Today I’m celebrating the end of school, the start of summer and the long afternoons spent at the pool that are stretched out before me. ☀️♀️ And this year, I’m gonna be prepared with some healthy pool dinners I can pack for us. Cause you know how I feel about homemade food. (ALL the feels, in case you are new to this blog and didn’t know!) I’m not big on the concession stand and I want to pack us up something delicious to take with instead. So I created this list and round-up of recipes for some easy, make-ahead and portable healthy pool dinners we can pack and take to the pool with us. They don’t require reheating and they are complete lunches or dinners that will fill you up without weighing you down. We are eating in our bathing suits after all! So without further ado, I bring you my list of ideas and below that you’ll find links to some specific recipes that would be great for eating at the pool. And of course, these are also all appropriate for packing up to take as beach dinners or for eating at the park. (And if you’re all in the summer vibes like me, also check out these 10 easy no-recipe summer dinner ideas for easy dinners you can just throw together last minute any night.)
17 Ideas for Healthy Pool Dinners:
So there you have it! Tons of ideas to last you through the summer. And if you want to check out some specific recipes for these ideas, I’ve got you covered.
Recipes to Try
WRAPS & SLIDERS
Slow cooker pulled pork (for sandwiches or sliders) Healthy slow cooker buffalo chicken (for sliders) Folded wraps (25 ways) - fill with your favorites! Spicy chicken patties (for wraps, salads, sliders or dipping) Baked southwestern egg rolls Easy chicken roll-ups with cream cheese and veggies Roasted veggie wrap with pesto and goat cheese
BOWLS
Vegetarian Greek grain bowls BBQ chicken quinoa salad bowls Quinoa chicken spinach salad with honey lime vinaigrette Cold barley salad with chicken and creamy pesto Chicken quinoa salad with salsa hummus Farro and roasted vegetable grain bowl
GRAIN/PASTA SALADS
Mediterranean quinoa salad (can add chicken) Lemony orzo chicken salad Southwestern orzo salad (can add chicken) Classic spaghetti salad
SALADS
Roast chicken Niçoise salad Southwestern chopped salad Asian chicken chopped salad Mediterranean chopped salad Basil chicken salad with walnuts (can serve as a sandwich or wrap) Tuna spinach salad (can serve as a sandwich or wrap) Healthy chicken salad OR pesto chicken salad (can serve as a sandwich or wrap) Classic egg salad OR curried egg salad (can serve as a sandwich or wrap) Smashed edamame salad (can serve as a sandwich or wrap) Southwestern mason jar salad Asian chicken mason jar salad
And of course, don’t forget to pack plenty of water, sunscreen and snacks. I hope you have an amazing summer! XO, Kathryn P.S. You may also want to check out my chicken recipes in under 15 minutes if you’re heading home from the pool and want to make a super fast dinner!
