4 Easy No-Cook Summer Meal Ideas

Categories: Recipe Roundup

One of the best things about summer is the laid-back, easy-going vibe that permeates everything about our normal routines. The sunny weather, the warmer temperatures, and the increased time outdoors lets us move through the season in a more relaxed fashion. That low-key style translates into our eating habits and menu choices, too.

When the temperatures soar, the last thing we want to do is spend our time inside in front of a hot stove or oven (even if we have the AC on full blast). That’s where meals that involve no cooking come in handy. At Farm Boy stores, you’ll find a wide variety of no-cook meals ready for you to enjoy. Made with the highest quality of ingredients and expert care, it’s good food made by good neighbours—our local vendors and farmers. Putting together a simple, no-cook meal is easy, hearty, and satisfying, especially with a helping hand from Farm Boy! Here are some ideas—plus some of our favourite no-cook recipes—to get you started.

1. Dump & Stir

Canned beans are a budget-friendly, easy winner when it comes to no-cook meals. A hearty salad made with beans is a delicious way to increase your fibre and protein intake without ever turning on the stove.

What You’ll Need:

  • 1 container Farm Boy™ Pico de Gallo

Directions:

Mix all three ingredients together in a large bowl until well combined. Serve with Farm Boy™ Lime Tortilla Chips and Farm Boy™ Guacamole for an easy appetizer, side, or light main course.

2. Thaw & Plate

A laid-back platter of no-cook items is the name of the game here. Farm Boy stores are loaded with cooked items that simply need to be thawed before enjoying. Harvested at their peak, they’re always of the highest quality, delivering excellent value and flavour. This seafood dish—known as Grand Aioli, a French grazing platter—is easy, satisfying, and just fancy enough to serve to guests.

What You’ll Need

  • Fresh cherry tomatoes
  • Quartered mini cucumbers, bell peppers, and radishes

Directions:

Arrange cooked shrimp, chopped fresh veggies, and pita chips on a large serving platter. Serve with a small bowl of Farm Boy™ Steakhouse Garlic Dressing and Dip or Farm Boy™ Roasted Garlic & Herb Mayonnaise.

3. Open & Enjoy

At Farm Boy, our Chef’s Market is always loaded with freshly prepared items ready for you to enjoy. Made by us with high-quality ingredients, they’re easy, convenient, and totally delicious. It still counts as a no-cook meal when we’ve done the cooking for you! Choose any of our chef-prepared Family-Size Salads, loaded with fresh produce, tender proteins, creamy cheeses, and an included Farm Boy Dressing or Vinaigrette. These salads definitely hit the spot on hot summer nights when you can’t be bothered to do more than take the lid off, grab a fork, and dig in.

4. Assembly Only

Is there anything easier than picking up a rotisserie chicken for dinner and calling it a day? Like we said already, if the cooking has been done for you, it still counts as a no-cook meal! A visit to Farm Boy’s Chef’s Market will have everything you need for a Middle Eastern take on no-bake pita nachos.

What You’ll Need:

  • Whole BBQ Chicken
  • Farm Boy™ Authentic Lebanese Hummus

Directions:

Lay out the pita chips on a large serving tray. Top with shredded seasoned BBQ rotisserie chicken found in the Farm Boy Chef’s Market, as well as the tabouleh, a Middle Eastern parsley salad. Finish with dollops of hummus and enjoy.

No-Cook Recipes

In addition to the four no-cook meal ideas we’ve mentioned above, we have some no-cook recipes that’ll bring the flavour without turning on the heat. From hearty salads to substantial mains to refreshing desserts, you’ll find everything you need at Farm Boy.

The image shows a red woven placemat with a white plate and a white bowl on top of the plate. There are three forks on the plate beside the bowl. In the bowl is a colourful medley of chopped tomatoes, corn, black beans, fresh jalapeno peppers, and feta cheese. The upper right of the image in the background shows three stacked white bowls out of focus. The lower right of the image shows a whole fresh green jalapeno pepper. The lower left of the image shows a small clear glass bowl filled with feta cheese and two sliced of fresh green jalapeno. In the upper left of the image, out of focus in the background is an orange pepper, tomato, and green jalapeno pepper.

South of the Border Black Bean Salad

As easy on your wallet as it is tasty on your palate, this no-cook recipe is a delicious dinner or side. Loaded with protein-heavy and fibre-rich Organic Black Beans, this colourful salad also uses bell peppers, tomatoes, and corn. We’ve used our Cow and Goat Feta Cheese in this recipe, but you can opt for our authentic Cotija, a salty, tangy Mexican-style cheese. Or, make it vegan with our Vegan Feta Style Cheese Alternative. Looking for even more creaminess? Fresh avocado slices will do the trick!

