Why Baking Together Is One of Our Favorite Summer Traditions

My kids love spending time in the kitchen trying new recipes, but they especially enjoy baking sweet desserts. Fortunately for my husband and me, we thoroughly enjoy sweet treats- especially ones made by our kids.

While we all get to enjoy the desserts at the end, the memories we make together are priceless. It’s more about connecting with our kids and having sweet conversations than the recipe itself.

When we bake together, we grow together in our relationship. Plus, it’s a beautiful way to bring Christ into our conversations while appreciating the creativity He’s given to them.

10 Simple Summer Desserts to Make with Your Kids

The Best Strawberry Blueberry Shortcake

A bite of buttery shortcake piled high with juicy berries and clouds of whipped cream. It’s sweet, tender, fruity, and the perfect ending to any summer meal.

No-Bake Mini Chocolate Cheesecakes

These creamy No-Bake Mini Chocolate Cheesecakes are the perfect solution and are easy to whip up in less than 20 minutes.

The best Fudgy 1-minute Brownie Mug Cake

This fudgy brownie mug cake is an easy one-minute dessert recipe that you need in your life!

The Best Peach Cobbler

Made with fresh peaches, sugar, and a topping that bakes like slightly underbaked cookie dough, with crunchy sugar broiled on top.

Refreshing Strawberry Frozen Yogurt

Made with ripe strawberries, creamy yogurt, and a touch of natural sweetness, this guilt-free dessert is the perfect way to beat the heat.

Strawberry Lemon Sorbet

A quick and easy dessert the whole family will enjoy on hot summer days.

Homemade Oreo Ice Cream Sandwiches

Creamy vanilla ice cream is layered between rich, chocolatey Oreo cookie crusts for a fun and delicious dessert everyone will love.

S’mores Dip

This easy ooey-gooey s’mores dip is the perfect s’mores treat to have at home with the family, combining creamy chocolate, fluffy marshmallows, and graham crackers into a delicious, ready-to-eat treat in under 10 minutes!

Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches

These Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches are perfect on a hot summer day and feature vanilla ice cream nestled between two of the most delicious soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies. 

Viral Frozen S’mores

These no-bake frozen s’mores bars are cold, creamy, and high in protein. Perfect for Fourth of July parties, BBQs, and hot summer nights.

Tips for Baking with Kids

While baking with kids is plenty of fun, there are some ways to help it run smoothly.

For starters, it will get messy- especially with little hands around. And that’s okay (a good reminder for me, too). It’s easy to forget that learning in the kitchen involves messes and won’t be perfect. But again, that’s okay and totally normal.

Patience will be needed, and saying a prayer beforehand is a great way to bring Christ into daily life, like baking with your kids.

Additionally, assigning age-appropriate tasks will allow everyone to pitch in while managing messes. Little hands can help measure ingredients while older kids can combine them. An all-hands-on-deck approach, with assigned jobs, will lead to a better experience for everyone.

Remember, baking with kids will naturally take longer, may need more clean-up, and will require lots of patience. BUT that’s okay- learning is occurring, and memories are being made. That is what’s most important.

Use this opportunity to ask questions and talk about God. His presence in the small, mundane moments in life matters and adds up in your child’s faith walk.

Creating Sweet Memories Together

One of the sweetest parts of homemaking isn’t having everything perfectly put together. It’s about creating a peaceful home where your children feel deeply loved, always encouraged, and grow in confidence.

Children are full of wonder and curiosity. They are always learning and trying to figure out the why behind all they see. And it’s a blessing to be around them, and a blessing that God has entrusted us with raising them.

Enjoy baking with your kids and find joy in the mess, the clean-up, and all the many questions. We’re living in the good ‘ole days after all.

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As a mom of four, it’s nice to have staple recipes that the whole family enjoys and won’t take long to whip up.

From grilled meals to quick and light options to family crowd pleasers, these 20 dinner recipe ideas will surely make your summer simpler and tastier.

Why Summer Meals Should Be Simple

Summertime should be spent making memories and enjoying delicious meals together.

The meals we create all summer long should be easy to whip together with staple ingredients that the whole family will enjoy.

These 20 easy summer dinner ideas are just that- simple, flavorful, and use everyday ingredients.

Grilling Favorites

1. Cilantro Chicken Tacos

Enjoy mouthwatering Cilantro Lime Chicken Tacos with a zesty cilantro lime marinade! This easy BBQ recipe is packed with savory flavors and perfect for a delicious and healthy taco night, family gathering, or even your next camping trip.

2. BBQ Chicken Skewer Salad

Inspired by California Pizza Kitchen’s signature BBQ chicken dishes, this fun Grilled BBQ Chicken Skewer Salad is a light and bright summer meal.

3. Simple Grilled Chicken Caprese

The genius of Caprese isn’t that it’s complicated. It’s that fresh mozzarella, ripe tomatoes, and basil taste incredible together. Add grilled chicken and a quick balsamic reduction, and you’ve got yourself a complete dinner that feels special without the fancy restaurant price tag.

