7 Nights of Seasonal Summer Meals

Want to try a seasonal meal plan, but don’t want to figure out what you’re going to cook every night? This seasonal grocery list and recipe plan are designed to help you plan 7 days of phenomenal summer meals with ease!

There’s so much great, fresh produce available in the summer, so it’s a fantastic time to eat seasonally. The warm nights and beautiful weather gets me excited about cooking and eating outdoors!

My top tips for meal prep:

• Before anything else: go through the grocery list and cross off anything you already have at home.
• Grocery shop ahead of time for the whole week!
• Wash your veggies and put them back in the refrigerator so you don’t have to worry about it the day of.
• Keep herbs in water like you would with flowers.
• Don’t want to cook 7 days in a row? Use the grocery list below to plan 7 dinners over the next few weeks. Freeze the meat or chicken until you are ready to use it (if you think you won’t get to it quickly) and you’ll have everything you need at home to make some simple, tasty meals in the next few weeks!
• Keep veggies in your crisper drawer to keep them fresh.
• Make sure all of your pots, pans, and cooking equipment are clean and ready to go.

What’s in Season Right Now?

Your taste buds will come alive in the summer with all the amazing fresh produce that’s readily available. From succulent sweet fruit to tart berries to fresh peaches and watermelon, it’s the best time to take advantage of the produce that’s readily available.

• Basil
• Blackberries
• Blueberries
• Cherries
• Corn
• Cucumber
• Eggplant
• Green Beans
• Lettuce
• Mangoes
• Peaches
• Peppers
• Plums
• Strawberries
• Squash
• Tomatoes
• Watermelon

Your 7-Night Summer Dinner Menu

Use this menu to cook all week long OR to plan 7 dinners over the next few weeks. See meal prep tips above, especially if you plan to cook over the next few weeks.

Monday

Slow-cooking the tomatoes and garlic in olive oil yield a light and summery sauce packed with flavor. You can cook the tomatoes the day before for an even easier dinner.

Tuesday

These two recipes are a Persian power duo! Grilling flavorful kabob on the grill outside is a joy, but you can also do it quite well under an oven broiler. I love making Shirazi salad in the summer and it’s a great side to learn how to make because it pairs well with so many grilled meats.

Wednesday

Nothing beats a meal salad on a hot summer day. It’s peak time to enjoy fresh cucumber, tomatoes, and other garden gems all together! I love serving this with a loaf of freshly baked bread and butter.

Thursday

You can’t get through Summer without making these summer salad rolls. And if you have never put fruit in your spring rolls, you’re seriously missing out on an amazing flavor experience. I’ve paired my tofu rolls with a wicked strawberry cashew sauce, too.

Friday

This recipe is always a huge hit! It’s so easy to put together with the roasted chicken and fries all together in the oven, and you will go crazy for the super simple Aji Verde sauce. You can also take this recipe a step further and cook the spatchcock chicken on the grill.

Saturday

There’s a reason this steak taco recipe is one of the most popular recipes on my blog! It has a fantastic tasty marinade with tender steak and makes taco night the best night of the week.

Sunday

If you’re not enjoying fresh, colorful veggies all summer long then are you really enjoying the season? Dolmeh are meant to be enjoyed hot, at room temperature, or even cold, making it a great dish to enjoy cold during those hot summer days.

Bonus Recipe!

Take advantage of seasonal goodness with this bonus recipe for delectable cherry pie! Pie might be something that you associate with making in the fall, but cherries and sour cherries are in season in the summer and there is no better way to enjoy them than in a succulent, sweet pie.

FAQs

Grocery List

Before anything else: go through your grocery list and cross off anything you already have at home. It’s easy to get forgetful at the grocery store and end up with dupes of things!

Note that where I haven’t given measurements, that means the ingredient is used in multiple recipes and you will need to buy a good stock of that item.

Here is your list for the grocery store:

Meat and Proteins

• 1.5 lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 4.5 lbs. whole chicken spatchcocked
• 2 lb. skirt steak
• 1 lb. ground lamb beef, turkey, chicken, or meat substitute
• 4 eggs 
• 1 lb. tofu

Dairy

• ¼ cup greek yogurt
• 3/4 cup vegan or regular mayonnaise

Pasta, Grains, Nuts, and Beans

• 1 pound pasta (I used tagliatelle)
• ¾ cup basmati rice 
• 1 15 oz. can black beans or kidney beans
• 2 15 oz. cans of chickpeas
• 16 rice paper wrappers (medium)
• ¼ cup cashews

Veggies & Fruit

• 1 lb. strawberries
• 5 lemons
• 6 limes
• 1 orange
• 1 lb Roma tomato + 2 large tomatoes + 3 pints cherry tomatoes any size, color, shape
• 1.5 lb Persian cucumber + 1 English cucumber
• 3 heads romaine hearts
• ½ head iceberg lettuce
• 6 oz. spinach leaves
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 bunch fresh cilantro
• 2 oz. fresh basil
• 1 pint sprouts
• 1 oz. fresh mint leaves
• 3 oz. fresh Parsley 
• 2 large carrots
• 3 avocados
• 4 jalapeños
• 8 bell peppers multi-colored (only 6 if large)
• 1 small head red cabbage
• 2 lbs. sweet potatoes
• 32 cloves garlic
• 2 yellow onions 
• 1 red onion

Pantry Items

• ½ teaspoon saffron
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric
• 3.5 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 3 ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
• 1 tablespoon white or turbinado sugar
• Salt
• Pepper

Condiments and Alcohols

• ¼ cup agave honey, or brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
• 2 teaspoon soy sauce
• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
• ¼ cup tahini
• Olive oil

Summer Desserts

Craving a delicious summer dessert? I’m here to help with these splendid dessert recipes.