10 Meals That Are Better
Eaten Outside
Make these all Summer long.
There are a lot of reasons I love living in Colorado, but eating dinner outside has to be near the top of the list.
The windows are open. The grill is going. The air finally cools down after a hot day, and someone inevitably says, “Should I grab a sweatshirt?” Somehow dinner just tastes better on the patio. Maybe it’s because nobody’s rushing. Maybe it’s because nobody’s looking at the clock.
Or maybe food just belongs outside during the summer.
If you’re anything like me, you also don’t want to spend two hours heating up the kitchen before you get there. These are the recipes I keep coming back to because they’re quick, fresh, and perfect whether you’re feeding your family on a Tuesday or inviting friends over on a Saturday night.
This isn’t the sad side salad sitting next to your dinner. This is dinner. Loaded with chicken, crunchy vegetables, spicy cashews, and all the buffalo flavor you could want, it’s filling enough that nobody leaves the table hungry.
Perfect for: Meal prep lunches, busy weeknights, and buffalo sauce lovers.
"If dinner has been feeling repetitive lately… Start with salmon. These recipes are easy, flavorful, gluten free, realistic for busy weeks, and perfect for warmer weather. And honestly? A good salmon bowl fixes a lot of problems.."
This isn’t the sad side salad sitting next to your dinner. This is dinner. Loaded with chicken, crunchy vegetables, spicy cashews, and all the buffalo flavor you could want, it’s filling enough that nobody leaves the table hungry.
Perfect for: Meal prep lunches, busy weeknights, and buffalo sauce lovers.
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If you’ve never grilled romaine, this is your sign. The smoky lettuce, juicy shrimp, and creamy coconut curry dressing somehow work together perfectly. It feels a little fancy without making you work for it.
Perfect for: Warm evenings, date nights, and when you’re craving something fresh.
Summer tomatoes don’t need much. Pile them on top of grilled steak with fresh chimichurri and let the ingredients do the talking. It’s colorful, simple, and exactly what summer dinners should taste like.
Perfect for: Hosting friends, weekend grilling, and tomato season.
This pizza is all about fresh ingredients. Creamy ricotta, juicy tomatoes, basil, and a crispy crust make it feel light enough for hot evenings but satisfying enough that everyone reaches for another slice.
Perfect for: Patio dinners, pizza night, and using up garden tomatoes.
This is one of those salads that disappears faster than expected. The peanut satay dressing is creamy, savory, and just a little addictive. Add grilled chicken and peppery arugula, and you’ve got dinner in one big bowl.
Perfect for: Easy entertaining, meal prep lunches, and peanut sauce fans.
Crunchy vegetables, grilled chicken, chickpeas, goat cheese, and a bright dressing make this one of my favorite salads for feeding a crowd. It’s colorful, filling, and easy to prep ahead.
Perfect for: Potlucks, summer lunches, and feeding hungry teenagers.
When it’s too hot to think about turning on the oven, lettuce wraps come to the rescue. They’re fresh, quick, and everyone can build their own. Dinner gets easier the moment you put everything in the middle of the table.
Perfect for: Hot summer nights, low-effort dinners, and picky eaters.
Simple recipes are usually the ones I come back to the most. The garlic pork is full of flavor, while the cucumbers and herbs keep everything fresh and light. It’s one of those meals that tastes even better outside.
Perfect for: Fast weeknight dinners and leftover lunches.
Stay with me on this one. Not every summer evening is 90 degrees. Here in Colorado, those cooler nights call for a bowl of soup, a slice of gluten-free bread, and maybe that light sweater you grabbed on your way outside.
Perfect for: Cool summer evenings, rainy days, and cozy patio dinners.
Stay with me on this one. Not every summer evening is 90 degrees. Here in Colorado, those cooler nights call for a bowl of soup, a slice of gluten-free bread, and maybe that light sweater you grabbed on your way outside.
Perfect for: Cool summer evenings, rainy days, and cozy patio dinners.
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One More Thing...
Sometimes all you need is a recipe that comes together quickly, a table outside, and a little extra time to sit after everyone’s finished eating.
Those are the meals I remember most. I hope one (or a few) of these recipes makes its way onto your patio table this summer.
Because dinner always feels a little better under an open sky.
Hi, I'm Kat.
Welcome to my Kitchen Counter. I’m excited to share with you a new series called “Make my kitchen work for you” along with a collection of blog posts about a variety of topics – building a gluten free pantry, staples to always have on hand and gift guides for the Chef in your life. Take a look around. I’d love to hear from you – do you like these posts?