4. Greek Shrimp Mediterranean Bowl

A Greek Shrimp Mediterranean Bowl is the kind of meal that feels fresh, colorful, and filling all at once. You get warm, seasoned shrimp, fluffy quinoa, crisp vegetables, briny olives, creamy feta, and a bright squeeze of lemon in every bite.

5. Lemon Pepper Parmesan Chicken Skewers with Garlic Herb Butter

These Lemon Garlic Parmesan Chicken Skewers are everything you want in a summer dinner. Bright, savory, and bursting with flavor, they’re marinated in a tangy, lemony blend, grilled to juicy perfection, and finished with a rich garlic herb butter that takes them completely over the top in terms of flavor. 

Quick Weeknight Dinners

1. Crispy Potato Tacos

Crispy Potato Tacos are an easy weeknight dinner recipe that takes 30 minutes to make! These mouth-watering tacos are crispy on the outside and seasoned mashed potatoes with melted cheese on the inside. Crunchy, delicious, and easy to make, these are always crowd-pleasers.

2. Easy BBQ Chicken Flatbread

This BBQ Chicken Flatbread is a quick and delicious weeknight recipe that combines the smoky sweetness of barbecue sauce with juicy chicken, melted cheese, and crispy flatbread. Ready in under 30 minutes, it’s perfect as a main dish, a fun appetizer, or even a party snack.

3. Chimichurri Chicken Thighs

Juicy, tender grilled Chimichurri chicken thighs are served with a flavor-packed chimichurri sauce that is used as both a marinade and topping for a perfect quick and easy summer meal!

4. Sausage and Veggies Skillet – 30-Minute, One-Pan Meal

This simple sausage and veggies skillet dinner features bell peppers, zucchini, corn, and fresh cilantro. It’s an easy and colorful meal that takes only 30 minutes to make, and everything is cooked in one pan. It’s perfect for meal prep and busy family weeknights!

5. Creamy Shrimp Orzo — Easy One-Pot Dinner

If you adore the rich, creamy feel of risotto but dread standing and stirring for what feels like forever, then buddy, I’ve got a game-changer for you. Creamy Shrimp Orzo gives you all the fancy seafood pasta vibes, but with the simplicity of a one-pot meal you can toss together on a busy weeknight. 

Light Summer Meals

1. Avocado Blueberry Quinoa Salad

Packed with fresh blueberries and corn, tangy feta, chopped pistachios, and diced red onion, this avocado blueberry quinoa salad is perfect for a healthy weekday salad!! Easy, delicious, and quick to assemble, it’s finished with a mouthwatering cilantro-lime dressing! Plus, it’s vegetarian-friendly and gluten-free too!

2. The Best Peach Tomato and Burrata Salad

Summer is here, and the Best Peach Tomato and Burrata Salad is a must on your menu to enjoy. Fresh, juicy peaches, cherries, and tomatoes topped with creamy burrata cheese and a garlicky, honey-infused vinaigrette are a taste of summer in every bite.

3. BBQ Chicken Chopped Salad

In the mood for a salad but still want something filling? Look no further than this loaded BBQ chicken chopped salad recipe!

4. Sheet Pan Lemon Herb Chicken and Vegetables

If you want a cozy companion recipe, try our cozy lemon herb chicken and rice recipe for another weeknight favorite. The combination of crisp edges, juicy chicken, and roasted vegetables creates texture and aroma that make the table feel special without fuss.

5. Easy Lemon Chicken Kale Salad

Here is my favorite lemon chicken kale salad recipe, with juicy seasoned chicken breasts, massaged kale, toasted pumpkin seeds, and a creamy lemon-yogurt dressing that brings it all together. This salad has become our go-to dinner when we want something healthy but still satisfying. 

Family-Friendly Crowd Pleasers

1. One Pan Creamy Chicken Gnocchi

This Pan Creamy Chicken Gnocchi is made with juicy chicken breast, fluffy and tender gnocchi, and sun-dried tomatoes, all brought together in a luxurious cream sauce. It’s easy, super comforting, and a dinner option you’ll want to devour again and again.

2. One Pot Marry Me, Chicken Pasta

This One Pot Marry Me Chicken Pasta Recipe is the perfect combination of creamy goodness and juicy chicken breast. It’s an easy pasta dinner when I want something comforting but fast enough for any busy night. If you love chicken pasta recipes or are looking for a new favorite, this one’s a keeper.

3. Easy Beef and Broccoli

This beef and broccoli is a popular Chinese take-out meal, and it’s also easy enough to make at home. It’s also healthier than most take-out meal options. With juicy, tender beef and crisp broccoli brought together in a rich brown sauce, this quick dinner is as colorful as it is delicious. 

4. Easy Cheesy Ground Beef Quesadillas

Craving a delicious and quick weeknight dinner? These Easy Cheesy Ground Beef Quesadillas are packed with perfectly seasoned beef, melty cheese, and crispy pan-toasted tortillas. Whether you need a simple family meal or a crowd-pleasing game day snack, this ground beef recipe comes together in just minutes.

