Simple Summer Cooking

In the middle of a Texas summer, the last thing I want is a blazing oven heating up the whole apartment—where the kitchen holds onto heat long after dinner is done.

But eating well doesn’t have to mean sweating through meal prep.

I've found that building a rhythm around how we cook in the summer—what we buy, how we prep, when we eat—takes the pressure (and the heat) off our shoulders and helps us actually enjoy the process of cooking again.

Select Seasonal Produce

One of the simplest ways to make cooking easier in summer? Lean in to the increased flavor and taste of produce this time of year. 

Farmers markets and local grocery stores are full of fresh, affordable produce right now. By building meals around what’s in season, you'll find that you don’t need to do much to make your meals taste amazing.

Here are some great summer produce picks in the summer (at least in the San Antonio area):

• • Tomatoes – sweet, juicy, perfect for raw sauces and fresh salads

  • Zucchini + Yellow Squash – ideal for quick sautés or grilling

  • Peppers – add fresh crunch or a little kick, raw or roasted

  • Cucumbers – cooling and crisp, perfect in salads or yogurt dips

  • Melons (watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew) – hydrating, sweet, and zero prep

  • Peaches + Berries – delicious in everything from salads to desserts

Pro tip: base your grocery rhythm around the weekend farmers market or a once-weekly produce haul, so your meals revolve around what’s fresh and easy.

Keep the Prep Light

Even if you can’t grill outside, there are plenty of ways to reduce the heat of summer cooking:

• • • Use your slow cooker or Instant Pot for hands-off protein and grains

    • Rely on no-cook sides like fruit, salad, or chilled dips

    • Batch-cook ingredients like chicken, pasta, or roasted veggies early in the day

    • Choose assembly-style meals: think bowls, wraps, or snack boards where everyone builds their plate

    • Use the microwave for quick veggie steaming or reheating grains

These small shifts might not seem like much, but they add up. Creating a rhythm around how and when you prep meals can make dinner feel less like a chore and more like a moment of peace. 

Experiment with Flavor

Summer is the perfect time to let go of rigid meal plans and start cooking with a bit more intuition.

You don’t need to follow every recipe to the letter to make something delicious. In fact, some of the best meals come from swapping ingredients, playing with flavors, and using what you already have on hand. Add a handful of fresh herbs, mix up the dressings, throw in grilled veggies from last night—it’s all fair game.

Cooking this way isn’t just practical—it’s freeing.

It lets you stay flexible and relaxed, especially when plans change or ingredients run out.

Give yourself permission to experiment. Taste as you go. Trust that you know what flavors feel right for your body, your family, and your energy that day.

The more you lean into this rhythm of food intuition, the less pressure you’ll feel to “get it right."

Make It a Rhythm, Not a Chore

When you treat summer cooking like a rhythm—something repeatable, flexible, and life-giving—it becomes less about survival, and more about discovering what you enjoy. 

You don’t need a long list of new recipes. You just need a few light, reliable meals you actually enjoy making and eating.

And maybe you'll discover the dinner doesn’t need to be the main event at all —maybe it’s just another opportunity to gather, nourish, and rest in the middle of a hot, beautiful season.

Keep it simple, 

-Ashley 💛 

Want more simplicity in your life?