Popsicles
Popsicles are often branded as a children’s food, but the magic of opening up a popsicle on a hot day is for life. I love Outshine bars — especially the lime flavor — because they are fresh, simple and fruity. The best part of popsicles? If you buy some of your favorite juice — or a few different kinds to combine — you can easily make your own with a simple mold. If you want to get more creative, try freezing juice in ice cube molds, then blending the frozen cubes with a splash of juice or water to create a homemade slushy.
Poolside sandwiches
Sandwiches are, without a doubt, the summer lunchtime staple. I specifically crave a sandwich on a soft white roll with turkey and cheese after a long day spent in a pool or ocean. This is the only time I would opt for something cold, soft and simple instead of a sandwich with more complex flavors. This meal is perfected with a bag of nacho cheese-flavored Doritos or potato chips stuffed inside the sandwich.
Bonfire s’mores
Summer nights don’t get better than sitting around a fire with people you love and blowing on a jumbo marshmallow. Whether you like yours lightly toasted or engulfed in flames and burnt to a crisp on the outside, s’mores are a crowd pleaser and the perfect summer treat that require little prep work or cleanup.
Related: [COLUMN: Best of Bloomington: restaurant recommendations]
From the grill
Nothing says summer to me like a slightly overcooked burger from the grill with a gooey slice of American cheese on top, all wrapped up in foil. Take advantage of barbecue season and organize a get-together with friends or neighbors to enjoy hot dogs, burgers and grilled corn galore.
Salads
This summer, we are turning anything into salad. For people out there who aren’t traditionally salad lovers — trust me, I’m with you — take advantage of all the fresh and in-season ingredients available in the summer and reinvent what salad means to you.
If you don’t like kale or other traditional ingredients, don’t force yourself to eat them! You can make corn salads, tomato salads, carrot salads, pasta salads or fruit salads. You can chop things finely or leave lettuce leaves whole — the world is your oyster. Experiment with adding different herbs, aromatics and spices into dressings. Remember that salads don’t just have to be vegetables — you can also add fats, carbs and proteins with chopped up chicken, eggs, cheese, croutons, quinoa or anything else that comes to mind. Try turning a typically warm pasta dish into a salad by letting your pasta cool before adding in a pesto sauce, sun dried tomatoes and fresh herbs.
Fun drinks
Summer is the season of fun drinks — just look at the new flavored water trend popping up on TikTok or the popularity of sparkling water and pre/probiotic sodas. If you’re in need of inspiration, check out my previous story for some easy but deliciously refreshing mocktail recipes. Try cutting up fruit or throwing small berries or pomegranate seeds into drinks to make them extra exciting or even just infuse your daily water with lemon and cucumber. Anything that gets you to increase your hydration in the warm weather is worth trying!
