Another heatwave, another week of standing in front of an open fridge trying to convince yourself that cereal for dinner is a valid choice. If the thought of turning on your oven fills you with dread right now, you’re not alone. Here’s how I get through the hot weather without giving up on actual, satisfying meals.
Let an appliance do the work…
If you’re anything like me you’ll have 1 or 2 (or maybe quite a few more!) appliances in the kitchen. Many of them really come into their own during the summer, especially appliances like air fryers that can cook your food in less time and with much less heat output.
Air Fryer
The air fryer is one of the best heatwave tools I have, and it’s far more versatile than “just chips.” A few ideas:
- Jacket potatoes — no oven required, ready in a fraction of the time
- Chicken fajitas — quick, contained heat, big flavour
- A whole chicken — cook it once, then enjoy cold meat with salad through the week, or use it for easy meal prep with microwave rice and salad on the side
Soup Maker
Soup might sound like an odd suggestion when it’s roasting outside, but hear me out. A light, hot soup can actually make a really satisfying dinner without leaving you feeling weighed down the way a heavier meal would.
Think a green soup or a tomato soup, rather than anything rich or creamy, something you could happily eat on a warm evening. I quite like making something like a soup with noodles or rice, with some protein too, making it a complete meal in one. A soup maker does all the work in a contained space too, so you’re not stood over a hot pan on the hob.
Some of my favourites include:
- Soup Maker Chicken Noodle Soup
- Soup Maker Green Veg Soup
- Soup Maker Tomato and Basil Soup
- Soup Maker Lemon Orzo Chicken Soup
It’s also worth knowing that some soup makers. the Ninja Soup Maker and Blender in particular, double up as a smoothie maker. So if soup genuinely isn’t calling to you in the heat, the same appliance can make a cold smoothie instead.
Here are some smoothie recipe ideas to try:
Slow Cooker
It might seem counterintuitive, but a slow cooker emits very little heat compared to an oven or hob, it’s low-wattage and contained, so it won’t turn your kitchen into a sauna.
Choose simple dump-and-go recipes where you add everything in the morning and forget about it until dinner.
Here are some of my favourites:
- Slow Cooker Chicken Casserole
- Slow Cooker Marry Me Chicken
- Slow Cooker Beef and Broccoli
- Slow Cooker Vegetable Curry
- Slow Cooker Pork Ragu
- Slow Cooker Chickpea Curry
Ninja Creami
This one speaks for itself. The Ninja Creami can make all sorts of different cold treats, from classic ice creams to one ingredient treats (see my video on YouTube to see eleven of my one ingredient ideas for the Ninja Creami).
Here are some Ninja Creami recipes to try:
- Ninja Creami One Ingredient Peach Sorbet
- Ninja Creami Dairy Free Coconut Ice Cream
- Ninja Creami Green Smoothie Bowl
- Ninja Creami Mini Eggs Ice Cream Recipe
If you don’t have a Creami and are tempted, the latest deals can be found here:
- Ninja Kitchen
- Amazon
And if you don’t have plans to get one, fear not, you can also make some cold treats with these tasty recipe ideas:
- Mini Egg Ice Cream Recipe (No Ice Cream Maker Needed!)
- Strawberry and Banana Homemade Ice Lolly
- Yoghurt Bark Recipe
Sandwiches and Wraps
Sometimes the answer is simply a good sandwich. A cold sandwich needs no cooking at all. Think a classic BLT, or a pile of cold meats with salad and a good mustard.
If you’d rather have something warm, a sandwich toaster or microwave toastie is still far cooler than standing over a grill or hob. Or, if you have an air fryer, a toastie works great in there too.
- Air Fryer Cheese Toastie
- Ham and Cheese Toastie
- Chicken Tikka Wraps
- Halloumi Wraps
- What I Think Of The Morphy Richards Microwave Toastie Maker
- How To Make Egg Wraps
Other Cooking In Hot Weather Tips
- Buy cold meats and serve with salad — zero cooking
- Cous cous dinners — cook once, serve cold with veg, herbs, and a good dressing
- Pizza oven — you can buy pre-made dough if you don’t want to make your own, and it’s done in minutes outside rather than heating up your kitchen.
- Freeze smoothies or juices into ice lollies
- Frozen grapes — halve them before freezing for the best texture, and they make a genuinely great sweet treat with zero effort
- Tinned fish tin lunches — mackerel, sardines, or tuna with crusty bread, salad, and pickles
- Watermelon and feta salad — the classic hot-weather combo for a reason
- Premade salads
You Don’t Have To Suffer For Dinner
Heatwaves are hard enough without adding “sweating over a hot stove” to the list. Save this list for the next scorcher.
And if none of that appeals and it’s just too hot to even think about dinner? That’s what a tub of ice cream, a well-earned takeaway, a ready meal, or a bowl of cereal for dinner is for. No judgement here, some nights, survival mode is the right mode.