With the watermelon, sunshine, and backyard barbecues, summertime is everyone’s favorite part of the year. Kids are out of school and playing outside, while parents feel more relaxed as they take beach vacations or hit the pool with the kids. However, the scorching heat could stop you from enjoying summer to the fullest. Stay cool with these cool summer meal ideas that will help you beat the heat:

• Chicken Salad: Sometimes our appetite is decreased due to the summer heat. That’s why it’s great to have smaller meals that give you your necessary calories, but don’t overload your palette. Chicken salad is the perfect solution! Take cooked chicken, walnuts, celery, cranberries, mayo, and a good dose of black pepper and whip up a wonderfully delicious summer chicken salad, which you can enjoy on wheat crackers or bread on a hot summer day. All you need is lemonade and you’ll be set.
• Cucumber Salad: There’s a reason why we say “Chill as a cucumber.” Cucumbers are nourishing, hydrating, and cool to the touch, keeping our body temperatures down even in the hottest of months. Grab your apple cider vinegar, sugar, salt, black pepper, shallots, and some seedless cucumbers for a wonderful summer side that goes great with anything from grilled chicken to pork chops.

• Watermelon Salad: Put your watermelon to good use with a cool watermelon salad, prepared with feta cheese, kalamata olives, mint leaves, olive oil, and a touch of lime. The sweet watermelon perfectly balances the more pungent ingredients, like the feta cheese and olives. Serve with slow roasted leg of lamb or another Greek main course.
• Cool Summer Sandwich: Instead of overloading your sandwich with heavy deli meats, try a lighter summer sandwich with cucumber, sprouts, hummus, and a touch of avocado for a vegetarian meal that will be your go-to when the temperatures start rising.
• Cold Basil Soup: For those of us who love soups, during the summer months we may long for our favorite type of dish. Never fear! There are wonderful, cool soups that will help you kick the soup craving while staying cool. A pea and basil soup tastes wonderful served cold. Made with onion, peas, vegetable stock, basil leaves, and olive oil, this soup should be served with a dollop of sour cream and a fresh loaf of bread.

There are plenty of meal options to keep you cool in the summer. Just make sure that you try out some of these cool summer meal ideas and savor this wonderful season until its end.