42 Summer Recipes: Summer Food for a Crowd, Summer Dinner Ideas, and More
Summer recipes are one of the best things about warm weather days. When you don’t feel like slaving over the stove, you can turn to summer recipes to beat the heat and keep you cool and satisfied. And when you’re throwing a summer shindig, you’ll need plenty of summer food for a crowd. But being on a diabetic diet can make finding foods for summer challenging. That’s why we’ve put together this list of 42 Summer Recipes for you to enjoy, guilt free!
No more wondering “What are some good summer recipes?” when you have this list of summer food to cook! Just peruse this collection of our best summer foods to find the perfect dish. Whether you’re searching for summer dinner ideas, summer recipes for large groups, or just some ideas of foods to eat in summer, there’s something here to please everyone. Which one of these summer recipes for diabetics are you going to try?
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Summer Food for a Crowd
There’s no denying that big get togethers, like family reunions and community picnics, are one of the most fun parts of summer. That’s why it’s great to always have a selection of summer food for parties on hand, so that you’re never left scratching your head and wondering what you should make. These recipes for summer are perfect for large gatherings because they’ll serve the whole gang, they’re fresh and flavorful, and they’re diabetic-friendly. So what are you waiting for? Choose one of these summer recipes to try and join the fun in the sun!
Looking for a change of pace from heavy deli salads like potato salads and pasta salads? If so, then you'll love this fresh Broccoli Pepper Salad. It's got creamy, crunchy, fresh-tasting flavors that you'll enjoy eating all year long.
Add a colorful pop to your table with this easy salad recipe. Our Rainbow Salad features all the colors of the rainbow made from fresh fruit and veggies. It's not just a beautiful salad, it's a healthy and yummy one too!
Plenty of fresh vegetables make this Chopped Veggie Salad a go-to when you're craving something light and fresh. A sprinkle of bacon bits and Parmesan cheese take it over the edge!
Made with non-fat Greek yogurt instead of sour cream, our Mediterranean Roasted Pepper Dip is a great snack day or night. Keep it low-fat by dipping assorted fresh veggies!
Hosting a party or attending a potluck? Break out the pita chips and set out a bowl of this Summer Party Salad. This diabetic-friendly salad is full of color, taste, and nutrition 'cause it's loaded with a variety of delicious summer veggies!
If you're a fan of those full-sized peppers stuffed with beef and rice, then you're going to love this bite-sized version. Our Stuffed Mini Peppers are perfect for a party snack or friendly get-together 'cause they can be picked up and eaten in just one bite!
Risotto may be just another name for rice, but Mushroom and Zucchini Risotto is no plain old rice dish. This Italian-style side dish is chock-full of tasty garden tidbits!
A touch of grated lemon peel adds novel excitement to our Zesty Lemon Dressing. This light salad dressing is like a splash of summer sunshine to your taste buds.
Our crowd-pleasing Peach Melba 'n' Cream Trifle can't possibly get any easier to make. It doesn't matter how busy you are, this no-bake classic is a simple yet elegant dessert that tastes as good as it looks. Just wait 'til you see their eyes light up when you place this on the dinner table!
We hope you’re ready to receive lots of compliments, and maybe a kiss or two, ‘cause this recipe for Pucker Up Lemon Pie is going to impress them all. It’s a no-bake, diabetic-friendly pie that’s just the right amount of creamy AND lemony. Plus, since it’s made with lighter ingredients…there’s no guilt for anyone!
Summer Recipes to Beat the Heat
When it gets really hot out, no one wants to cook. Even the most dedicated cooks and bakers will seek the shade when it’s hot and humid outside. That’s where these summer recipes for hot days come in. Specially designed to keep you cool and avoid the heat of the kitchen, these are the perfect summer recipes to beat the heat. Just choose any one of these refreshing recipes for summer and you’ll be cool as a cucumber in no time. Who needs air conditioning or swimming pools when you’ve got these summer recipes to keep cool!
The buttery taste and healthy benefits of avocado add a special flair to this great Avocado-Citrus Salad recipe.
Our Blackberry Frozen Yogurt is a low-fat dessert that's summertime-perfect. It's made with just 5 simple ingredients, including sweet and slightly tart blackberries. This is one fruity dessert you'll want to make in advance and keep on hand for when you get a craving!
