Fast, Festive Summer Meals

Allow the vivid colors of summer fruits to become your palette. Grab a large white plate or pretty tray and arrange slices of watermelon, kiwi, peaches, mango, grapes, and strawberries. This beautiful arrangement can become your tables centerpiece. Add a few bowls of various yogurts around the table and your hungry brood can dip to their delight. Warm a loaf of crispy French bread, wrap it in a festive cloth and add it to the table. Arrange some sliced cheeses and smoked or roasted turkey slices (pick these up at the deli counter) and you've got an easy-does-it display that's good enough to eat. 

Participation is Key
Less structured summer days give kids the opportunity to join in meal prep. When kids cut the carrots, chances are they will eat the carrots. You might even assign your older kids a specific night to select and prepare the menu -- with you as their sous chef. Offer them a few ideas such as "breakfast for dinner" or "mac and cheese night." MomJunction.com once featured an easy, tried and true Mac & Cheese recipe:

Boil 8 oz. small pasta. Drain, then stir in 1 cup milk, 1 tablespoon butter, 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar OR 8 oz. American cheese, salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle more cheese on top. Bake at 350˙ until heated through. Easy and yummy! 

You will want to help with boiling the pasta, but other than that it's a cinch for kids about 8 years and older. To make this recipe even healthier, throw some peas (frozen or fresh) into the boiling pasta for the last few minutes of cooking time.

Picnics Inside
Even if it's raining outside, think "picnic." Who said a picnic needs to be under the sky? Pitch a pup tent in the living room or use paper plates in the dining room - the idea is simplicity and a lighthearted approach to mealtime. Buy a precooked roasted chicken from your local supermarket. You can often find organic, barbeque, or even provincial chickens for under $10. Assemble a large salad from the salad bar or buy a Caesar salad in a bag. Finally, pick up a container of vanilla frozen yogurt and some chocolate chip cookies. When you get home all you'll need to do is cut up the chicken, add it to the Caesar salad and scoop some frozen yogurt between 2 cookies, wrap them in cellophane and freeze for dessert.

Partner Up
Create a weekly summer pot luck dinner gathering with neighbors. Harkening back to those beach days where everyone contributed to joint family dinners, enlist your neighbors to join you in creating the ultimate summer easy potluck, one night a week. Your kids will love the cooperative feel where gathering together is what counts. Get out a picnic bench, paper tablecloths, and come up with simple contributions from participating families.

Protein Power
The combination of fat, protein and fiber in peanut butter makes it hard to break down, so it lasts longer in our systems  providing us more energy. A perfect, protein packed, summer dinner kids adore is Spicy Peanut Noodles. Its served chilled or at room temperature so this is a great dish to make in the morning before the day begins. Edamame is also packed with protein punch and would make a great accompaniment to these noodles. You can buy them in the freezer section of your local grocer for ultimate ease.