If you’re looking for an Easy Summer Capsule Meal Plan & Recipes, you’re in the right place! We all know what it’s like to need to get dinner on the table on busy weeknights, so here’s an easy meal plan template and collection of quick recipes for dinner, including all the fresh summer recipes to help you make it happen.
This easy Summer Capsule Meal Plan is designed to help you have fewer decisions and more ease in your week with plenty of quick recipes for dinner so you can fully enjoy the season. This is how you can Feel Good Effectmeal planning and streamline meal prep for our family.
What’s a Capsule Meal Plan?
If you’re new to the idea of a capsule meal plan and what it can do for you, I recorded a whole podcast episode for you about it. Similar to the concept of a capsule wardrobe, this capsule meal plan reduces my daily decision fatigue while still leaving plenty of room for flexibility.
Instead of trying to do it all perfectly, I simply pick a meal type for each day of the week – something I know I enjoy like Taco Tuesday or Grill Night.
And then choose from a short list of simple, delicious recipes. Ones that are quick to throw together with very minimal prep. All made with feel-good, real food ingredients.
Summer Meal Plan: Table of Contents
To get you inspired, I’ve laid out 4 nights of example meal categories that are perfect for this season. Plus a few favorite, fuss-free recipes under each one.
Protein-packed and full of flavor, Grilled Salmon Salad with Sweet Basil Vinaigrette is a simple weeknight dinner that’s special enough for entertaining.
Smokey Lime Grilled Chicken with 5-Ingredient Strawberry Salsa
Break out the grill and whip up this super simple, super flavorful Smokey Lime Grilled Chicken with 5-Ingredient Strawberry Salsa recipe for dinner tonight!
Balsamic Grilled Chicken with Avocado Cherry Tomato Salad
This simple Balsamic Grilled Chicken with Avocado Cherry Tomato Salad takes just minutes to prepare and is bursting with fresh flavors. Grab a few simple ingredients and grill this one up tonight!
Bursting with vibrant flavors and nourishing ingredients, Peach Chicken Basil Glow Bowls will have your feeling amazing from the inside out. A gluten-free, dairy-free, paleo, whole30 recipe.
Ingredients: chicken breasts (or thighs), zucchini, onion, cooked quinoa (or cauliflower rice), peaches, garlic, white balsamic (or white wine vinegar), olive oil, fresh basil and salt.
Super fresh and so versatile, Build-Your-Own Veggie Quinoa Power Bowls are simple to prepare and packed with flavor.
Ingredients: quinoa, arugula (or baby spinach), cherry tomatoes, hummus, zucchini, yellow squash, red bell peppers, red onion, scallions, extra virgin olive oil, honey, lemon juice and salt.
These healthy Southwest Black Bean Quinoa Bowls are quick and easy to make, and are topped with the most delicious homemade cumin lime dressing. Perfect for a light vegetarian dinner, colorful side dish or make-ahead lunch!
Ingredients: quinoa, water or stock, canned black beans, red cabbage, cherry tomatoes, bell pepper, corn, pumpkin seeds, cilantro, lime juice, cumin, mild chili powder, maple syrup (or honey), olive oil and salt.
All the flavor of an egg-roll, but without the fuss. Tossed together with a tangle of veggie noodles, Egg Roll Veggie Noodle Bowls are gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, egg-free, nut-free, Paleo, Whole30 and so delicious!
Ingredients: ground turkey (or ground chicken or pork), crimini mushrooms, cabbage (or slaw mix), carrots, coconut aminos, vegetable noodles (spiralized carrots or zucchini), lime juice, green onion, ginger, olive oil, and salt.
This ground turkey skillet with sauce comes together in 20 minutes using one pan! It's savory, satisfying, and packed full of Asian-inspired flavors. Asparagus or broccoli florets can easily be substituted for the green beans. My top tip? Double this quick and easy recipe. You'll want leftovers!
Ingredients: ground turkey (light or dark meat), green beans, garlic, ginger, honey, chicken stock, lime juice (or rice wine vinegar), tamari, arrowroot powder, olive oil, and salt.
This Healthy Orange Chicken Asparagus Stir-Fry is light, fresh, filling and so delicious. Full of golden-brown chicken, crisp asparagus, and a tangy naturally-sweet sauce, it's the perfect last minute dinner to make any night of the week.
This quick and easy honey mustard chicken stir-fry uses fresh spring veggies and a tangy-sweet sauce, putting an unexpected twist on the typical weeknight chicken dinner.
