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13 Oven-Free Healthy Summer Meals and Snacks

July 26, 2024

Do you love summer, but hate the feeling of a hot kitchen while cooking dinner?

That’s ok – you don’t need an oven to make delicious and healthy food.

We turned to Amy Habeck, RD, a registered dietitian with Hartford HealthCare, for oven-free summer meals and tips on maintaining your health goals when the weather warms.

Turn your stove off until September.

Cooking in the summer isn’t ideal, especially when it heats your house.

Instead of the oven, Habeck suggests looking at other cooking methods, like:

• Grilling
• Air fryer
• Microwave (perfect for steaming veggies)

If you do want to cook, try planning ahead and making food in bulk.

“Prepare additional quantities to freeze or enjoy as leftovers later in the week,” says Habeck. “Cook once, eat twice – or even three or four times!”

> Related: 6 Healthy Foods to Bring to the Beach

13 summer meal ideas you’ll love.

You don’t need to sacrifice flavor for your healthy summer lifestyle.

The options for oven-free nutritious meals are endless, but here are some that Habeck recommends:

Breakfast

• Greek yogurt with berries and unsalted nuts.
• Whole-grain toast with mashed avocado and lime.
• Cottage cheese and fruit.

Lunch

• Green salad with protein and extra veggies.
• Tuna salad on tomato slices with avocado.
• Tomato/avocado/purple onion salad with balsamic vinaigrette.
• Whole grain pasta veggie salad with chicken and homemade red wine vinegar dressing.

Dinner

• Grilled salmon and veggies.
• Grilled chicken and veggie kebabs with peppers, zucchini, squash and tomatoes.
• Green salad with black beans, carrots, cucumber, tomatoes and peppers.

Dessert

• Grilled peaches topped with Greek yogurt and sprinkled with a high-fiber cereal.
• Greek yogurt and berries.
• Blend old berries into homemade popsicles for a tasty sweet!

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Don’t forget to load up on fresh veggies and fruit.

Summer’s not just hot — it’s also the best time for farmers’ markets and local produce.

“Seasonal produce typically requires fewer natural resources to get to your table,” says Habeck. “Short shipping distances use less fossil fuel, and the faster farm-to-table time preserves produce’s freshness and vitamin content.”

You’ll have access to lots of ripe fruits and fresh vegetables, including:

• Berries
• Cucumber
• Melon
• Tomatoes
• Zucchini

“Incorporate seasonal produce whenever possible, and don’t forget to prep these veggies and fruit as soon as you bring them home,” says Habeck. “You’re more likely to eat them before they spoil, making it an easy choice for healthy meals and snacks.”

And if your social calendar is making healthy eating a challenge, use these tips.

Summer often comes with many social events and lots of treats.

“There are simple ways to keep focused on your health goals,” shares Habeck.

Here are a few tips:

• Love veggies—they’re low-calorie and packed with fiber, vitamins and minerals.
• Bring a healthy dish to potlucks, like a salad or veggie or hummus platter.
• Leave leftovers at parties to avoid temptations at home.
• Enjoy extra daylight with post-dinner walks to aid digestion and reduce post-meal blood sugar.

“Eating healthy knows no season,” says Habeck. “Don’t wait any longer to start making those lifestyle changes you’ve been putting off. Start one change at a time and stick with it until it becomes a healthy habit.”