Up in New Hampshire, we have a water park called “Water Country.” The jingle goes “When the sun is blazing and the summer is hot, Water Country’s a very cool spot…” I always think, “When the sun is blazing and the summer is hot, my STOVE IS NOT A COOL SPOT!” Seriously though, AVOID AVOID AVOID! Danger Will Robinson! No cook lunch ideas are an absolute must!
I’ve compiled some of my absolute favorite no cook lunch ideas, dinners, meals and camping ideas to get you through these hot days!
Healthy Banana Split
This is such a cool idea! My kids went absolutely “bananas” over this one. When you realize you’ve been living without this, for no reason, you may feel a bit silly (like I did). These are not on the regular rotation for lunch, breakfast, or dessert and my family couldn’t be happier!
How to Make a Healthy Banana Split
You only need a few simple ingredients to make a healthy banana split yourself:
- Bananas
- Yogurt of your choice
- Fresh or defrosted frozen fruit
- Toppings like chocolate chips, sprinkles, whipped cream, or coconut flakes!
Simply slice a banana down the middle as if you’re making an ice cream treat, pour on your favorite yogurt, top with fresh berries, and whatever toppings you like! My 5 year old loves sprinkles and a few chocolate chips while my 7 year old keeps it clean with just fruit.
YOGURT PARFAIT
Yogurt parfaits are a big hit in my family. And they are great for more than just breakfast. I like to try to avoid the added sugars and just use plain greek yogurt with fresh fruit, homemade granola, and honey if you need some sweetness. These days there a a myriad of yogurt options that a delicious and healthy. Each is designed to fit individual dietary needs. Because it looks almost like ice cream, my kids look at this as a real treat rather than a healthy lunch. You can get the full recipe for my favorite homemade granola here!
Chickpea Salad Sandwich
Chickpea salad is fabulous any time of year but I really like to make it in the summer time. It’s a cool treat and goes great in a sandwich. There are definitely days that I don’t want to fire up the stove because it’s so hot. For this salad, I simply need to reach into the pantry for a can of chickpeas and the fridge for some mayo and a few other pantry ingredients to really get things going. You can get the full recipe here!
Pantry Friendly Gazpacho
I originally made this gazpacho recipe on a Dollar Tree challenge. So, if you can believe it, this soup is made entirely from items from Dollar Tree! This makes this soup very inexpensive and because there were no fresh ingredients, it’s really pantry friendly. This is a great soup to make in the summer when you want to avoid using the stove. You’ll only need a food processor or blender to make it and I promise you won’t be disappointed. Get the full recipe here!
Greek Chickpea Salad
This is a fantastic summer dish because it’s light, fresh, and served cold. It’s perfect to use up inexpensive summer vegetables from the farm stand or your own garden. I originally featured this recipe in my post 25 New Rice and Beans Recipes You’ll Love because it’s a great way to use up that can of chickpeas in the pantry while using in-season produce.
It’s also a great recipe for swapping out for what you have. I used fresh dill, which is super easy to get in the summer but you could totally swap this out for dried dill. I did swap Kalamata olives for avocado because I don’t really like olives but you do what works for you! For example, you can always switch out your cheese using goat instead of feta! Or do no cheese at all.
Check out the full recipe here!
Cottage Cheese Bowl
Cottage Cheese Bowls have been a go-to breakfast, snack, or lunch for me for a while. They are a really clean choice that is hight in protein and full of vegetables. You can get the full recipe here.
Tuscan Tuna Salad
This Tuscan Tuna Salad is a great, fresh summer salad that uses both pantry ingredients and fresh in-season veggies. I love grabbing simple additions like great northern or cannellini beans and tuna to finish off what would be a simple garden salad. This salad is extremely low ingredient and can become a meal with those simple additions. Get the full recipe here!
My Favorite Recipe For Three Bean Salad
Growing up, it couldn’t be a summer BBQ in my house without 3 bean salad. This is why it ranks as one of the best bbq side dishes hands down. I specifically requested it time after time. And my mom would oblige because I wasn’t the only one who loved it so much! Easy to make and it only takes a few cans to put together, this is a budget friendly classic!
You know a recipe is good when your mom sends you a picture like this! Now we did change a few things, she switched out the black eyed peas for wax beans and never used tarragon. You can make this your own and I guarantee you’ll make it again and again!
ROTISSERIE CHICKEN CAESAR SALAD
All hail the rotisserie chicken and it’s easy budget friendly qualities! In my area, one chicken costs less than $5 and can feed us for at least two meals. When it comes to cheap and easy dinners, the rotisserie is your friend. My family absolutely loves Caesar salad and is absolutely joyful when I serve this up. This is a fast meal that I can make in about 5 minutes and costs less than $10.
WHAT YOU NEED FOR YOUR SALAD
Now this caesar salad doesn’t even really have to follow the traditional caesar salad route. In fact, the salad can actually be a garden salad depending on what you have on hand. My local store has a large head of lettuce for $1.50, half of the chicken is around $2.50, croutons are $1 but you can always make up your own with stale bread, parm is considered a pantry staple in my house, and caesar dressing is $1.99 but you won’t need the whole container. Mix it all together and enjoy! And remember, add in extra vegetables if you have them! Heck, even use a different type of dressing or make your own!
Waldorf Chicken Salad
I made this recipe when trying out some 1920’s recipes but naturally didn’t have all of the original ingredients. And I’m not mad! We loved this so much more than the Waldorf Salad original recipe and even made it again for camping just a few days later. Now, it’s a much requested cool lunch or dinner in our household. Find the full recipe here!
More of the Best No Cook Recipes!
To see me make all these no cook lunch ideas and provide some extra cooking tips, go ahead and watch my Youtube Video here! And now that you have a great start cooking for less this summer check out some fast food copycat recipes here. And, if you’re really just short on time and money, it’s ok because I’ve made a list of 15 recipes that can be made for just $5 in less than 10 minutes!
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