Could it be that summer is finally here? With all the excitement of no school, family vacations, and lazy days ahead (for most), one of the often overlooked aspects of summer is meal planning! Rather than rummaging through the fridge and pantry for last-minute thrown-together dinners or opting for takeout every night, check out these 100% awesome, 0% dairy summer meal plan ideas to help you kick off the season right!
What is the most popular summer food?
Different strokes for different folks! When it comes to popular summer foods, that really depends on you and your tastebuds. But we do agree data tells a story, and we love these stats from Instacart about top summer purchases. When you’re working on your summer meal plan, consider using a few of these popular picks:
- Nectarines – this juicy fruit peaks in summer, making it perfect for over morning oatmeal or teamed up with our Lemon Poppyseed Snax for midday cravings or lax lunches.
- Peaches – while our favorite use of peach is in our Caramelized Peach & Maple UnCreamCheese, we also think it’s pretty great mixed into a summer salad or grilled to perfection and topped with ice cream for a summer treat.
- Corn – beyond roasting and topping with butter and salt for a side, save some for any of these easy dairy-free Mexican meal options for added crunch.
- Hamburgers – hamburgers + grill = summer! The livin’ is easy when you include any of these burgers in your summer meal plan – don’t forget to top with a slice of Vevan Ched!
- Watermelon – scream summer with this watermelon slushie, paired with our favorite Veggie Sandwich, sure to be a summer lunch staple.
What’s on your popular summer food list?
What meals are good for summer?
When concocting your summer meal plan, here are some food prep hacks to keep in mind:
- Beat the heat – unless you’re fortunate enough to travel to or live in one of these cooler destinations, you’re looking for ways to chill out. Avoid turning on the oven and instead turn to these must-try summer meals.
- Keep it simple – you can spend your time by the pool or in the kitchen – you pick! Aim for meals which cook up in under 30 minutes, like these on-the-go options.
- Work smarter, not harder – whether you’re feeding an army or looking for extras (hello leftovers!), consider these meal prep pro tips to maximize your efforts.
- Keep it fresh – rather than trying to learn dozens of new recipes, select a week’s worth of versatile recipes to master, then find ways to change them up with substitutions like the different cheesy flavors found in our Vevan lineup.
Stick to these guidelines for a summer meal plan that’s as easy and breezy as a summer night at the beach!
What are some good summer dinner recipes?
Especially during the dog days of summer, minutes turn to hours quickly (especially when siestas are in play) and everyone in the house seems to convene in the kitchen at suppertime! If nothing else, be sure your summer meal plan includes these effortless dinner recipes:
- Chik’n Skewers with Buffalo Mozza Dipping Sauce – even the pickiest of eaters can get on board with chicken on a stick! Utilize the air fryer or grill to avoid turning on the oven and sub in some ranch, honey, or barbecue sauce to keep things fresh.
- Summer Glow Green Goodness Salad with Vevan Mozza Crisps – it has summer in the name, and it has everything you need for a hit-the-spot supper! Feel free to use whatever greens you have on hand or in the garden, and be sure to make extra dressing and crisps for other weekly meals or lunch leftovers.
- BBQ’ed Teriyaki Tofu Bowl – fire up the grill and get ready to be bowled over with this Asian fusion dish! This protein-rich meal is light but satisfying and can be easily changed up using shrimp, chicken or other plant-based meats to solidify a spot in your weekly summer meal plan.
- Summer Caprese Salad – cash in your summer stock of squash with this fresh take on caprese, made with our creamy, mild Mozza-Melts! Simply add a side of bread and you’ve got yourself a super simple, super tasty summer dinner.
- Sweet Potato and Black Bean Quesadilla – one of our all-time most viewed recipes, this hearty quesadilla is perfect for batching and freezing and is sure to be a crowd-pleaser! With a hint of spice from our Vevan P’Jack-Shred, these quesadillas pair well with a hearty serving of guac and your favorite salsa.
- Cheese sauce over YOU PICK – for those extra lazy days where cooking feels like a chore, whip up our dairy-free cheese sauce in just minutes! Simply select your preferred Vevan cheese, add water, and melt. Serve over steamed veggies, mix with pasta, or go rogue and try a new combo.
Plan your summer
Warm weather and freedom are just around the corner – can you taste them? With these summer meal plan ideas, you’ll be serving up delicious, dairy-free, hassle-free goodness all season long.
Say hello to summer and hello to Vevan with these summer meal plan recipes! Share your insta-worthy meals with us on social (be sure to tag us @vevan.foods) or download our cookbook for more summer inspirations!
