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Frugal dinner ideas that don’t require an oven

U.S. News & World Report

July 29, 2017, 8:00 AM

Dining out is a treat, but don’t let it become a budget-busting habit. Cooking on the grill is an obvious answer for summer dining outside of the kitchen. However, not everyone has the space or ability to grill, and some days, it’s even too hot to stand in front of hot coals. Instead, try fixing up a refreshing no-cook dinner that leaves your oven completely out of the equation.

There’s another unexpected benefit from stepping away from more traditional oven-cooked meals: You can save a lot of money. By stocking up on fresh, local and in-season produce, skipping costly cuts of meat and using what you probably already have in your pantry, you can cut your grocery budget in half.

This Aug. 1, 2011 photo shows heirloom and cherry tomato salad in Concord, N.H. For the AP’s 20 Salads of Summer series, Alice Waters offered this recipe for a simple but stunning salad. (AP Photo/Matthew Mead)
Salads. Preparing a salad is definitely one of the easiest ways to make a no-cook meal. Fortunately, summer offers plenty of seasonable produce, which can be purchased cheaply at the farmers market or local vegetable stand. Use a bed of romaine lettuce and toss in fresh carrots, tomatoes, radishes, cucumber or bell peppers. Add tuna, beans, lentils or hard-boiled eggs for a source of protein in your salad, and finish it off with your favorite dressing. An incredibly easy yet satisfying dish for summer is a caprese salad. Slice up fresh tomatoes and top each one with mozzarella cheese, basil, a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper. (AP Photo/Matthew Mead)
AP Photo/Matthew Mead
This April 14, 2014, photo shows fattoush, a salad with pita crumble in Concord, N.H. (AP Photo/Matthew Mead)
Check out this gallery of 15 fresh summertime salads. (AP Photo/Matthew Mead)
AP Photo/Matthew Mead
Sandwiches. Pick up a fresh baguette or loaf of bread, cold cuts and cheese, and the sandwich possibilities are endless. If you’re looking to dress up your recipe for dinner, adding ingredients such as cilantro, bean sprouts or avocado can take an average sandwich to the next level. Try adding chopped avocado or cucumber to egg salad for a twist on a traditional egg salad sandwich. This works well for tuna salad, too. Another creative ingredient for sandwiches is pesto, which is easy to make. Combine basil, garlic, pine nuts and olive oil in a food processor — you can find the appropriate quantities from many recipes online. Some combinations also include freshly grated Pecorino or Parmesan cheese. (Thinkstock)
Thinkstock
District Taco is moving to Silver Spring this summer. (Courtesy)
Tacos. You can fill tacos with a seemingly infinite number of ingredients, making it a versatile meal and one well-suited for summer produce. For protein, you can warm up black or pinto beans in a microwave — and bonus, these are low-cost items you might already have in your pantry. If you prefer your tortillas warm, you can do this in the microwave as well. Cover them in a dampened paper towel to keep them soft. If you’re looking for a low-carb vessel for your taco ingredients, slice a bell pepper in half and carve out the inside. Fill the rest of your tacos with sliced avocado or guacamole, shredded cheese, chopped onions and tomatoes, cilantro and sour cream. (Thinkstock)
Thinkstock
If like tacos, here are some more Mexican recipes you might enjoy. (Melissa d’Arabian via AP)
Melissa d’Arabian via AP
Squash.JPG
Pasta imposters. Do you own a spiralizer? This useful tool creates spirals out of vegetables, such as cucumbers, squash or zucchini, to give you a healthy pasta alternative. Cucumber “noodles” can be tossed with feta cheese, olives, cherry tomatoes, pine nuts, olive oil and seasoning for a Mediterranean salad. Spiralized zucchini pairs well with pesto, cherry tomatoes and olive oil. (WTOP/Rachel Nania)
WTOP/Rachel Nania