Few combinations are as classic as strawberry and lemon. And with good reason, too! Our Strawberry Lemon Chiller will quench your thirst on the hottest of days!
We took fresh summer veggies and drizzled them with a lightly sweetened vinaigrette to come up with this healthy and low carb recipe for Cool Veggie Salad. You'll love serving this refreshing salad alongside any of your favorite main dishes, or eating it on its own on those warm sunny days!
Enjoy fresh summer tastes with this chilled Avocado Summer Soup. This green and flavorful soup recipe comes from "The Budget-Friendly Fresh and Local Diabetes Cookbook" and is perfect during hot summer days, or anytime you're craving a fresh-tasting soup!
Take control of your frozen desserts and make them yourself, so you know they are absolutely fitting of a diabetes lifestyle. Our scrumptious Peachy Homemade Sherbet comes together easily, and of course is a healthy option.
Summer Recipes for Dinner
It can be hard to come up with summer dinner ideas when you want to avoid the heat of the kitchen. Sometimes a little time at the stove or oven is unavoidable, but it can be worth it when you’re chowing down on the amazing, fresh tastes the season has to offer. These summer dinner recipes use all of the best warm weather ingredients, and some are even no-cook recipes. Plus, these dishes are perfect summer recipes for families, since they’re filled with classic ingredients everyone will love.
If you're new to eating stuffed zucchini then you're in for a real surprise! This stuffed zucchini recipe is healthy, hearty, and full of Italian flavor. Perfect for a low-carb diet, our Beefy Stuffed Zucchini will soon become one of your favorite summer recipes with ground beef!
Cobb salad is one of our favorite American salads 'cause it's got a ton of yummy ingredients like egg, bacon, cheese, tomato, and more! It's said that this salad was first created at the Brown Derby restaurant in Hollywood, which is why we call this our Brown Derby Cobb Salad.
Here's a healthy macaroni salad recipe that's worthy of making it to every potluck you've got planned this year. It's simple, it's tasty, and it's ready to impress. What's even more fun is listening to people rave about it without 'em ever knowing that our Simple Macaroni Salad is a diabetic recipe!
There's no better way to get your fill of veggies than to bake up this Southern-Style Vegetable Casserole. This delicious, vegetarian casserole comes from Chef Steve Petusevsky's cookbook, "Sizzle & Smoke," and is full of Southern flavor without all the extra fat!
This taco salad always surprises people. That's 'cause they're a little unsure about a taco salad that doesn't have any cheese or sour cream. Good news is, once they get a forkful they always say, "Wow, this is a Tasty Taco Salad!" That's right, fresh and flavorful ingredients (plus a creamy homemade dressing) make for one healthy and delicious taco salad!
With fresh veggies and low-fat cheese, this pasta salad won't leave you feeling guilty. That's why our recipe for Summer Fresh Pasta Salad is a perfect bring-along dish from your next BBQ, potluck, or picnic!
Mama always said to eat your veggies, but she probably didn't know we could make them so crave-worthy. A sprinkle of low fat Mozzarella cheese and a shot of Italian dressing takes this Summery Vegetable Saute to a whole new level!
Meatballs are a party time favorite, 'cause they're portable and easy to eat. We think our recipe for BBQ Meatballs is pretty extraordinary 'cause it's got a sweet-meets-savory flavor that's irresistibly delicious!
Summer Recipes for the Grill
Whether you’re barbecuing with the family or cooking for the neighborhood block party, summer recipes for the grill are the perfect option to satisfy the whole gang. The smell of the grill plus the fresh veggies and hearty selection of meats make summer recipes for cookouts super popular when the weather turns warm. And we think these diabetic recipes deserve to make it onto your next cookout menu! Filled with fresh ingredients and tons of classic grilling flavor, these summer foods recipes will delight your taste buds.
Whether you're at a barbecue, camping out, or just having a fun camp-style dinner at home, you're going to love these Campfire Chicken Packets. We stuffed foil packets with chicken, beans, corn, tomato, and a sprinkle of cheese, so you can enjoy a flavorful meal without any mess!
Think you can only enjoy the taste of your grilled specialties in the summer or when the weather is warm? Not so, thanks to the availability of grill pans and ridged skillets. We can savor tasty delights like Grilled Flank Steak all year 'round.
