16 Easy Summer Dinner Recipes for Family Meals

Vanessa M.:  This cucumber noodle dish is the perfect summer dinner idea for hot days when you don't want to turn on the stove. It tastes so fresh and cool! I like to top mine with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar and olive oil. From Two Peas & Their Pod

Kelly R:  This creative twist on a BLT is one of the favorite easy summer dinner recipes in my house! The homemade dip makes it feel a little more special for dinner, and it's so easy that your kids can help whip it up. This recipe is a great way to use up leftover rotisserie chicken. From Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Jaclyn Keifer:  I’m a huge fan of taking classics and jazzing them up. I love easy things in the summer, especially if there are extra veggies in there for my kiddos. What a simple yet scrumptious way to enjoy a winter classic in the summer! From Super Healthy Kids

Sarah Calamita:  My absolute favorite salad is the Wrightwood from Crosby's in Chicago. They did a great job of recreating it here. Definitely make the dressing and cornbread croutons! I serve deconstructed for my kids. From A Hint of Honey

Sue Krawitz Tandoc:  This flavorful, easy to make summer meal is bursting with bright colors and traditional summer favorites of fresh corn, ripe tomatoes, red pepper and green onion. It calls for Feta cheese but my kids like it better with mozzarella sprinkled on top. You can also mix it up with other favorite veggies like spinach for an added punch of vitamins. From Taste of Home

Kelly R:  This amazing grill recipe includes one of my favorite chicken marinades ever, a super-flavorful lemon, oregano and smoked paprika combo. My kids prefer salads like this that are served disassembled, so everyone can pick the toppings they want. To shave off prep time, sometimes we use a store-bought tzatziki instead of making our own. From Smitten Kitchen

Kelly R:  My family loves fresh pineapple on the grill, and it's one of the most kid-friendly ideas for hot dog toppings when a plain dog just won't do! As long as you've already got the grill fired up, it's easy to throw on some pineapple and onions for this fun Hawaiian-inspired hot dog recipe. Try it for an easy vacation meal, too! From Taste and Tell

Vanessa M.:  This refreshing recipe for cold peanut noodle salad is full of crunchy, raw veggies and chilled pasta in a flavorful peanut sauce. The spiciness level of the sauce is easy to adjust to little one's tastes - just lower the amount of sriracha! I like to up the protein in this dish by adding shelled edamame, cubed tofu, or cold grilled chicken in this dish. From Savory Tooth

Alexandra F.:  One of our favorite easy summer family meals is inspired by the delicious chopped salad from Wildfire, a Chicago-area restaurant chain we love. All we do is take any leafy green we like (often baby spinach, sometimes green leaf lettuce), and add chopped up pieces of hard boiled eggs, grilled chicken, avocado, tomato, bacon, feta or blue cheese, and tortilla chips. The key ingredient, however, is the Citrus Lime Vinaigrette. You can purchase it online at speciality food stores, or make this copycat recipe! From Key Ingredient

Kelly R:  One of the best chicken breast recipes for picky eaters (like mine) who will try pretty much anything with ranch dressing! We love this kid-friendly crockpot chicken as a change from the typical beef tacos that we have so often, and each family member can add whatever toppings they prefer. From Creme de la Crumb

Lindsay Fairbrother:  Our local grocery store chain (Harris Teeter) has premade chicken tacos on sale every Tuesday. It comes with the meat, cabbage, cheese, salsa, crema, and soft shells. Super easy 10 minute weeknight meal! We change it up weekly by heating up the chicken with different seasonings like a regular taco seasoning packet, jerk seasoning or Korean BBQ.

Jaclyn Keifer:  I’m a huge fan of fresh things in the summer and I love making things like this and eating it for a few days instead of cooking so often. Less cooking means more time outside!! From Super Healthy Kids

Kelly R:  We use this technique to grill pizza in the summertime when it's too hot to run the oven for our weekly pizza and movie night family tradition. The grill gives it such a great flavor that you really can't replicate any other way, and it's fun to use the hot grill to cook up your favorite toppings, too. From Simply Recipes

Kelly R:  This salad is a healthy Trader Joe's recipe that can easily be served deconstructed for kids who prefer it that way. Cook any variety of Trader Joe's frozen potstickers according to the package. Serve over a salad composed of shredded cabbage, edamame, shredded carrot, chopped snow peas, bell peppers, cucumbers, green onion and chopped peanuts. Drizzle with Trader Joe's Spicy Peanut Vinaigrette or another favorite dressing.

Pat Rupiper:  Produce is in, and it is as easy as adding to cooked pasta. Combine 2 pints cherry tomatoes (halved),

1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 crushed garlic clove.

Let sit on counter for over 30 minutes. It will become very juicy. Add fresh basil leaves that are cut up small (or torn) and about a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar. Stir in the cooked pasta and serve, or feel free to stir the pasta and tomatoes in a pan to warm up.

Use the freshest tomatoes (larger ones cut up will work too) and add whatever other herbs you wish. If you must use dried, put in with the tomatoes on the counter to infuse their flavor.