Summer didn’t ‘hit’ my area, it suddenly slammed into us like a runaway train, leaving everyone in my family flat, exhausted, and boiling hot. The air conditioned great room, which includes the family room and kitchen, was our only refuge from the heat. So, the last thing we wanted to do was turn on the stove or oven to prepare any meals. I still had people to feed, however, including one small child, two ravenous teenagers, and a grown man with a bottomless stomach. That’s when I realized it was time to put the oven mitts away and break out the jello molds.
Fruit Fresh fruit is always a good standby, but why not shake it up a bit and get fruits that the kids don’t get very often? Making sure they have a high water content is also a good idea. Bananas are tasty, and good for energy, but they don’t cool you down like a ripe plum or juicy peach. Melons are also something many people forget about since they aren’t available year-round in most places. A chilled watermelon is the king of this group, but honey-dos, musk melon, and cantaloupe should not be forgotten. My kids light up when I bring out a platter of sliced tropical fruits, like mango, guava, papaya, and kiwi. really shake things up to cool the kids down by making a tropical fruit salad and adding in a splash of light cream or coconut milk.
Smoothies Homemade smoothies are a sweet heat busting option that rarely goes wrong with kids. Most recipes also have the added advantage of being filling as well as cool and sweet. They’re also a great way to hide nutritious foods that kids wouldn’t otherwise eat, such as avocados or a handful of bran. Lessen the sugar content naturally by using the ripest fruits you can find or substituting the table sugar for agave nectar. Honey produced locally also has the benefit of helping some children and adults deal with seasonal allergies.
Gelatin It’s that miracle food we all seem to forget about. It can be made early in the morning or after the sun goes down when it’s still cool, and requires very little heat to prepare. It’s also not just the Jell-O brand stuff that comes in a box. Plain gelatin can become many different things, from jiggly cookie cutter treats to no-bake cakes and pies that include fresh ingredients of your choosing. No preservatives or high-fructose syrup required.
Chilled Soups This is another make-ahead type of dish that should be done before the heat sets in for the day, but it’s well worth the effort. Borscht is served chilled, but you can also make strawberry-rhubarb soup, chilled and skimmed beef consume with a splash of cream, chilled tomato, and oh so many others. Do your kids like cucumber salad? Why not puree fresh chilled cucumbers with low fat milk and a touch of sour cream?
Leftovers Oh how we dread them. Normally leftovers aren’t something we want to deal with, but I like to make extras of certain meats, like beef or chicken, just so I can have chilled leftovers to slice up for sandwiches. If you make a pasta dish boil a few extra handfuls of noodles to keep in the fridge. Then you can microwave some butter and garlic together the next day to toss it with for a fast, filling lunch or snack that won’t heat up the kitchen.
Sandwiches Sandwiches are the old go-to on a hot day, but this is another area where we can shake things up. Ditch the old peanut butter and jelly routine and make a stack out of ripe chilled tomatoes, ranch dressing, and whole wheat bread. Or go ahead and use the peanut butter and jelly but cut them into triangles and skewer them like kabobs. Add a few pieces of fruit in between the pieces to liven it up.
