quick tip: easy summer meals

It’s in the air, the seasons are coming to a change.

While it’s not summer yet, the days are getting warmer, we’re able to swim on a much more regular basis, the air conditioner has been accessed more than once, and there are only (gasp) four weeks left in the school year.

I’m getting excited for summer fridays… hanging out with friends by the pool, and lazy cleaning out the fridge dinners.

These are my favorite.

It’s such a fun and easy way to celebrate the end of the week, to clean out your fridge and to take a night off of cooking.

Here’s what I do.

I spread a long sheet of food safe butcher paper along my island.

On top of this, I start going through my fridge.

I grab veggies that might night last the weekend. Carrots, celery, cucumbers, tomatoes.

I grab berries that aren’t looking so hot. Bananas and oranges that are potentially going squishy. Cut up some melons before they go rancid.

I pull out any hardboiled eggs that weren’t eaten during the week. Go through cold cuts that don’t have enough servings left for all of us.

All of these things i place on the island.

I grab some olives and pickles, assorted flavors that we always have in our fridge.

Then I go through the bread/chip basket. Any chips that were never sealed with a chip clip, any crackers left half open, any breads or rolls that are reaching expiration, are fair game.

And lastly, i see if there are any leftovers from the week that I can add to the bounty.

All these things I spread out on the island. And then? Well, that’s the beauty of it. The kids come in tired and starving from the pool, and all I have to do is set down some plates and napkins and let them devour it.

And the best, best part? When it’s all gone, all I have to do is roll up the butcher paper and throw it away.

Easy peasy lemon squeezy.