Hi Reader,

We all know the mental load of feeding kids goes way up in the summer time. More snacks. More food requests. More meals at home. More random kids at your house needing to be fed.

Before you add another thing to your mental to-do list, save this email.

(I swear yesterday alone I added 19 things to my to-do list. Sign the camp forms. Make camp carpool plans. Get a light bulb for the closet, buy goggles, call the plumber. OK, I will spare you the rest but I know you feel this in your soul!)

I rounded up some of my favorite summer-friendly recipes – from easy breakfasts and snacks to simple meals and treats – to make feeding your family feel a little easier over the next few months.

Let's dive in.

1. ​Banana Oatmeal Bars (good for all meals or snacks!)
2. Starbucks Copycat Cottage Cheese Egg Bites (but a more picky eater-friendly version!)
3. ​Air Fryer “Boiled” Eggs (foolproof way to make them)
4. ​Baked French Toast Sticks​
5. ​Cinnamon Roll Baked Oatmeal (SO GOOD)
6. ​Healthier Cinnamon Rolls (our family’s favorite for holiday mornings!)
7. ​Chocolate Smoothie​
8. ​6 Smoothie Recipes Kids Love
9. ​5-Ingredient No-Bake Nut Butter Bars​
10. ​Sheet Pan Pancakes (Emilia’s favorite! The kids call them Minecraft pancakes (since they’re squares.))
11. ​Healthy Strawberry Muffins​

Good dinner options, too!

1. ​Homemade Uncrustables (stock the freezer with these!)
2. ​Air Fryer Pizza Rolls​
3. ​Broiled Shrimp
4. ​Baked Quesadillas ​
5. ​Canned Salmon Salad (staple at my house. Tastes better than it looks. 😜)

1. ​Mini Meatballs​
2. ​Spaghetti Casserole​
3. ​Simple Steamed Broccoli​
4. ….or make Broccoli Tots!
5. ​Sweet Potato Tater Tots​
6. ​Simple Roasted Sweet Potatoes​
7. ​Creamy Cottage Cheese Pasta Sauce​
8. ​Instant Pot Cheesy Broccoli Rice (I make this often!)
9. ​15-Minute Greek Rice Bowls​
10. ​Black Bean Veggie Burger​
11. ​Stuffed Zucchini Boats​

1. ​Chocolate Banana Popsicles​
2. ​3-Ingredient Oatmeal Cookies
3. ​Homemade Frozen Snickers (my all time favorite!!!)
4. ​Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding​
5. ​No-Bake Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites​
6. ​Banana Chia Seed Pudding (try it for breakfast, too!)
7. ​Banana Frozen Yogurt (the kids are obsessed with this)
8. ​Banana Cottage Cheese Pudding​
9. ​Apple Crisp​
10. ​Greek Yogurt Popsicles​
11. ​Orange Popsicles​
12. ​Chocolate Pudding
13. ​Puff Pastry Berry Squares​
14. ​Chocolate Ice Cream Bites​

What I'm Loving This Week

Here are three things that saved me during our first week of summer:

• ​This calendar acts as our hub for allllll the things – chores, activities, etc.
• Our home phone allows the kids to call their friends without stealing my phone or saying, “can you text their mom now?? What did she say? Did she answer yet?”
• My BFF who cleans up without having to be asked a second time. 😉

Oh and don’t go thinking I’m making homemade meals all day every day!! I’m 10000% not. You don’t have to either.

Last night we had frozen meatballs that I microwaved and put on rolls to make little meatball sandwiches, with cucumbers and strawberries on the side.

Send me your summer survival tips, please! 😊

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© Mama Knows Nutrition 2026
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