Easy dinner ideas are my specialty—and this homemade honey-lime cabbage slaw for fish tacos delivers. Simple purple cabbage slaw elevates these fish tacos with slaw from an everyday dinner to a super-fast, flavor-packed dinner that’s ready in just 25 minutes! The slaw is a great topping idea for fish tacos and serves double duty as a veggie side dish too, if that’s what you prefer.
Ingredients: white fish (like rockfish, cod or tilapia), purple cabbage, lime juice, avocado, green onions, mayonnaise (or plain yogurt), honey, olive oil, cumin, mild chili powder, garlic powder, ground black pepper and salt.
20-Minute Salmon Fish Tacos with Quick Cabbage Slaw
Follow these steps at home to make these easy salmon fish tacos with a simple cabbage slaw topping! In these 20-minute tacos, fresh or frozen salmon can be used.
Ingredients: salmon, cabbage, tortillas (or grain-free wraps or lettuce wraps), mayonnaise (or plain Greek yogurt), lime juice, and salt.
These super tasty Weeknight Turkey Tacos with Sweet Corn Salsa are quick to pull together on a busy weeknight and take advantage of the best seasonal summer produce.
This Black Bean Quinoa Bowl recipe combines bell peppers, cabbage, cherry tomatoes, corn, pumpkin seeds and cilantro with an easy, healthy cumin lime dressing. Plus 15 more summer recipes & easy capsule meal plan I know you'll love!
Place the quinoa in a strainer and rinse well. Place the rinsed quinoa in a pot with a tight-fitting lid along with the water (or vegetable / chicken stock). Cover, bring to a boil, reduce to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Turn the heat off and let stand for an additional 5 minutes.
While the quinoa cooks make the dressing by whisking the lime juice, salt, cumin, chili powder, cayenne, and honey or maple syrup until well combined. Drizzle in the olive oil and whisk again until well combined.
In a large bowl add the warm quinoa and black beans and dressing. Allow to sit 5 minutes for the quinoa and black beans to absorb the dressing. Add cabbage, tomatoes, bell pepper, and corn, stirring to combine. Top with pumpkin seeds and cilantro, then serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
recipe & kid-friendly adaptations1 | Sunflower seeds would also work in place of the pumpkin seeds2 | Use maple syrup in place of honey in the dressing to keep this recipe vegan-friendly3 | Before adding the dressing to the quinoa set some aside. Drizzle with olive oil or add a bit of butter and a pinch of salt. This preparation may appeal to the kids who prefer noodles with butter, and is more nutritious (it’s also messier, but we’ll just ignore that part).4 | Serve all the veggies separately on the plate, or serve them family-style in small bowls at the table. Let the child serve themselves the veggies, then toss them in the bowl. Again, messier, but surprisingly effective. 5 | Let them use the seeds as “sprinkles” to top off their bowl masterpiece.
Robyn, Thank you for the summer meal capsule plan!! I’ve been hoping you would create a capsule meal plan for the warmer weather. I’m especially excited to try the sauces – they sound delicious! My mouth was watering listening to your podcast 😋.
I made this last night and it as so delicious!! I was skeptical that it would be filling for dinner but both my husband and I were full and loved it!! Thank you so much!!
Yay! I’ve been waiting, hoping and wishing you would make a summer time capsule meal plan. The fall episode changed my life. Thank you!
Megan, YAY!! Thank you for sharing these kind words. Makes us want to start working on a fall edition. Here’s to a happy healthy summer. Cheers!
Robyn, Thank you for the summer meal capsule plan!! I’ve been hoping you would create a capsule meal plan for the warmer weather. I’m especially excited to try the sauces – they sound delicious! My mouth was watering listening to your podcast 😋.
Karen, yay, so happy you’re excited about this one. And yes to all the easy, flavorful sauces. Hope you enjoy!
These recipes all look amazing! Thanks for taking the time to pull this together, I can’t wait to start grilling.
Yay, thank you Lisa! Hope you enjoy! 🙂
I made this last night and it as so delicious!! I was skeptical that it would be filling for dinner but both my husband and I were full and loved it!! Thank you so much!!
Wonderful, so happy to hear you and your husband enjoyed this one. Thanks so much for leaving a review!
This is my new favorite thing to eat. I added chicken. So delicious!!
Yay, so happy to hear you enjoyed this one. Great call on adding chicken, too. Thanks so much for leaving a review!