Can you believe that summer is finally here? Winter seemed to last forever this year and spring started in May – so I’m due some sunshine and fun times right about now! The beginning of summer softball season is here, too. With two kids in travel programs, we will be on the road every weekend until August.
That’s why we are going to give you some ideas for quick and easy summer food. Things you can whip up in a jiffy and ideas for things to keep stocked in your kitchen for food on the go. It’s hard to eat REAL all the time when time is tight, so we want to share with you what we do to avoid eating out all the time.
Full disclosure, many times it’s a free-for-all in my house. After a long day, I can’t always get my –ish together and we wing it. That is why I love having pre-made food in the freezer and hearty snacks on hand. I will cook up a big batch of something, then put into individual freezer bags or containers. Then when you need a meal, you are ready. Frozen food is also nice to bring with you since it will defrost by lunchtime on a warm day.
Hummus and pre-cut veggies, nut butter and apples, hard boiled eggs (ready in mere minutes in the pressure cooker) and guac, cheese and deli meat are all staples for a quick meal. Bars are always great, but be sure to pick ones that you can live with the ingredients - we like nuts and seeds as the base, gluten free and not covered in pseudo sugar. Jerky is another quick protein source – again watch out for iffy ingredients.
If you have a bit more time, grab some bagged salad greens and add a can of wild caught tuna and some olives. I even found some salad toppers at Trader Joes – they have nuts and seeds and are individually portioned to add to your salad.
If you are headed out for a day’s activities, you can pack any of the above into a cooler. If you are headed on the road, you will need to think about how you are traveling (car or plane or camel) and what you will have at the other end – like a rental car, a fridge or microwave in your room, a real kitchen. Either way, plan to do a bit more stocking up when you arrive for perishables like veggies and fruit.
For meals on a trip and when you are eating out for several days, try to keep it simple. Pick a nice protein and have it with a salad or get a burger wrapped in lettuce. Avoid the fried foods, the bread and other heavy carbs to keep you from feeling weighed down. Keep up the ruffage intake to keep your system moving along – (mine tends to freeze up when I step out of the front door). Not cool when you are away from home.
Oh yeah, and don’t forget to drink your water! You have got to stay hydrated when you are out and about. Drinking water can also help fill you up when you are feeling snacky.
Summer is a great time to avoid the drive thru! Or take out, or fast food, or whatever “less than ideal” food choices you tend to gravitate toward when you are short on time. Get some individually packed cooked protein into your freezer and some cut up veggies into your fridge. Spend a little time prepping on one day to save yourself time on the other 6.