Family Meal Plan: Summer Menu

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This family-friendly, two-week healthy meal plan is designed for the spring and summer months and is full of recipes the whole family will love that are easy to make — plus, it comes with a free printable shopping list.



 

Healthy Meal Plan + Tips

If you want to feed your family well but aren’t sure where to start, this is the post for you. I have a whole foods approach to eating that your whole family will gobble up (with no health food store needed… score).

This meal plan is ideal for families because all of the recipes are beyond simple, the ingredients are easy to find, and your whole family will chow down the meals. If you are new to healthy eating or trying to eat with a focus on whole foods, this a great place to start because the recipes are very traditional while also being simply delicious, if I do say so myself.

I do want to mention that “healthy” is a relative term, and we may not agree on what it means. To me, it’s about balance, eating foods that make you feel good, and not restricting yourself. 

🍽️ More Easy Family Meal Planning Ideas!

Healthy Eating Meal Plan: Summer Menu

Let me take the thinking out of feeding your family! This eating clean meal plan is great for busy families who want to eat at home more! You are going to love all of the tried-and-true recipes I’ve been making for my family of seven for years.

Breakfast:

Here are 14 breakfast ideas to start your morning off well.

  1. Scrambled Eggs + Muffins 
  2. Whole Wheat Waffles
  3. Breakfast Burritos (with roasted sweet potatoes)
  4. Oatmeal (with frozen berries)
  5. Egg Bake 
  6. Pancakes
  7. Granola + berries + milk (like cold cereal)
  8. Scrambled Eggs + Muffins 
  9. Waffles 
  10. Breakfast Cookies
  11. Oatmeal or Overnight Oats
  12. Egg Bake 
  13. Strawberry Pancakes
  14. Granola + berries + milk 

Tip: Make a double batch of the waffles and pancakes on the first day, and freeze half for the second time you plan to serve them for breakfast. Thaw in the fridge overnight, and reheat in a toaster. Easy as can be!

Lunch:

Here are some simple lunch ideas for your family that can be made at home or taken on the go to work, school, or the park.

  1. Homemade Lunchables
  2. Quesadillas
  3. Peanut Butter and Honey Sandwiches
  4. Sandwich on a Stick Lunchbox Ideas
  5. Leftovers
  6. Muffin Tray Meal
  7. Hummus Sandwich
  8. Avocado Egg Salad Sandwich

Remember: Don’t overthink lunch! I feel like this should be a fuss-free meal in the day.

I’ve made this EVEN EASIER! Sign up here to get a free PDF printable shopping list for the dinners included in this meal plan.

2 Weeks of Dinners the Whole Family Will Love

Dinner is the hardest meal of the day because everyone’s a little bit tired, and there’s still a lot left to do (homework, sports practice, baths, bedtime, cleanup, etc.). Here’s my easy meal plan that is perfect for summertime dinners that’ll take the stress out of getting the final meal of the day on the table! All of these recipes are made WITHOUT TURNING ON THE OVEN! They are made in the slow cooker, on the grill, or on the stove top. No hot house needed!

Week 1

Day 1: Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork (the BBQ sauce is served as an optional addition at the end)

Day 2: Grilled Salmon Foil Packets 

Day 3: Stovetop Chicken Enchilada Skillet 

Day 4: Garden Veggie Pasta

Day 5: One Pot Sausage Rice and Peas

Day 6: One Pot Farmstand Wonder

Day 7: Leftovers/Eat out

Week 2:

Day 1: 5 Ingredient Slow Cooker Chicken Legs

Day 2: The BEST chicken tacos

Day 3: Healthy Quinoa Taco Casserole

Day 4: Slow Cooker Veggie Lasagna

Day 5: Shrimp Stir Fry

Day 6: Grilled Sausage and Veggie Foil Packs

Day 7: Leftovers/Eat out

Sides for dinner:

Summer is such an EASY time to get sides for dinner. Serve fresh fruit (watermelon, cantaloupe, honey dew, peaches, cherries, or berries) just as they are because they are in season and taste great.

Veggie options include corn on the cob, grilled or lightly sauteed zucchini, fresh green beans boiled with onion until tender (it takes a good long while for them to cook, about 40 minutes), simple salads with great dressings, cucumber salads, or just garden cucumbers and tomatoes on a plate with salt and pepper. 

Don’t overthink your sides in the summer, but do plan on them (and add them to your shopping list accordingly). Hit up the roadside stands, your grandpa’s garden, the farmer’s market, or your neighbor. Summer is a great time to eat simple foods just as they are from the earth. Fresh and seasonal produce makes fruits and veggies a treat to add to meals.

Snacks:

If your kids are like mine, I bet they are eating you out of house and home while home from school! 

