It’s hot. Real hot. No one wants to fire up the stove to cook dinner, yet our families still expect to eat. (Go figure.) Even worse? They are extra hungry after long, hot days at camp, afternoons spent at the pool, and wicked long travel days. In this episode, we’re bringing all of our favorite no-cook (and low-cook) summer meals for families and sharing our secrets for making killer salads that your kids will actually eat. (Hint: ditch the lettuce!)

No-Cook and Low-Cook Meals

Stacie and Meghan agree: cereal, yogurt, and smoothies are all acceptable no-cook dinners. But maybe you’re looking for a little more protein, veggies, and other good stuff?

For those nights when you want a well-balanced meal, but can’t bear to turn on the stove, we came up with a list of the best no-cook meals.

Low-cook meals too. Know what those are? Don’t worry if not, because we cover all the deets. Just know this: chopping is not cooking.

In no particular order, here are a few ideas we share. Make sure to listen to hear our tips on how to make these ideas work and to get the rest of our ideas too.

• Grain bowls

• Bean salads

• Hummus bowls

• Sandwiches

• Yogurt Parfaits

• Chia Pudding

• Toast!

How to Make Salads Kids Will Actually Eat

Stacie gets asked all the time: How can I get my kids to eat salad? Her answer: make them taste good!

Easier said than done, we know, but we’ve got you covered. In this episode, we spend some time going deep on how to make salads so fantastic that even the kids will eat them. Because salads are the ultimate no-cook meal.

We cover things like:

• How to skip the leafy greens that tend to be problematic for kids

• All the crunchy toppings you never thought to use, but should

• How to master easy homemade dressings like this Everyday Vinaigrette

• How to make the Best Cobb Salad and our trick for making it even easier

• How to vary your salad texture — and even how you eat them, from chopped salads to finger salads

• How to use a mandoline for paper-thin shaved vegetable salads

• Why you should grill your vegetables and your lettuce (Hot Beef and Romaine is proof)

• Why adding tons of herbs to your salad is a game-changer

Some other links from our conversation on salads:

• Lars Crispy Onions

• Trade Street Jams

• Gomashio Furikake

• Our fave Pesto recipe

• How to make Chimichurri

• How to make — and use – Romesco Sauce

• Miracle Meals at The Kitchn

• Sour Cream Onion Potato Salad recipe

• DIY Ranch Spice Mix recipe

• Our episode on pasta: Why Pasta Is A Family Cook’s Best Friend

See What We Are Cooking

You can find Meghan on Insta at @meghan_splawn and Stacie at @staciebillis And of course, together, we are @didntijustfeedyou.

You can also follow us on Facebook where you can join our private Listener’s Group where the answer to the question to join is whiskey or painkiller.

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Edit Your Life is a podcast about simplifying, decluttering, and making room for the awesome in your life. Each week, co-hosts Christine Koh and Asha Dornfest offer thoughts and practical tips for a range of family and lifestyle topics covering everything from parenting to food, and work to self-care.

Follow Christine and Asha on Instagram as @edityourlifeshow.