Summer Meals Simplified with Summer Fresh

We’ve just enjoyed our first Canadian long weekend of Summer up at the family cottage. While the lakeside views and crisp fresh air are unlike any other, let’s be real, cottaging with kids is A LOT of work. Two full days of prepping and packing and a whole lot of extra to think about once you’re up there – water safety, bug bite management and more. BUT… the childhood and family memories we’re storing in the RAM, plus stepping off the grid of everyday routine does keep us coming back for more.

And while whipping up homecooked meals is my jam, spending all day in a kitchen at the cottage is not. We’ve waited patiently for warmer temps to finally arrive and stick here in Ontario, so now that they have, outside with our gang is where I want to be. And when it comes to feeding our hungry brood, we like to keep snacks and meals super simple.

*Disclosure: This post has been sponsored by Summer Fresh, meaning we’ve received product & compensation in exchange for our honest review. As always, opinions are our own, and we only share products we genuinely use and love as a family*

Nothing says Summer like snack requests on repeat, so to save a bit of sanity at the cottage and through days at home with the kids on break, putting out a platter with all their favourite veggies and munchies early in the day usually keeps the non-stop asks at bay. We’ve just outgrown the toddler stage, which has been nice since all of our babes can be fed the same snacks now. Our favourites are sliced peppers, grape tomatoes, halved mini cucumbers, cheese wrapped in prosciutto, breadsticks & carrots paired with our faves from Summer Fresh for dipping – Roasted Garlic & Red Pepper Hummus and Extra Thick Tzatziki.

Lunch and Dinner usually mean #DadChef is grilling on the BBQ, and I’m prepping some super simple sides. One of our family’s favourite meals of Summer is Mediterranean fare – grilled kebabs + veggies, pita, salad and sides like olives and dips. While I do have a pasta salad recipe I love whipping up in the Summer, enjoying la vida lakeside means I take along some cottage cheats so I’m not spending so much time stove side.

We enjoyed the Greek Pasta Feta & Pasta Italiano ready-to-serve salads for lunch & dinner this weekend which will be tag-alongs on all our cottage & beach getaways and added to our al fresco dining poolside at home this Summer. While they save time in the kitchen, they are all made with simple, real whole ingredients, and with no added preservatives, we don’t have to compromise on nutrition while taking shortcuts to feed our large gang.

It’s true what they say – life is better by the lake, but with kids in tow, simplifying meals is the way to go, and why we’re happy to partner with the family-owned Canadian company Summer Fresh to keep cottage & summer season simplified. We’ve tried most of their products, but are excited to try their Tuscan Chickpea Salad next! All of their products are conveniently located in the refrigerated deli section of your favourite grocery store.