Summer days are full and fun, and no one wants to worry about what’s for lunch. This printable menu with summer lunch ideas that are quick and easy, healthy, and more varied than a simple pb&j everyday will simplify lunchtime and meal planning!
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Lunch time can be a tricky time of the day to prepare/serve/enjoy a meal together because (#obvs) it’s in the middle of the day, and we usually have to pause whatever we are doing to go make lunch…which isn’t always what I feel like doing.
Plus, I find that lunches tend to be the same things over and over for most people. Some families are content with the same two to three lunches in rotation, but sometimes it’s nice to have a little variety without sacrificing convenience or nutrition.
Lunches happen to be one of my favorite meals of the day. I enjoy planning different lunches, matching up ingredients we have on hand, and pulling together various components to end up with colorful meals that give us the protein/carbs/vitamins/energy we all need to make it through the rest of the day.
I share our lunches most days in my Instagram stories with the hope that it will inspire new ideas and new combinations for others as well. You can check out my #tpllunchtray and my Lunch Inspo highlights for past ideas. If you’re on Instagram too, follow me and watch my stories on IG for daily tips and inspiration!
Summer Lunch Ideas + Printable Menu
I realized two things recently when I was working on my weekly meal plan. First, I tend to rotate through the same 10-ish lunches every week. And second, I still needed help remembering when it came time to actually write down a plan. (Do you plan lunches in your meal plan? I find it so helpful!)
So, naturally, I decided to create a summer lunch menu that would have all my go-to lunch ideas in one place. I divided the menu into PICNIC IDEAS (because so many of our lunches in the spring and summer are eaten at parks), into COLD LUNCHES that you can easily prep ahead of time, into HOT LUNCHES that are both quick and filling. I also included a FUN & FEASTING section with a handful of ideas for lunches that are great for special occasions and that are perfect for easy hospitality meals to share with friends.
You can print a copy of the Summer Lunch Menu with all the ideas filled in, or you can print off a blank copy to fill in your own ideas. Tack up a menu in the kitchen, on your fridge, and tuck one in your planner or bullet journal for quick reference when it comes time for you to meal plan too.
Any idea on the Summer Lunch Menu that has a recipe on the blog is marked with a star. Find a link to the recipes below. You can save this post on your homepage or pin it to your lunch Pinterest board for quick access to the lunch recipes. There are also a few recipes from my cookbook that are marked with a “C”.
Printable Summer Lunch Menu
All of the meals on this list can be assembled quickly with basic ingredients. While I do plan to eat leftovers for lunch once a week, we definitely don’t have enough leftovers to feed our family of seven everyday.
I hope these ideas help you to find fresh inspiration for lunch time! I’d love to see how you put this Summer Lunch Menu to use, and I always love to see when you try my recipes. Don’t forget to tag me @thispilgrimlife so I can see!
GRAB AND GO PICNIC RECIPES ::
- Best Ever Ranch Dressing
- Perfect Creamy Peanut Butter
- Chia Seed Jam
- Amazing Fresh Salsa
- Restaurant-Style Salsa with Lime & Green Chiles
- Easy Barbecue Dipping Sauce
MAKE-AHEAD || EASY PREP
HOT, QUICK, & EASY
- Sheetpan Nachos
- How to Make Boxed Mac’n’Cheese in the Instant Pot
- Creamiest Ranch Mac’n’Cheese in the Instant Pot
- Twisted Stuffed Breadsticks
- Tex-Mex Tortilla Pizzas
- Instant Pot Garlic Orzo with Bacon and Greens
- Stovetop Popcorn
- Carrot Raisin Muffins
- Nutty Blueberry Muffins
- Healthy Banana Bread (use batter for muffins instead)
- Raisin, Date, & Walnut Muffins
- Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
FUN & FEASTING
- Simple, Thin Crust Pizza Dough
- 30 Minute Instant Pot Barbecue Chicken
- Instant Pot Lentil Sloppy Joes
- Instant Pot Macaroni with Bacon & Peas
More Printable Resources Like This ::
- Adventure Day Food Ideas + Free Printable Menu
- Spring & Summer Dinner Ideas
- Kitchen Essentials Checklist
- Mega List of Easy Dinner Ideas
- 75+ Budget-Friendly, Frugal Meal Ideas List
Christy Diaz says
Thank you so much for this!!!! Super helpful and is going to literally save my sanity!!!