Tired of the same ho-hum potato salad that seems to be the standard side dish served at every picnic and backyard barbecue? This Grilled Summer Salad is one of our favorite recipes for jazzing things up while keeping it all oh-so-sweet and simple!
Looking for a change of pace from the typical beef burgers during grilling season? Try these Sensational Chicken Burgers from Barbara Seelig-Brown's "Secrets of Healthy Cooking" cookbook. These low-carb chicken burgers are stuffed with fresh herbs, so you know they're flavorful!
Grilled Pita Pizzas are a great party food! It's fun to put out different vegetables and seasonings like basil, oregano, Italian seasoning, and garlic, and let everybody design their own creations.
Low-fat angel food cake is topped with fresh berries that cook down in a delicious maple syrup sauce in this recipe for Grilled Angel Food Cake with Melted Berries, from Chef Steve Petusevsky's "Sizzle & Smoke" cookbook. It's a dessert that's a summertime delight!
Summer Recipes with Fruit
Nothing says “summer” like fresh produce. We’re partial to all of the bountiful fruits the warm weather has to offer (especially with they fit into our diabetic diet), so we’re sharing these summer recipes with fruit for you to enjoy. From classic fruit salad to out-of-this-world lemon squares, these fruity recipes are some of the best summer foods to eat when you’re looking for a hint of indulgence that still fits right in to your diabetic diet.
Looking for a fun and healthy way to show off your pride for the red, white, and blue? Make our All-American Fruit Salad! It features a trio of healthy berries tossed in a lightly sweetened yogurt mixture that's absolutely tasty!
How could anything this creamy, this decadent, this fresh-tasting be guilt-free? Well, it is, and the low-fat ingredients in our "Berry-licious" Parfait allow us to indulge once in a while.
Make strawberries the star of your dessert menu with our diabetic-friendly recipe for Crustless Strawberry Pie. This low-carb strawberry pie is beautiful to serve at outdoor picnics and get-togethers, or anytime of the year when you need a burst of fruit and color!
Treat yourself to a little piece of sunshine! Our Luscious Lemon Squares look sunny and bright and have lots of lemony flavor. This is a great one to make for a picnic or summer potluck, 'cause it's a no-bake, make-ahead dessert. Plus, everyone will love it!
Oh the simple tasty pleasure of a ripe and juicy summer peach! Our Summer's Best Peach Crumble is a warm and comforting dessert that lets you enjoy this classic recipe anytime of the year!
This sinfully rich-tasting Creamy Lime Pie complete with chocolate cookie crumb crust is completely guilt-free! Yes you can enjoy all the tastes you crave from a bakery-style favorite!
Summer Recipes with Chicken
While chicken is popular year-round, it’s extra popular during the summer because there are just so many fun and flavorful ways to prepare it. Paired with fresh veggies, marinated in sweet and tangy sauces, or grilled to perfection -- no matter how you prefer to eat it, these summer recipes with chicken will satisfy your taste buds and your tummy, all without one speck of guilt. These diabetic dinner recipes are fresh, flavor-packed, and definitely allowed on your diabetic diet. So all you have to do is choose your favorite chick dish from the summer foods list below and get cooking!
Our Key West Chicken is so bright and tasty you'll never know it's good for you, too! Just like they do in the free and easy Florida Keys, garnish this with a few slices of lime for even more color!
A healthy splash of lemon adds a taste of sunshine to this baked chicken dish. Our Sunny Lemon Chicken & Broccoli is simple to make, and even easier to clean up, since everything is made in foil packets!
By stuffing our avocados with chicken and some fresh salsa, we can enjoy a quick and nutritious, low-carb, lunch that's full of flavor. Our Shredded Chicken Avocados have a creamy texture (thanks to the avocado!) that make 'em taste extra-yummy.
We've taken the classic flavors of apple pie and cheddar cheese to the next level by using them with chicken. Don't knock it until you try it. We think our American Pie Chicken is worthy of a salute!
Here's another fresh and flavorful way to enjoy the flavor of strawberries without a lot of fuss. Our Strawberry Chicken Salad is doubly-delicious, 'cause it's topped with a homemade strawberry dressing too!
If you love those barbecue ranch flavors then this healthy salad recipe is right up your alley. Our Healthy BBQ Ranch Salad has so much southwestern flavor, it'll have you saying "Yeehaw!" with every bite!