37 Easiest No Cook Summer Meals for Hot Days
Cheap and easy no-cook summer meals! These budget friendly no cook lunch and dinner ideas make quick throw together meals on hot days.
On hot summer nights, even the thought of turning on the stove or oven makes you sweat.
But what if you don’t have to?
I put together a list of cheap and easy no-effort meals that are satisfying, healthy-ish, and best of all, require little to no cooking.
That’s right, you won’t need your oven and stove at all!
All these “recipes” use budget-friendly ingredients and easy shortcuts like rotisserie chicken, canned beans, pre-cooked grains, and even some fresh, flavorful ingredients.
From cold salads, bowls and wraps, to pantry meals and throw-together microwave meals, I hope these ideas will make you feel so much better about “not cooking.”
Whether it’s a sweltering summer evening, you’re low on time, or just not in the mood to cook – these meals are for you.
Forget 30 minutes and one pan – how about 5 minutes and no pan.
Let’s dig in!
(🙌 Have a slow cooker? These 5 ingredient summer crockpot dump meals are super easy too!)
Salads & Bowls
If you’re trying to eat healthier – or you just don’t feel like eating anything warm – these refreshing meals are perfect.
1. Rotisserie Chicken Caesar Salad
Grab a caesar salad kit (Aldi is my favorite!) and added shredded rotisserie chicken. You could also make a wrap by putting it in a tortilla or pita.
2. Tex-Mex Black Bean Bowl
Layer canned black beans, corn, salsa, and shredded cheese over greens or microwaveable rice.
Storebought premade guacamole makes it extra good!
3. Tuna Salad Lettuce Wraps
Mix canned tuna with mayo or Greek yogurt. Relish or chopped onion and celery give it extra flavor and texture.
Scoop into butter lettuce leaves, or eat with crackers or in a sandwich or on a tortilla.
4. Caprese Salad with Salami
Layer sliced tomatoes, mozzarella, fresh basil, and salami to make it a meal. Drizzle with balsamic glaze.
5. Greek Salad with Hummus and Pita
Combine bagged lettuce with cherry tomatoes, cucumber, olives, red onion, feta. and even rotisserie chicken for extra protein. Add hummus and pita on the side.
6. Cobb Salad Shortcut
Start with a bagged salad mix and top with rotisserie chicken, storebought hard-boiled eggs and premade bacon, and top with ranch.
(Add in some avocado too, if you’re feeling froggy!)
7. Asian-Inspired Slaw Bowl
Pre-shredded slaw mix and canned or rotisserie chicken with a bottle of sesame ginger dressing make this super quick.
Peanuts add some great crunch, texture, and extra protein and healthy fats.
Summer Comfort Food
Storebought soups can actually be really good, especially ones in a box, or those you can find in the refrigerated section of your grocery store.
8. BBQ Pulled Pork
Most grocery stores sell packaged pulled pork (ie Jack Daniels brand) near the fresh meat. You simply heat it up in the microwave, and you serve on buns as sandwiches, or however else you’d like.
That same section of the store probably sells microwavable refrigerated side dishes like macaroni and cheese and mashed potatoes that would taste great with it!
9. Premade Soup with Sandwich
Heat up a store-bought soup and pair with a half sandwich or wrap. Most stores sell Panera soups near the deli. They’re so good!
You can also heat up your favorite canned or boxed soup and serve with crackers or rolls from the bakery.
10. Chicken Mashed Potato Bowls
Top microwavable mashed potatoes with rotisserie chicken or any leftover meat you have on hand. Add on storebought precut fresh veggies or canned corn or green beans.
You can top it with BBQ sauce, leftover gravy, ketchup, shredded cheese, etc.
11. Microwave Omelet
Whisk together two eggs in a microwave-safe bowl sprayed lightly with nonstick spray. Whisk in a tablespoon of milk or water and a sprinkle of salt and pepper, then add 2 tablespoons of shredded cheese and any mix-ins you’d like, such as diced ham, peppers, or onions.
Microwave for 30 seconds, stir then cook for additional 30 seconds. Repeat until eggs are cooked through, usually about 3 minutes total.
12. Makeshift BLT
Toast 2 slices of bread, spread with mayo and top with precooked storebought bacon, sliced tomato, and a bit of lettuce.
13. Black Bean Burgers
Morningstar frozen black bean burgers are pretty tasty, in my opinion. Simply heat it up in the microwave or toaster oven, then serve on buns or in a tortilla as a wrap.
I like to add mayo mixed with a little hot sauce, a slice of cheddar cheese, and some onion if I have it.
(Think of it as Tex-Mex flavor instead of a traditional burger.)Pantry Meal Shortcuts
14. Canned Chili over Baked Potato
Make a microwave baked potato and top with canned chili, cheese, and sour cream.
(In a pinch, hit the Wendy’s drive-thru for either the baked potato, chili, or both. Not nearly as inexpensive, but very tasty!)
15. Beans & Rice Bowl
Heat a packet of microwavable rice, then stir in canned black beans and salsa. Optional additions would be canned or shredded rotisserie chicken, canned corn, shredded cheese, and sour cream.
