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How to Make Meal Prep Summer-Friendly

How to Make Meal Prep Summer-Friendly

by HexClad Cookware

Grilled Prawns with Fresh Tomato

Meal prep in the summer lands differently. When the heat’s relentless and your schedule’s all over the place, the last thing you want is a finicky recipe or a steamy kitchen.

The trick is to shift your strategy: Think cooler, faster and more flexible. A little upfront planning goes a long way in keeping meals fresh, satisfying and low-effort. Though a bit of stovetop or batch cooking has its place (especially in the cooler hours), don’t underestimate what you can do with a cutting board, sharp knives, fresh produce and a few good mixing bowls.

And when the kitchen’s unbearable? The grill is always open.

1. Embrace No-Cook Recipes

First off, summer meal prep doesn’t have to involve any stove at all. Crisp, vibrant dishes that serve a crowd are a great call. See: Snap Pea & Radish Salad With Creamy Lemon-Poppyseed Vinaigrette and our Tomato, Peach & Burrata Salad With Chili-Lime Vinaigrette. Meanwhile, our Smashed Cucumber & Melon Salad With Sesame Crunch is refreshing, punchy and comes together in minutes—plus, it'll only increase in flavor over time.

For something more hands-on, try a batch of Rice Paper Summer Rolls. They’re easy to prep, endlessly customizable and great for packed weekday lunches. Of course, a good sandwich is always a no-cook win, especially when it’s layered up like our Hex Hoagie. Keep a few of these in your rotation and thank yourself when the temperatures start to climb.

Snap Pea & Radish Salad with Creamy Lemon Poppyseed Vinaigrette

2. Let Produce Star

When summer produce is at its peak, it doesn’t need much help. Both sweet peas and snap peas are a standout—toss them into our super-quick Sugar Snap Pea, Corn & Tomato Stir Fry or bake them into a few days’ worth of breakfasts with a Leek, Pea & Goat Cheese Frittata.

And while strawberries and other seasonal fruit are often reserved for dessert (see: Skillet Strawberry and Brown Butter Crumble), they’re just as good piled over overnight oats or a bowl of yogurt and granola. Of course, no summer lineup is complete without vegetables on the grill. We’re planning plenty of dinners around the Warm Grilled Zucchini, Feta & Basil Salad, plus easy lunches featuring Sweet Chile & Ricotta Eggplant Toast.

3. Use Hydrating Ingredients

Fruits and vegetables with high water content are, quite literally, refreshing—which makes them ideal for summer meal prep. Our Smashed Cucumber & Melon Salad and Tomato, Peach & Burrata Salad are standouts, offering bold flavor and hydration in every bite. For something quick and satisfying, toss watermelon with avocado, feta, olive oil and lime juice for a no-fuss side. And while lettuce sometimes gets a bad rap, it doesn’t have to mean a boring bowl of greens. Try charring whole heads of little gem in our Grilled Little Gem Salad with Calabrian Chile Caesar for something crisp, smoky and unexpected.

4. Fast Is Your Friend

It’s all well and good to say we’re avoiding cooking entirely in the summer, but that’s not realistic. When the stove does have to go on, fall back on reliable, quick-cooking faves that keep the heat at a bare simmer. For a restaurant-worthy tuna salad, try Tuna Tataki & Crispy Rice Salad.

Craving a taste of last summer’s epic Greek vacation? Go for Lamb & Feta Stuffed Pitas with Creamy Tomato-Cucumber Salad. And if it’s comfort food or bust, Crispy Cheese BBQ Chicken Tacos make for a family-friendly, ultra-fast dinner. When only steak will do, lean into the multitasking power of the Hybrid Double Burner Griddle and whip up Griddled Chile-Garlic Steak Fajitas.

Lamb & Feta Stuffed Pitas with Creamy Tomato-Cucumber Salad

5. When All Else Fails, Grill

Cooking feels a lot less like work when the grill’s doing the heavy lifting (especially if you have a cold drink in-hand). Go beyond burgers and hot dogs with a Hybrid BBQ Grill Pan—it’s ideal for small vegetables, shrimp and anything else that tends to slip through the grates. Lately, we’re using it on repeat for Grilled Prawns with Fresh Tomato and Watermelon Salad, Grilled Lemon Broccoli with Pistachio-Parmesan Sprinkles and Grilled Sweet Honey Glazed Chicken Wings with Shishito Peppers.

And honestly, with killer pepperoni pizza coming off the grill thanks to the Hybrid Pizza Steel, we’re wondering why we ever cook indoors at all.

Summer’s starting to feel like the best season to cook, after all.

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