This July 28, 2014, photo shows watermelon gazpacho in Concord, N.H. The recipe was inspired by one in Yotam Ottolenghi's upcoming cookbook "Plenty More." (AP Photo/Matthew Mead)
Here are 10 additional tasty recipes for your summer produce. (AP Photo/Matthew Mead)
AP Photo/Matthew Mead
This May 5, 2014 photo shows Greek shrimp and feta pasta salad in Concord, N.H. (AP Photo/Matthew Mead)
If you prefer non-veggie pasta, here are some pasta recipes perfect for summer. (AP Photo/Matthew Mead)
AP Photo/Matthew Mead
Dessert. Of course, no-bake desserts are nearly as important as no-cook meals in the summertime, especially when there are parties to attend, holidays to celebrate and vacation time to enjoy. It’s a bonus in the hot weather when the desserts are frozen, and freezer cakes are fairly easy to make. Many include various combinations of instant pudding mix, whipped topping, butter, sugar and cream cheese, all relatively inexpensive ingredients you might already have in stock. Crushed cookies combined with butter make an easy base or “crust,” and cookie crumbs, candy pieces and drizzled syrups are ideal for toppings. There are plenty of recipes for delicious freezer cakes available online. (AP Photo/Matthew Mead)
AP Photo/Matthew Mead
In this image taken on November 5, 2012, a Roman cheesecake with orange-scented honey is shown in Concord, N.H. (AP Photo/Matthew Mead)
No-bake cheesecakes are fairly simple to make. Crushed graham crackers, melted butter and sugar create a traditional cheesecake crust, and then the filling is up to you — whether you prefer Key lime, raspberry or chocolate, you can create all kinds of combinations, usually with cream cheese and whipped topping as key ingredients. (AP Photo/Matthew Mead)
AP Photo/Matthew Mead
This Jan. 13, 2014 photo shows chocolate champagne trifle with passionfruit curd in Concord, N.H. (AP Photo/Matthew Mead)
If you’re craving something a little healthier, simply stock up on fresh summer fruits, such as blueberries, strawberries or peaches, fill a bowl and garnish with whipped topping. Sometimes the simplest dishes are the most delicious — and the most frugal. (AP Photo/Matthew Mead)
AP Photo/Matthew Mead
Strawberry fruit drink
Here are some scrumptious strawberry recipes for summer.   (Thinkstock)
Thinkstock
Blueberries are also a great summer fruit. Here are some recipes to try. (Thinkstock)
Thinkstock
This June 30, 2014 photo shows spicy watermelon salad with feta and basil in Concord, N.H. (AP Photo/Matthew Mead)
If you can’t get enough watermelon, here’s how you can incorporate the fruit into your meals. (AP Photo/Matthew Mead)
AP Photo/Matthew Mead
(1/14)
This Aug. 1, 2011 photo shows heirloom and cherry tomato salad in Concord, N.H. For the AP’s 20 Salads of Summer series, Alice Waters offered this recipe for a simple but stunning salad. (AP Photo/Matthew Mead)
This April 14, 2014, photo shows fattoush, a salad with pita crumble in Concord, N.H. (AP Photo/Matthew Mead)
District Taco is moving to Silver Spring this summer. (Courtesy)
Squash.JPG
This July 28, 2014, photo shows watermelon gazpacho in Concord, N.H. The recipe was inspired by one in Yotam Ottolenghi's upcoming cookbook "Plenty More." (AP Photo/Matthew Mead)
This May 5, 2014 photo shows Greek shrimp and feta pasta salad in Concord, N.H. (AP Photo/Matthew Mead)
In this image taken on November 5, 2012, a Roman cheesecake with orange-scented honey is shown in Concord, N.H. (AP Photo/Matthew Mead)
This Jan. 13, 2014 photo shows chocolate champagne trifle with passionfruit curd in Concord, N.H. (AP Photo/Matthew Mead)
Strawberry fruit drink
This June 30, 2014 photo shows spicy watermelon salad with feta and basil in Concord, N.H. (AP Photo/Matthew Mead)

[See: 10 Ways to Reduce Your Summer Utility Bills.]

[See: 10 Summer Savings Tips.]

[See: 20 Tips for Saving Money at the Grocery Store.]

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Frugal Dinner Ideas That Don’t Require an Oven originally appeared on usnews.com

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cheap | dinner | frugal | summer
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