I love summer.

Days spent splashing around at the pool, walks around town at any time of the day, outdoor parties and cookouts… there are some parts of summer that are just all fun and leisure.

Yet, at the same time, summer is so hectic. We try to take advantage of the nice weather and try to jam all of our important events into three shorts months.

It seems like every evening there is a wedding, birthday party, family get-together, cookout, church event, pool party or baseball game.

As a mom, it can get pretty exhausting to try to feed your family wholesome meals while running to and fro. Here are some of my best ideas for quick, easy and nutritious meals that your family can grab as they walk out the door!

1 MIN. Hot Ham n’ Cheese

Hamburger bun + Monterey jack cheese + deli ham. Microwave 15 secs. BAM! Delicious. Add some raw veggies + ranch for dipping, and you’re all set!

2 MIN. Deli Wraps

We always keep these items in our fridge for a quick to-go wrap anytime:

• Tortillas (or hamburger buns)
• Deli Meat
• Deli Cheese
• Ranch

3 MIN. Freezer Burritos

One of my “can’t live without it” recipes is my Sausage Egg Breakfast Burritos. We eat them almost every day for breakfast but they would make a fabulous and quick lunch or dinner as well!

4 MIN. Burgers

Early on in the summer, take an afternoon to make your burger patties. Season and cook them, either on the grill or in a skillet. Wrap them individually in wax paper and freeze them in gallon ziploc bags.

Whenever someone needs a quick meal, they can grab a patty from the freezer, pour a TBS of water on the middle of the burger, and microwave for 1-3 mins. Keep cheese slices, ketchup, mustard, pickle slices, etc. in the fridge for a quick and easy burger. Make sure and keep your hamburger buns in the fridge so they stay good for a longer period of time.

5 MIN. Bean Dip

It can be a quick meal now, and a great snack later! Keeps in the fridge for over a week. Recipe here. 

6 MIN. Grab n’ go spread

Something my husband and I realized, after 20+ pounds gained between us during our months of dating and early marriage, is that we don’t need these huge meals to satisfy us. At restaurants, we usually get one meal and share, or we each get an appetizer. Even then we usually leave feeling over full!

We have transferred that mindset into our home lives as well, and sometimes for dinner, we just have a typical appetizer. If you have a busy night or are going to an event that may have a meal, just set out some items for your family to snack on as you get ready to run out the door. Here are some ideas.

• Crackers
• Cheese slices
• Apple slices
• Raw veggies
  • baby carrots
  • cucumber slices
  • sweet pepper slices
• Ranch to dip
• Sliced fruit w/ fruit dip

7 MIN. Fried Egg Sandwiches

1. Pop two pieces of bread in the toaster
2. Fry an egg
3. Egg + deli meat + cheese slice + bread = tasty sandwich

8 MIN. Salad

Keep varied salad fixings around for a refreshing, quick and light meal. You can keep pre-chopped ingredients in the fridge for a quick salad later in the week.

• Sweet Salad: 
  • Fresh spinach leaves
  • Chopped strawberries
  • Blueberries
  • Chopped walnuts
  • Feta cheese
  • Oil + Vinegar dressing
• Classic Salad: 
  • Lettuce
  • Dried fruit
  • Nuts / Seeds
  • Chopped raw veggies
  • Shredded Cheese
  • Croutons
  • Dressing
• Mexican Salad: 
  • Shredded Lettuce
  • Corn
  • Black Beans
  • Diced Tomatoes
  • Sliced Avocado
  • Southwest Dressing
• Italian Salad: 
  • Lettuce
  • Cherry tomatoes
  • Red onions
  • Croutons
  • Parmesan Cheese
  • Italian Dressing

9 MIN. Easy Peasy Pizza

One of my all-time favorites is a quick pizza! Sometimes I do it inside a tortilla and “grill” it for a “pizza quesadilla”. Other times I slosh some sauce and cheese on sandwich bread or naan and throw it in the oven @ 400 for 5 minutes. All you really need is spaghetti sauce and shredded cheese. You can add as many or as little toppings as you want, and maybe a little Italian seasoning if desired.

10 MIN. Tacos

I always seem to forget how easy tacos are. I plan it as a meal, and then when I get ready to prepare it I’m like “Oh…right… this takes 10 minutes!” If you make the taco meat ahead of time and freeze, it takes EVEN LESS time – try 2 minutes! Just get out all the taco fixings and load ’em up!