When the weather is warm, many of us often change our diets slightly to include foods that are lighter and more refreshing, as opposed to heavier meals and dishes that we tend to have during the winter and autumn months. From hearty summer salads, grilled meats and flavour-packed dishes, there are plenty of light summer lunch ideas that are perfect for enjoying alfresco outside when the weather is nice.
Many summer lunch ideas tend to be focused around flavour, such as herby marinades, light and zesty dressings and seasonal greens and use fresh summer produce, lean proteins and grains. With that in mind, here are 3 light summer lunch ideas to give you some inspiration for the warm weather!
Light Summer Lunch Ideas
Flavourful Chicken Tikka Salad
If the weather is warm, there isn’t a better dish than a salad topped with your favourite toppings. For a light summer lunch idea, why not try a chicken tikka salad? You can enjoy this fresh at home, or prepare the night before to take to work. Simply marinate your chicken pieces in our Regal Chicken Tikka Marinade overnight (or for two hours minimum if preparing the day before) and griddle to get a lovely charred taste and texture.
To make your salad, chop up some iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber and add in extras such as radishes, peppers, sweetcorn and croutons and top with your chicken, cut up into chunks. You can make a simple, but refreshing, salad dressing to pair with it too by mixing 1tbsp natural yoghurt, 2 tsps mint sauce and a pinch of grated cucumber and drizzling over your salad.
Reinspired Sandwiches
When it comes to a light summer lunch idea, a sandwich is probably not your first choice. However, there are ways to reimagine the traditional sandwich and make it into a perfect light summer lunch. Instead of using two slices of bread, use one to create an open sandwich and top with fresh, crunchy salad and your filling of choice, such as grilled chicken, smoked salmon or even just cucumber and cream cheese. For a lunchtime picnic, be sure to pack extras such as crisps and dried fruits, or instead of an open sandwich, put your filling into a wholewheat wrap.
Poke Bowl
During the warm weather, you want light summer lunch ideas that are easy to put together and free of heavy or carb-heavy ingredients. Poke bowls are one of the best light summer lunch ideas and can be adapted to suit every taste.
To start, choose your poke bowl based, which can include brown rice, sushi rice, soba noodles or fresh, leafy greens. Then, choose your protein which will keep you full until dinner time. This can include prawns, chicken, tofu or salmon. Next, choose a dressing such as sriracha, soy sauce or a reduced glaze. Finally, top with crunchy and flavourful additions, such as sliced avocado, edamame beans, radish, peanuts, sesame seeds, fresh chillis, ginger, mushrooms, red onion and cucumber ribbons.
There are plenty of light summer lunch ideas to keep you feeling full and refreshed when the weather is warm. If you’re still feeling a little peckish, then take a look at our healthy snack options for inspiration!
