Long holiday weekends are made for big-batch cocktails. Gather a group of friends, mix up a big pitcher or two of something light, refreshing, and preferably packed with fruit (for health reasons, you know) and you’re set for an afternoon of day drinking. Just make sure you have plenty of pitchers of water and an abundance of snacks on hand, too. Sangria isn’t just the cheap summer drink of your younger days — it can go completely gourmet if you pair your fruit and wine right.

What is it about eating outside on a blanket or park bench that just feels so Parisian? Of course, it’s even better if you are simply-but-impeccably dressed, lounging by a river or stream of some kind (think the banks of the Seine), and serving a delicious meal out of a French market tote or picnic basket. While we can’t exactly transport you to Paris or give you a makeover, we can help ensure your picnic basket is perfectly packed. These 23 recipes will get you well on your way.

Don’t write off that muffin tin as being a unitasker only good for baking muffins and cupcakes. There are plenty of recipes, even full meals, that can be made in those small baking pans. Plus, it’s a great way to help portion out servings to freeze for later. If you’ve been on the fence about KonMari-ing your muffin tins, let these eight recipes make the case for keeping them. Poaching eggs for a crowd can be a long process.

Whether it’s for an afternoon snack or your contribution to a backyard potluck, you just can’t go wrong with a dip. They are easy to whip up to snack on or share, and varied enough that there’s an option out there for everyone. These dips are filled with veggies for flavor, and they will make your snacking more colorful in every sense of the word. You can serve them alongside baby carrots, chips, crackers, or pita.

Eat more veggies. We all should be doing it, but let’s face it — sometimes it’s easier said than done. But there are plenty of recipes you can make that give you a veggie boost without a lot of extra effort. Make any of these vegetable-filled dishes this week and soon you’ll realize that getting those veggies in is easier and tastier than you might have thought. We all love mac and cheese, but it isn’t always the healthiest option.

There’s something so perfect about a one-bowl meal. Equal parts comforting and efficient (we’ll always be in favor of fewer dishes to wash), bowl meals are just better — and this is especially true when it comes to lunch. After all, when you’re in the middle of a busy day, you need all the time-saving power that a meal in a bowl can provide. Here are 15 of our best one-bowl meals that are perfect for lunchtime.

We’re pretty sure the phrase “save the best for last” became popular because we eat dessert at the end of the meal. When you’re the host, you want to wow your guests at every course, but especially during dessert. The good news is that impressive doesn’t have to mean impossible. These showstopping desserts won’t take all day to make, but they will guarantee that your dinner guests talk about them for days.

Whether you’re a vegetarian or you’ve just been trying to incorporate more meatless meals into your dinner routine, we can all use some quick vegetarian recipes to make on busy weeknights. (Even better if they are more exciting than a bowl of pasta with pesto and veggies.) Luckily, we have plenty of ideas for easy vegetarian-friendly meals that won’t keep you in the kitchen for hours. If you have leftover black beans, you can whip these tacos up in no time.

We love a menu board — especially one that’s easily customizable and evokes a vintage feel in our kitchens. And this new line of diner-style menu boards from Letterfolk in Salt Lake City totally delivers. Available in two sizes and three different frame colors, the Letterfolk boards are the first time we’ve really seen those classic menu boards designed for home use.

There are many reasons we’ve been trying to cut down on kitchen waste — to stop tossing so much out and stretch our budgets, to name a few — but thankfully there are plenty of recipes that use up all those odds and ends in our kitchens. I mean, have you tried baking your potato peels? You should.

If you have kids, you’re likely familiar with dealing with allergy-free snacks. Peanuts and peanut butter are often banned from many classrooms and schools, along with a host of other foods you might have grown up loving. What if eggs, dairy, and gluten were also off the table? Turns out there are plenty of options that deliver snacks you want to eat in a way that works for most people at the table.

You’ve probably been hearing a lot of buzz about Whole30 lately — especially from people who are going gluten-free or adopting a Paleo diet. While there are some overlaps between these three dietary strategies, Whole30 is geared to be a 30-day diet, while Paleo is a larger lifestyle change. Whole30 involves giving up grains, legumes, dairy, sugar, and alcohol completely for 30 days. (You can see the guidelines and exceptions here.

When the dinner rush means you need to put a healthy, flavorful meal on the table fast, it’s time to consider a sandwich — or burger, or wrap. These vegetarian takes on the handheld meal deliver on satisfaction and give you the added bonus of an extra helping of veggies, beans, or grains. There’s a chickpea and sweet potato patty laced with the sweet heat of Sriracha, and a beet-based veggie burger that owes its savory essence to smoked paprika.