Easy Summer Lunch Ideas
The weather is warming up, school is out, and the kids are home. For about THREE months! With these Easy Summer Lunch Ideas, lunch won’t get old.
Once summer break starts, it can feel like the kitchen is open all day long. Between summer camps, play dates, and kids asking for snacks, having good ideas for summer lunch options makes busy days so much easier.
Now that you have to come up with new lunch ideas for the summer months, these suggestions will be helpful. It’s so easy for lunches to become boring. Use this collection as your summer lunch survival guide.
These ideas are not just for kids, though. If you’re working or planning on entertaining, they can also be easy summer lunch ideas for work or parties. Or ideas that work year-round.
If your kids are tired of hot dogs, make mini corn dogs. Are they fans of chicken tenders? My easy chicken tenders are filling and dip nicely in honey mustard. Do you have leftover ham from the deli? Try delicious hot Colby ham sandwiches.
If you have leftover deli roast beef, try the French dip sandwiches. It’s messy, but oh so good. Then there’s chicken salad made a couple of ways. Chicken salad or chicken on a green salad.
In addition to some traditional lunches, there are some fun ideas too. Have you ever had French bread pizza? No? Grab a loaf, pizza sauce, pepperoni, or other favorite toppings, and make it.
Make meatballs in advance and freeze them. You can then easily use them for meatball subs and meatball cups.
Why you’ll love these easy summer lunch ideas
While there is a lot of variety below, some recipes are better suited to certain situations than others. For example, it would be hard to serve French dip sandwiches for a picnic. A more suitable choice would be my Southern egg salad sandwich. With that in mind, here are a few reasons to love these ideas:
- They are perfect when it’s too hot to cook.
- A few of the recipes are a great way to use up leftover chicken.
- Many are easy enough for older kids to make.
- Great for pool days.
- All of the recipes are relatively easy.
Summer Lunch Sample Menus
The key to summer lunch recipes and the menu is to keep ideas from getting boring. Keep lunch fresh and unexpected. The first menu offers totally random ideas. The second menu is full of ideas that use similar ingredients. All of the easy summer lunch ideas recipes are linked below in the colorful roundup.
Easy Summer Lunch Ideas Menu 1
- Monday – Easy French Bread Pizzas
- Tuesday – Chicken Salad Wraps
- Wednesday – Roast Beef, Ham, and Bacon Club Sandwich
- Thursday –
- Friday – Hot Dog Breadsticks
Easy Summer Lunch Ideas Menu 2
- Monday – Easy Cheesy Pizza Meatball Cups
- Tuesday – Fried Chicken Strips
- Wednesday – Sloppy Joe Cups
- Thursday – Chinese Chicken Salad
- Friday – Meatball Subs
Drinks to Serve with Lunch
Summer calls for some refreshing beverages to go along with lunch, non-alcoholic, of course. Try Key limeade, blueberry lemonade, or strawberry iced tea.
What can I serve as a side for lunch?
Chips are the first thing to come to mind, but it’s always great to add some seasonal fruit, such as watermelon, blueberries, sliced peaches, and mangoes are just some ideas. Pretzels are a great alternative to chips, as is yogurt.
Wow! Amazing ideas to cover any meal or party. Thanks for the ideas.
How great to have so many ideas in one place! And I can’t believe I’ve never made chicken strips!
So many great lunch ideas right here! Thank you!
I am a huge fan of Chinese Chicken Salad. This looks fantastic. I make those Fren Dip Sub Sandwiches for dinner sometimes. They are always a huge hit.