Hot Outside, Cool on the Plate: 3 Fresh Dinners (Mini Menu #4)
I’m not sure where you are located but here in North Georgia, we recently had our hottest day in 17 years. In less than an hour of being outside, I was soaked in sweat. Seriously, way too hot to do much of anything in that heat.
So, this Mini Menu is all about cool and refreshing dinners while still being on a small budget! This is mainly a no-cook menu, but one dish does require you to cook pasta.
Our total came out just under $30 so this is definitely an affordable option. There were a few items you may already have at home, so you can probably get your total even less than mine!
Grocery Items Needed for the Mini Menu
If you want to see the full shopping list on Walmart in your area, all you have to do is click my Walmart Grocery list and change the zip code to your area. *This is an affiliate link, and I do make a small commission on any purchases, but at no additional cost to you!*
**** Please note, that every once in a while, an item that I pick turns out to be regional. This means that it may be a much higher price in some areas. Always double check the list and if you see an item that is much higher than normal, just adjust as needed.
Chopped Chicken Salad Wraps
These are a great option for dinner because honestly the prep is just minimal. Go ahead and chop your whole head of lettuce (we will need half for another meal), dice half the cucumber and slice the other half (another meal), and dice the tomatoes. BAM! Super quick dinner that was made!
Turkey, Apple, & Cheddar Sliders
A gazillion years ago I had this combo of turkey, apple, and cheddar at a friend’s house and I totally fell in love with it! These are so good room temperature and they are seriously yummy toasted as well. As a bonus, try this flavor combo for a fun breakfast too on an English muffin or a piece of toast (you will totally thank me later!).
Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
This is hands down my favorite pasta salad. It may be because I adore Caesar Salad but seriously, you can easily switch this up to ranch dressing if you are not a fan of Caesar. I think part of the reason this pasta salad works so well is the bigger noodles. You can do smaller noodles like shells, but it just doesn’t hit the same to me.
Possible Variations
If you are not a fan of rotisserie chicken or just happen to have some chicken in your fridge or freezer, you can totally cook your own chicken. I used the pre-cooked chicken because it definitely cut down on the hot part of cooking.
I have air fried an entire chicken before, so you can easily make your own rotisserie chicken at home! Honestly, any pre-cooked chicken will work even canned chicken! (Just make sure to rinse and drain canned chicken to get rid of the metallic taste).
Free Printable List & Recipes
Here is a 1-page cheat sheet that includes the grocery list as well as all the recipes you need to make this budget mini menu work!
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