Summertime is supposed to be about fun, sunshine, and making memories with our kids. As parents, we want meals - from planning to shopping to cooking - to be simpler during these hot summer months.
Keeping little ones fed and happy however can sometimes be a challenge, especially when they seem to want snacks all day long. How many times have you thought lately, "it's time to feed them again?"
Here are four healthy, easy summer meal ideas from our Sherah team of family assistants that are kid-friendly and simple to prepare, ensuring that everyone is satisfied...including you. Put these on repeat every week with slight variations, and you'll enjoy summer more!
Mini Pizzas
With pizzas, you can switch this up each week to keep kids from getting bored. Some weeks you can do traditional pizza toppings with marinara, pepperoni and mozzarella. Other weeks mix it up with diced chicken, bbq sauce and cheddar. The key is keeping it simple with ingredients you probably already have on hand and so kids can help.
Ingredients: Your bread of choice such as whole wheat pita bread, bagel, english muffin, even a thick tortilla; jarred marinara sauce or bbq sauce, shredded mozzarella or cheddar cheese, assorted vegetables (bell peppers, tomatoes, spinach), and turkey pepperoni or cooked chicken.
Instructions: Let the kids spread tomato sauce on the bread of choice, sprinkle cheese, and add their favorite toppings. Bake in the oven at 375°F (190°C) for about 10 minutes until cheese is melted.
Turkey and Cheese Roll-Ups
It doesn't get much easier than this! Also works great for those days by the pool.
Ingredients: Slices of turkey breast, cheese slices, whole wheat/spinach tortillas, lettuce/spinach, hummus or a savory-flavored cream cheese, and honey mustard or ranch depending on your kids' tastes.
Instructions: Lay the tortilla flat, spread with hummus and condiments of choice, place a slice of turkey and cheese stick, add lettuce/spinach, and roll up. Cut into bite-sized pieces.
Fruit and Veggie Kabobs
A very fun and easy way to get kids involved. Let them skewer their own meal! No skewers in the house? Try a straw instead!
Ingredients: Assorted fruits (grapes, strawberries, melon), vegetables (cucumber, cherry tomatoes, sweet peppers, olives), and cheese cubes.
Instructions: Let the kids skewer their favorite fruits, veggies, and cheese cubes onto the wooden sticks. You can even teach little ones about patterns and make it fancy with some fresh basil in the mix.
Veggie Quesadillas
The more cheese you add, the more veggies you can cover up! Make your life even easier with thawed frozen veggies and frozen Mexican-style corn that tastes even yummier. Just be sure to get all the water out before adding to the tortillas.
Ingredients: Whole wheat tortillas, shredded cheddar/mexican cheese, black beans, corn, diced bell peppers, and spinach. Salsa, avocado and sour cream.
Instructions: Place tortilla in a pan, sprinkle half with cheese, beans, corn, peppers, and spinach. Fold the tortilla, cook until cheese melts and tortilla is golden brown. Cut into triangles. Serve with jarred salsa, guac and/or sour cream.
One more thing...
In addition to these easy summer meal suggestions, don't forget to take advantage of summer's supply of fresh watermelon and cucumbers. Keep them already chopped and in the fridge for kids to grab when they're hungry. Add them to the main items above and you have a summer meal!
By incorporating these easy, healthy basics into your summer online shopping list, you can ensure that everyone will enjoy the summer more. Have more ideas to share with our Sherah community? Please share below and then. go get outside!
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