5. Cheesy Oven-Crispy Chicken Bacon Ranch Tacos

These cheesy oven-crispy chicken bacon ranch tacos are the ultimate easy dinner idea. Baked until golden and crunchy, they’re stuffed with tender chicken, crispy bacon, melty cheese, and ranch seasoning, then finished with a creamy drizzle. Perfect for busy weeknights, family dinners, or game day, these tacos are simple to prep and packed with flavor.

Keep a Summer Dinner Rotation

Summer break brings more time for shared meals.

And these 20 easy summer dinner ideas are perfect options for busy families to try together.

Keep these recipes in a summer dinner rotation all summer long to maintain a simple and stress-free mealtime.

Have a great summer, friend!

Let’s dig deeper

Resources made just for you…

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Bible Reading Plan

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Two

Christian Resources

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Shop my favs! I’ve compiled all my favorite Bibles, journals, and studies to Christian art, jewelry, and sweatshirts. All in one simple place!

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three

Lockscreens

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I am so excited to offer you free downloadable lock screens! I hope you will use them in two ways: first, as a regular reminder of His truth, and second, as a Scripture memorization tool.

view all

The post 20 Easy Summer Dinner Ideas for Busy Families appeared first on .

A set schedule.
Every meal planned out.
Everything decided ahead of time.

But more often than not, it started to feel like just another thing to keep up with.

If we didn’t follow the plan exactly, I felt behind.
If life got busy, it felt overwhelming.

So instead, I started doing something much simpler.

Why I Stopped Meal Planning

I realized what I actually needed wasn’t a perfect meal plan.

I just needed a simple way to decide what to cook without thinking about it every single day.

Because that’s really where the stress comes from, isn’t it?

“What’s for dinner?”

Every day.
At the same time.
When you’re already tired.

I didn’t need more structure.

I needed less pressure—and a simpler approach to meal planning for families.

A Simple Way to Make Family Meals Easier

Instead of planning every meal, I started keeping a simple list of meals our family already loves.

Almost like a menu.

Not assigned to specific days.
Not overly structured.

Just a collection of go-to meals I can choose from depending on:

• what we have on hand
• what sounds good
• what kind of day it’s been

And it has made such a difference.

This simple shift has made family meals feel easier, more flexible, and far less overwhelming.

Our Simple Spring Menu

This is what we’ve been using in our home this season.

A simple, flexible spring menu for families filled with meals we come back to again and again.

Nothing complicated.
Nothing fancy.

Just simple meals that work for our family.

Some weeks we repeat meals.
Some weeks we skip around.

There’s no pressure to follow it perfectly.

It’s just there to make decisions easier—and to support the kind of daily rhythms I’ve shared in this post on building simple routines at home.

READ: 3 Daily Rhythms for a Peaceful Home

Free Spring Menu Printable

To make it even simpler, I turned our menu into a printable you can use in your own home.

You can hang it in a vintage frame in your kitchen, keep it in your planner, or use it as inspiration when you’re making your grocery list.

What’s On Our Spring Menu

Here are a few of the types of meals we keep on rotation:

Roasted Tri-tip

Simple, versatile, and easy to pair with sides.

Chicken Meals

Quick, filling, and great for busy nights.

Breakfast Dishes

Comforting and easy to throw together.

Simple Salads

Fresh, fruity, and filling salads.

Quick Snacks

For those nights when time and energy are low.

The goal isn’t variety for the sake of variety.

It’s having meals you know your family will eat—ready to go.

Why This Works for Our Family

This simple menu has helped bring more ease into our evenings.

It’s:

• flexible
• repeatable
• realistic

And it removes the pressure of trying to plan everything perfectly.

Instead of feeling behind, I feel prepared.

Instead of overthinking, I just choose.

Making Meals a Meaningful Part of Your Day

Some of our most meaningful moments happen around the table.

Not because the meal is elaborate.

But because we’re together.

Talking about our day.
Sharing what we’re grateful for.
Slowing down, even just for a moment.

Simple meals make space for that.

Start Simple

If meal planning has felt overwhelming, you don’t need to overhaul everything.

Just start with a small list of meals your family already enjoys.

Write them down.
Keep them visible.
Use them as a guide.

You don’t need a perfect system.

Just something simple that works.

Because feeding your family doesn’t have to be complicated to be meaningful.

Looking for More Simple Ways to Care for Your Home?

If you’re working toward building a more peaceful, Christ-centered home, you might also enjoy:

• How to Build a Christ-Centered Home with Simple Daily Rhythms
• 3 Daily Rhythms for a Peaceful Home
• Simple Lemon Garlic Kale Salad

And if you’d like more encouragement like this, you can join my weekly emails here:

Let’s dig deeper

Resources made just for you…

one

Bible Reading Plan

---

Grab our chronological one-year Bible reading plan and find out who God is.

Get the plan

Two

Christian Resources

---

Shop my favs! I’ve compiled all my favorite Bibles, journals, and studies to Christian art, jewelry, and sweatshirts. All in one simple place!

shop now

three

Lockscreens

---

I am so excited to offer you free downloadable lock screens! I hope you will use them in two ways: first, as a regular reminder of His truth, and second, as a Scripture memorization tool.

view all

The post Simple Spring Menu for Families (With Free Printable) appeared first on .