16. Quesadilla in the Microwave
Add cheese, refried beans, and even rotisserie chicken to a tortilla. Place a second tortilla on top, then microwave until melty, about 45 seconds. Top with salsa or sour cream.
17. Tuna Salad & Crackers Plate
Tuna becomes “tuna salad” when mixed with mayo and relish. Serve with crackers and raw veggies for a healthy protein-rich meal.
18. Microwave Nachos
Layer tortilla chips with shredded cheese and refried beans on a microwave safe plate. Microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute, and top with salsa, sour cream, or anything else you’d like.
19. Chickpea Salad Sandwich
Mash drained canned chickpeas with mayo, lemon juice, and spices like salt and pepper and a little garlic powder. Scoop into a sandwich or wrap, or eat with crackers for a light vegetarian meal.
20. Microwave “Baked” Sweet Potato
Microwave a sweet potato and top with black beans, avocado, or cottage cheese for a balanced and filling meal.
Wraps, Sandwiches & Toasts
Nothing beats a sandwich, and here are some unique ideas to bust you out of your sandwich rut.
21. Turkey & Cheese Roll-Ups
Wrap turkey (or your favorite deli meat), cheese, and lettuce in a tortilla, then dip in ranch or mustard. You can even slice them into pinwheels if you want to feel fancy.
22. Avocado Toast with Smoked Salmon
Top toasted bread with mashed avocado, smoked salmon, capers, and a squeeze of lemon for restaurant-quality flavor.
23. Mediterranean Veggie Wrap
Spread hummus on a tortilla, then add cucumber, tomato, feta, and spinach and roll it up. It also tastes great on toasted bread as a sandwich!
24. Peanut Butter Banana Sandwich
Layer peanut butter and banana slices on your favorite bread. It’s super good as toast for breakfast too.
25. Chicken Salad Sandwich
Use store-bought or leftover chicken salad on croissants, sandwich thins, toasted bread, or even in a tortilla.
26. Egg Salad Pita Pockets
Mash storebought hard-boiled eggs with mayo, mustard, salt and pepper then stuff inside pita bread.
I also love eating egg salad with crackers like a dip.
27. Caprese Grilled Cheese (Toaster-Style)
If you have a toaster oven, sandwich mozzarella, tomato, and basil between bread slices or a sub bun, then toast until melty.
You can also simply toast sandwich bread in a regular toaster and add the other ingredients on top.
28. Tuna and White Bean Sandwich
Mash canned tuna with canned white beans, olive oil or mayo, and salt and pepper. Relish, capers or a slice of cheddar taste great with it too.
Serve it toasted or cold as a sandwich, or on crackers. It’s full of protein and fiber to keep you satisfied.
No-Cook Dinner “Plates”
When you’re not in the mood for a heavy meal, a snack plate is so fun and delicious.
Here are some specific ideas for inspiration, but you can really just assemble your favorite ingredients (or whatever’s in your fridge) and come up with your own creation!
29. Charcuterie Board Dinner
Cured meats, cheeses, nuts, crackers, fruit, and pickles make for a delicious and fun instant no-cook dinner.
30. Snack Plate
Sometimes called “girl dinner” you can totally customize this to your preference. Hard-boiled eggs, cheese cubes, lunch meat or pepperoni, baby carrots, apple slices, hummus, and crackers are easy ideas to start with.
31. Protein & Bagel Plate
Assemble cream cheese, pastrami, salami, turkey, lox or smoked salmon, capers, red onion, and cucumber on a toasted bagel.
32. Antipasto Plate
Olives, salami, jarred roasted peppers and artichoke hearts, cherry tomatoes, and mozzarella balls are all tasty ingredients for a delicious antipasto plate.
33. Savory Cottage Cheese Bowl
For a high protein meal, top cottage cheese with diced cucumber, grape tomatoes, chopped bell pepper, avocado, and everything bagel seasoning or salt and pepper. Serve with crackers.
34. Mediterranean Mezze Plate
Pita, hummus, falafel, olives, jarred roasted peppers or artichoke hearts, cucumbers, and tzatziki is such an easy and satisfying “snack-y dinner.”
Pasta & Grain Salads
35. Pasta Salad with Pesto & Chicken
Toss microwavable pasta (like Barilla Ready Pasta) with jarred pesto, cherry tomatoes, and canned or shredded rotisserie chicken. Serve warm or cold like pasta salad.
36. Couscous Salad Bowl with Feta & Cucumber
Make couscous in the microwave, then add diced cucumber, feta, and lemon juice or Greek dressing for a tasty Mediterranean bowl.
37. Quinoa Salad with Chickpeas & Veggies
Using pre-cooked quinoa, canned chickpeas, bell pepper, vinaigrette, and even feta cheese, you can put together a quick quinoa salad filled with nutrition.
Ready to try some easy no-cook summer meals?
I hope this list of easy lunches and dinners has given you lots of inspiration for super simple and inexpensive ideas to try this summer.
As you can see, preparing meals doesn’t need to be complicated to be delicious.
With a few pantry and fridge staples, you can have a satisfying meal on the table in minutes, almost no effort required.
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