?

Sounds like they prefer 'gloopy' or liquidy foods.

You could make caponata - that would cover the sauce element - and have seasoned chicken, mozzarella sticks, courgette fries, fish fingers and the like for them to dip or mix into it. Yours could be with salad and less caponata.

Or something really quick and easy - fry cubes of pancetta/bacon, add to cooked spaghetti with some frozen peas (they'll defrost and heat in the pasta), stir in cream cheese. They can have it as is, you can have it with salad.

You could do ravioli with olive oil/salt/pepper on salad for you, they could have sauce and salad (ie, tomatoes, cucumber).

I'm a big fan of using wraps and bread in the summer, interchangeably with bbq chicken, pulled pork and chicken dippers. One of my favourites is chicken dippers in a wrap with lettuce and coleslaw (also nice with some crushed tortilla crisps in for a crunch). Also love burrito bowls and walking tacos (small bag of doritos with taco toppings in). Black bean and cheese quesedillas with guacamole or salsa is good too.

Snack tea! Sandwich, crisps, cherry tomatoes, strawberries, etc. Give them lots you know they like with one new thing to try.
Frittata type things - nice hot or cold, build your own wraps with a selection of things to add in (could use rice, beans, peppers), hot dogs, burgers, pizza, lots that aren't 'winter' meals.

What's in a savoury flapjack?

We eat more fish in the summer, things like tuna steaks simply griddled, with lots of black pepper and balsamic vinegar.
Cod wrapped in pancetta
Salmon fillets with lime, coriander and chilli
Homemade fishcakes.

Also chicken with some kind of marinade, honey and mustard, lemon and herbs, paprika, harrisa, tandoori the possibilities are end less.

Most things get served with some form of salad, coleslaw, corn on the cob or roasted Mediterranean veg. If I'm doing something in the griddle pan i might pop some tender stem broccoli or asparagus in too.

For the carb eaters I do various types of bread, flat breads, toasted pita, ciabatta, wraps etc. I also do things like new potatoes either just boiled or roasted in the over, some times sweet potato wedges or roasted gnocchi. Or, I do a carb based salad like Moroccan cous cous, a wild rice salad or potato salad.

If I do pasta it's less heavy so thinks like linguini with cherry tomatoes, garlic and fresh crab or prawns.
Or spaghetti with with a homemade watercress pesto and Parmesan, or tagliatelle with bacon, ricotta and mushrooms.

Other things I do would be,
stuffed pepper or mushroom
Grilled haloumi with honey
Roast gammon with a pineapple and chilli salsa
Fajitas
Fritata or quiche

These work/can be adapted for adults and kids providing they aren’t very fussy!

Quiche - slightly cooled if a very hot day. With new potatoes and veg for kids who won’t eat salad. My DH and I would have it with salad and new potatoes, potato salad or coleslaw though.

Pasta salad - but heavier on the pasta if, again, they won’t really eat the salad leaves etc. it’s sitting on. Tomato/pesto based ones, rather than creamy ones, are fine on a hot day I find.

Jacket potato with a small number of fillings they can put together themselves. Eg baked beans, grated cheese, something like tuna mayonnaise for the adults… I’d do little bowls of things like sweetcorn and tomatoes so they can have a bit of a buffet.

Mexican buffet - fajita sliced chicken strips and peppers, tortilla wraps/chips, chili con carne, rice, guacamole, salsa, grated cheese…

Fish finger baps - made with nice chunky fish fingers, wedges, small side salad or veg.

Roast a chicken in harissa/za’atar (more for the adults) and serve with sides like cous cous, mini roast potatoes cooked in Middle Eastern spices again, hummus, flatbread/pitta, ‘crudités’ for the kids ie carrot and cucumber sticks!

I made these ones as they looked easiest for kids https://hamlynsoats.co.uk/recipes/savoury-flapjacks/

They are actually flipping delicious. I put an egg and an extra spoon of natural yoghurt and a bit of nutritional yeast for extra flavour and they are so good. Definitely going on the weekly recipe rotation.

@DoeRayMe poke bowls are large bowls with cold white rice as the base, layered with toppings - often things like salmon/tuna, avocado, mango. Like a Hawaiian salad/rice bowl. Really delicious!

A made a simple quiche with baked beans on the side today. Quick and easy and everyone enjoyed it.

I cook pasta directly in passata with a bit of olive oil and water for my DS and top with feta, makes a really nice summer meal.
Sometimes lunch is cold rotisserie chicken with chopped avocados and bits of cheese.
He also loves a baby version of homemade tzatziki, natural yoghurt with grated cucumbers, he often has it with vegetable fritters - zucchini and carrot is a firm favourite.

Caesar Salald.

Thanks @JennyForeigner, I will give it a go, sounds like the kind of thing my kids would enjoy

We used to have pink fish (salmon) with new potatoes or sauté potatoes and broccoli. Or when they got older sea bass with the same.

Also burgers with buns, salad and baked potatoes.

Stir fries.

Macaroni cheese.

Pasta carbonara.