The image shows a white bowl on a white wooden table filled with a colourful shredded salad. There is a small bowl of peanut dressing in the lower left corner and a blue napkin with two forks on the right side of the bowl.

Crunchy Rainbow Salad with Peanut Dressing

The colours of a rainbow are beautiful after a summer shower—and they’re equally gorgeous in this summer salad! This salad gets its vibrancy from cabbage, carrots, bell peppers, cucumbers, green onions, mint, and cilantro. We prepared the dressing from scratch, and it has a wonderfully nutty, sweet, and salty flavour with umami notes thanks to soy sauce and rice wine vinegar.

The images shows a grey wood table with a cream linen tablecloth partially draped across it. On the tablecloth is a cream coloured bowl. Clockwise from the top of the bowl is a wedge of lemon, mixed quinoa, sliced cumber, halved red cherry tomatoes, black Kalamata olives, hummus with three dots of olive oil, and cubed feta cheese with microgreens in the centtre. To the left of the bowl are three Farm Boy Naan Bites.

Greek Quinoa Bowl

Dig into the best summer produce our stores have to offer with this Greek grain bowl. Crisp cucumbers and juicy tomatoes join tangy feta cheese and garlicky hummus for a no-cook meal that is seriously satisfying. Finished with a drizzle of good olive oil and a pinch of our Fleur de Sel, it’s a quick and easy recipe for lunch or dinner.

Summer salad: the image is shot from above and shows a plate on a circular placemat. The plate is filled with a salad containing sliced nectarine, prosciutto, and burrata. There are two wooden spoons on the right side of the plate and a peach-coloured napkin on the left.

Nectarine, Prosciutto, and Burrata Salad

Savour all the flavours of summer with this deliciously seasonal salad. Ripe, juicy nectarines meet salty prosciutto and creamy burrata for a tasty textural explosion. We love offering up this no-cook recipe because of the short season of stone fruit. If nectarines aren’t your thing, try peaches or plums instead. All work just as well in savoury recipes as they do in sweet!

No-Cook Dinner Idea: Shrimp Salad Stuffed Avocados. The image shows a round wicker placemat. On top of the placemat is an oblong white dish. On the dish are two avocado halves piled with shrimp salad, drizzled with Farm Boy Chipotle Mayonnaise and garnished with fresh cilantro. Behind the avocado halves is a wedge of lime and a small blue bowl, out of focus. To the right of the oblong dish is a small plate, out of focus, with wedges of lime and sliced fresh jalapeno pepper. Behind the plate and out of focus is a small blue bowl filled with chopped tomatoes.

Shrimp Salad Stuffed Avocados

Fresh avocados make a tasty vehicle for this shrimp salad. Buttery avocado is filled with a creamy, spicy shrimp salad made using our Wild Caught Canadian Cold Water Shrimp. This shrimp is already cooked and flash-frozen to lock in that ocean-fresh flavour, so you simply have to thaw and enjoy! This no-cook dinner recipe uses some of summer’s best produce, like fresh avocado and sweet corn.

Lunch idea: The image shows a shallow white dish filled with mixed greens, blackberries, blueberries, sliced strawberries, and buffalo mozzarella. There are three crisped baguette slices in the dish as well.

Berries, Greens, and Buffalo Mozzarella Salad

Beautiful and colourful, this summer salad makes the most of juicy, fresh berries. We made this no-cook recipe with strawberries, blackberries, and blueberries, but you can throw in raspberries, too! The tart and sweet berries work beautifully with the creamy Buffalo Mozzarella, and they hold up well against the sharp bite of the tender greens. We added crunch with toasted pumpkin seeds, but chopped toasted nuts (like walnuts) would also work to add texture.

Cold Dinner Idea: Eda-Yummy Grain Bowl. The image shows a round wicker placemat with a white bowl in it. Beside the bowl is a fork. In the bowl is rice. On top of the rice is sliced cucumber coins, halved cherry tomatoes, a soft-boiled egg, and wedges of avocados. The avocados and egg have Farm Boy's Everything Bagel Seasoning Blend.

Eda-Yummy Grain Bowl

Wholesome and satisfying, this grain bowl is an easy recipe to make that the whole family will enjoy! Made with our fan-favourite Eda-Yummy Spicy Kale Edamame Dip, this meal is packed with protein, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats. Try it for lunch of dinner when you need to whip up something tasty in under 15 minutes. (Make this a truly no-cook recipe—and vegan—by omitting the eggs.)

