6 Weeks of Oven-Free Meal Plans to Keep on Repeat All Summer
I rely on my oven all year long, but in the stifling heat of summer I find excuses for avoiding it all together. My air conditioner simply can’t handle it! As much as I love no-cook sandwiches and salads, I still want variety in my meal plans. Thankfully, our kitchens are filled with tools that can help get dinner on the table, while still keeping our kitchens cool. Here are six meal plans that put your slow cooker, Instant Pot, and grill to use when it’s just too hot for the oven.
1. 5 Absolutely Easy, No-Heat Summer Dinners
From a Mediterranean tuna and white bean salad to black bean and corn burritos, this plan will set you up with some of our easiest summer suppers. They keep the oven and stove off, and there’s no need to fire up the grill or pull out the slow cooker or Instant Pot. Each meal requires nothing more than some chopping, stirring, and assembly. Here’s what I’m feeding my family this week.
Get the plan: 5 Absolutely Easy, No-Heat Summer Dinners
2. A Week of Oven-Free Dinners When It’s Too Hot to Cook
The slow cooker and grill come to the rescue in this oven-free dinner plan. It’ll show you how to serve burritos, saucy sloppy Joes, and even pasta without standing over the stove.
Get the plan: A Week of Oven-Free Dinners When It’s Too Hot to Cook
3. 5 No-Cook Dinners for When It’s Too Hot to Cook
Assembly-style dinners are key to this no-cook plan. Lean on sliced veggies from the fridge, cold-soaked noodles, bakery breads, and pre-cooked proteins because it’s too hot to attempt anything more.
Get the plan: 5 No-Cook Dinners for When It’s Too Hot to Cook
4. The Best Keto Grill Recipes to Meal Prep for the Week
Don’t make the mistake of overlooking this plan just because you aren’t eating keto. It’s still a week of grilled vegetables and marinated meats — all made without going near the oven! This plan also walks you through step-by-step meal prep if you want to get a head-start.
Get the plan: How I Prep a Week of Keto Meals for the Grill
5. 5 Healthy Slow Cooker Dinners to Make Before Summer Ends
No grill, no problem! Make a week of summery meals using your slow cooker. Transform your farmers market haul into ratatouille and use pesto to add flavor to tender chicken bites. And when a summer thunderstorm rolls in, you’ll be happy to have a sweet corn chowder ready to serve.
Get the plan: 5 Healthy Slow Cooker Dinners to Make Before Summer Ends
6. How I Prep a Week of Instant Pot Dinners
When I step into the kitchen to meal prep, I automatically reach for the oven dial. Now that it is hot outside, I’m retraining that reflex to reach for my Instant Pot instead. Make everything from eggs to Italian beef sandwiches to red beans and rice — all without the help of the stove.
Get the plan: How I Prep a Week of Instant Pot Dinners