Many of our favorite summertime hangout spots come equipped with those little charcoal grills or firepits. Or maybe your favorite place to cook a meal is over your gas grill on the patio or up to camp. No matter where your wild cookout spot is, good nutrition and easy food prep can seem tough to come by, so we’ve put together some recipes and tips to make life easier.
Chickpea Burgers & Tahini Sauce
We’d be remiss to exclude all burgers, but let’s face it: chickpeas are a less worrisome choice for food safety in 90º weather. Mix up your chickpeas and form them into patties separated by parchment paper the night before for quick day-of prep. (3 Guiding Stars)
Grilled Hasselback Sweet Potatoes
Everyone has done the ol’ potato-in-foil trick. When you want full flavor and robust nutrition, though, a hasselback approach to sweet potatoes lets you infuse your starch with great flavors. (3 Guiding Stars)
Ginger-Marinated Grilled Portobello Mushrooms
Of course, portobellos are a favorite of vegetarians as summer burger subs. They’re also tasty and just darn smart as a food-safe choice during hot weather. Toss these in the marinade the night before and pull them straight from sauce to grill when you’re ready to cook. (3 Guiding Stars)
Grilled Avocados with Black Bean Salsa
The salsa used to stuff these avocados can double as a dip for tortilla chips! Bring a big batch and spoon it onto avocados as you finish grilling them–prepping your avocados on site needs nothing but a good knife.(3 Guiding Stars)
Ginger-Sesame Salmon
Super charge your flavor and simplify your beach day by setting your fish up to marinate the night before instead of spooning the sauce on. Bring along some whole grain hoagie rolls and eat these awesome chunks of fish like a much more nutritious hot dog. (2 Guiding Stars)
Charred Ratatouille and Grilled Chicken
Prep and pack your meat and veg skewers separately for proper food safety–gallon freezer bags tucked into a 9×13 work beautifully. Don’t forget to pre-soak your skewers to prevent burning. (2 Guiding Stars)
Spicy Stuffed Peppers
Tuck your prepped and stuffed pepper halves into individual tinfoil packets and, again, use a 9×13 for easy travel. If 30-40 minutes over a grill seems like too long to wait, you can cook them partially the night before. (1 Guiding Star)