The image shows a closeup of a wooden bowl filled with chopped lettuce, cucumber coins, sliced cherry tomatoes, and fattoush chips.

Fattoush Salad

This Lebanese-inspired salad gets its name from the crunchy pita chips that are sprinkled throughout. Instead of frying bits of pita bread ourselves, we opted for our Sea Salt Fattoush Chips for that necessary crunch. A “clean out the crisper” style of salad, we used lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumbers to bulk it up. Be sure to pick up some sumac seasoning to make this summer salad a success. Its unique, citrusy flavour can’t be substituted.

The image is taken from above. The image shows a white tablecloth with a large white plate in the centre. On the plate is a salad of romainc lettuce, halved red and yellow cherry tomatoes, balls of bocconcini cheese, sliced prosciutto, and balls of cantaloupe, honeydew, and canary melons. The salad is garnished with mint leaves and pepper. In the upper right corner of the image is a bowl filled with the balls of three melons. In the bottom left of the image is a mint green napkin with two large serving spoons. In the upper left of the image is a small clear glass bowl with an olive-oil based dressing.

Three Melon, Bocconcini, and Prosciutto Salad

This summer salad has a gorgeous array of colours and flavours! Perfect for those hot nights, this no-cook recipe uses fresh, juicy honeydew, cantaloupe, and canary melon. Combined with creamy mini bocconcini and our salty Prosciutto, it’s a delicious seasonal side, appetizer, or main. If you’d like to add even more colour and sweetness to this recipe, try throwing in some fresh, diced watermelon!

macerated berries and cream dessert. The image shows a plate in the foreground with slices of Farm Boy Lemon Thyme Loaf Cake, whipped cream, and juicy macerated berries. IN the background is the sliced Lemon Thyme Loaf Cake on a wooden cutting board, a bowl of whipped cream, and a bowl of fresh berries. Fresh berries are also scattered behind the plate in the foreground.

Macerated Berries & Cream

Summer is berry season, and using sweet, juicy berries in dessert is one of our favourite ways to enjoy these tiny fruits. This simple dessert recipe involves zero time spent at the stove or in the oven, making it a perfect choice for those sweltering months! We like pairing our Lemon Thyme Loaf Cake with this recipe for a fresh, citrus-inspired flavour that complements the sweet berries. (Chef’s tip: To make your own whipped cream, chill your bowl for at least 20 minutes before using for a lighter, fluffier texture.)

The image shows a white bowl with a fresh-looking salad of cubed watermelon, feta cheese, cucumber, and mint leaves. In the lower left corner are two fresh cucumbers. Out of focus in the background is a container of Farm Boy Barrel Aged Feta Cheese.

Watermelon, Cucumber, and Feta Salad

Watermelon—like most produce—is at its best in the summer, and watermelon and feta cheese are a delicious flavour combo. The sweet, juicy melon tastes incredible alongside our salty, tangy Barrel Aged Feta. Bright and refreshing, this salad is a standout at any picnic or backyard gathering. Serve it right away for the best flavour and don’t worry—this salad rarely leaves leftovers!

The image shows two round-bottomed glasses on a pale pink plate on a distressed white wood table. I the glasses are parfaits with layers of coconut cookie chip crumbs, strawberries and blueberries, and cheesecake filling.

No-Bake Berry Coconut Cheesecake Parfaits

Baking a full cheesecake can be a finicky thing. Instead of stressing over water baths and cracked cakes, our easy, no-bake version is guaranteed to satisfy your cheesecake cravings! We’ve made these fruity desserts with our Coconut Cookie Chips, but you can use regular graham crackers if you’d prefer. Once you have the luscious cheesecake filling perfected, you can experiment with all sorts of flavour combinations! Swap out berries for chunks of fresh mango for a tropical version or try ripe peaches with our Ginger Cookie Chips!

The image shows a closeup of a toasted burger bun with a chickpea mixture and colourful slaw. The sandwich is on wooden table. To the right of the sandwich is a white plate with tomatoes, red peppers, and sliced cucumber mixed with feta cheese. The top of a fork is visible in the foreground of the image.

Chipotle Chickpea Sandwiches with Pineapple Salsa Slaw

This no-cook vegetarian dinner uses our canned Organic Chickpeas as its protein-packed base for a sandwich that comes together in the time it takes to toast the bun! Sweet, tangy, and a little bit spicy, this budget-friendly sandwich hits all the right flavour notes. Enjoy it with our fresh, made-in-house Pineapple Salsa for a burst of fruity zing! Prepared with juicy pineapple, red and green peppers, jalapeño peppers, lime juice, and cilantro, it brings the perfect pop of flavour to this sammie.

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