  • You have lots of snack options that go beyond sliced fruit, vegetables, and string cheese sticks, but don’t discount those simple options, as well.
  • I always keep a veggie box in my fridge. It’s the best thing ever, and makes it way easier to eat veggies regularly!
  • One of my 8 No-Bake Oatmeal Bites are always in my fridge! My kids LOVE these.
  • Smoothies in all shapes and sizes. Just don’t get tricked into using sugar if your recipe calls for yogurt. Read that label!
  • Popcorn… Did you know you can pop it in a brown paper bag in the microwave?
  • Homemade Graham Crackers.
  • Whole Peanuts. Peanuts in the shell are so much more fun to eat if you don’t mind the mess. Trust me.
  • Popsicles. Easy Rainbow Popsicles are a favorite around here. I make a double-batch of smoothies and freeze half in popsicle molds all the time, but you can also try freezing a 100% fruit juice for easy popsicles. Popsicles are the easiest way for my kids to enjoy fruit and hidden veggies.
  • Boiled Eggs.
  • No-Bake Date Balls. The peanut butter and jelly ones are our favorite.
  • I always have a loaf or two of 100% whole wheat bread ready to slice and butter. Just toast a piece and spread peanut butter on it for a really good and filling snack.
  • Healthy Snack Bars.
  • Healthy Fruit Dip. This is perfect with apples for some extra protein and fat.

See? Meal planning is easy… Just let me do it for you!

I’ve made this EVEN EASIER! Sign up here to get a free PDF printable shopping list for the dinners included in this meal plan.

Love a summer meal plan? Don’t worry, I have a fall and winter one too! You can find my fall and winter meal plan here.

I hope this free meal plan for families really helps you out, saves you time, and takes some of the thinking out of “what’s for dinner?”!

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586 Comments

  1. Abby says:

    I love this post! Typically, I despise the term “clean” eating, because it’s an arbitrary phrase that implies that anyone who isn’t eating that way is, by default, “dirty” eating. But, like a lot of other people, I’m trying to transition my family to whole foods and foods with short lists of pronounceable ingredients, so I find this post- and many others on your site- extremely helpful. Thanks!

    1. Frani says:

      I love your outlook. Can I please get a copy of your grocery list for this?

  2. Judi says:

    Please send the grocery list for eating clean spring summer menu. I am ready to make changes in my life this will be awesome and fun thank you

  3. Melissa says:

    Wow! What a beautiful philosophy on eating and life! I don’t normally make comments on blogs, but coming from a family of the off and on diet, I appreciate the balance and wisdom here and wanted to say thank you.

  4. Joey says:

    Hi, I am from the Philippines and not sure if I can find all the products here in our supermarkets/groceries but still I would like to ask for a copy of the shopping list. I want to try this healthy meal plan for me and my family. Thank you.

  5. brac says:

    I feel like you just described me.

    1. Melissa says:

      Twins ๐Ÿ™‚

  6. Chrissie says:

    I found this blog via pintrest. Thanks so much!! It’s so refreshing to see a clean eater that thinks balance is the key!!! I’ve felt too much guilt over not being able to eat 100% “clean” and I agree I don’t want kids with food issues, I’ve seen it both in my kids and in my extended family. Also I want my kids to be respectful, if we go somewhere that others eat differently than we do, I don’t want issues. So thanks so much!!! I will be following your blog for sure. Loved your comment about your homemade cookies vs the sugar free jello…a million times yes!!

    1. Melissa says:

      Such great comments Chrissie! We are kindred spirits and I totally agree… you’ll never be ‘clean’ enough if you start down that path. I was just reading an article about an emerging eating disorder when it comes to limiting so much of ones diet and being obsessed with clean foods. It was so sad. Moderation in all things right?! Thanks for writing, it made my night!

  7. Emily Poole says:

    I love your attitude! I shut down when reading so many of the whole food/Paleo/Healthy blogs because I too cannot afford to buy that stuff or just plain AM NOT GOING TO EAT IT! This is sensible and REAL! Thank you! Keep up the good work.

    1. Melissa says:

      Traditional old fashion food that you can grown in your own garden is always going to win isn’t it!! Thanks for the comment, totally made my night!

  8. Laura says:

    I love this post!! Clean eating can become like a religion and it’s like there is no end to how clean is clean enough.

  9. lisamagoulas says:

    Love, Love, LOVE your site. Totally awesome. I love your way of thinking on the 80% clean eating. We have to be realistic. Are you in any type of blogging commenting group? I’d like to make sure I don’t miss your posts. Lisa

    1. Melissa says:

      I’m not! I don’t even know what you are talking about but I think I want one! Congrats on your weight loss too friend, your blog was so fun to read!

  10. Michelle says:

    We are at the end of week two and I wanted to post an update. With three dinners left to try, I have to say that this has been awesome! My family (which includes a preschooler and toddler) has loved everything so far! Thank you so much!

    1. Melissa says:

      Best comment ever! Thank you!