July Dinner Menu Ideas
Use the seasonal July Dinner Menu Ideas here as inspiration and a starting point for your own family menus, using simple, seasonal whole foods.
Not sure why to menu plan? Check out all the great reasons here!
July in Oregon is often hit-or-miss, weather wise (I’ve seen my share of cold and rainy 4th of Julys!), but one thing we can count on is that we will see lots of great garden produce and fruit.
Blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, currants, peas, carrots, beets, zucchini & summer squash, onions, early beans, basil, and more. Yum!
And when the summer weather does visit us, it’s so nice to be able to whip up a quick garden-fresh salad, or grill up some vegetables and your favorite meat for light, easy meals.
Here are some July dinner menu ideas taken directly from our family menus that take advantage of this early summer produce – I hope you can find some ideas for your family’s menus, too!
July Dinner Ideas
Week 1
Grilled salmon, Three Pea Salad with Feta & Walnuts, grilled Artisan or Sourdough Bread
Grilled chicken, pepper & onion skewers with Teriyaki Sauce, rice, garden salad with Homemade Sesame Vinaigrette
Soft tacos with fresh Pico de Gallo & chips
Asian lettuce wraps (like this recipe, but with cooked ground turkey or beef), Spicy Asian Slaw
Grilled sausages, Greek Style Pasta Salad with Green Beans & Tomatoes
Week 2
Italian Sausage Pasta Primavera – a one-dish dinner!
Grilled pork chops with Rhubarb Chutney, Quick & Easy Chopped Salad, steamed new potatoes with butter and herbs
Taco salad with Healthier French American Dressing, 10-Minute Homemade Chips & The Best Guacamole (even for those that don’t like guacamole!)
Steak Salad with Creamy Garlic-Pepper Dressing, grilled garlic toast
Rotisserie chicken, Caesar Slaw, Artisan Bread toasts with Easy Goat Cheese Appetizer
Week 3
Caesar Chicken Wraps (using leftover rotisserie chicken!), fresh fruit
Classic Chef’s salads with bread, chips, or crackers
Salmon burgers, Slow Cooker Honey Baked Beans, garden salad with Honey Mustard Vinaigrette
Grilled sausages with Chipotle BBQ sauce, Easy Grilled Vegetables, Shaved Cabbage Salad with Feta Vinaigrette
Greek Style Shrimp & Orzo, green salad
Week 4
Spicy Chicken Noodle Salad (another one-dish dinner)
Greek Tuna Salad, Homemade Pita Bread, Hummus Made with Sesame Seeds
Grilled steaks with Addictive Tomato Chutney, Caesar Salad
Salmon-Flax Patties, green salad with Homemade Vinaigrette, toasted Artisan Bread
Grilled Chipotle-Spiced Chicken & Southwestern Salad with Corn and Beans, chips & salsa
July Dessert Idea
Whip up a simple no-churn ice cream in just minutes of hands-on time – this is SO good in either of these two flavors (of course you can do plain vanilla or add another flavor you’d like, too!):
- Incredible No-Churn Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Recipe
- Incredible Chocolate Ice Cream Without A Machine – plus other flavor options
What about Saturdays & Sundays?
To make meal planning easier, we have two set menus for weekends (I encourage you to think of something like this to make your weekends no-brainer when it comes to meal planning!):
- Saturdays alternate betweenĀ burgers on homemade bunsĀ (orĀ pigs-in-blankets) & fries andĀ homemade pizza, or my favorite Greek-style chicken pizza. Both are served with cut veggies and any dip we have.
- Sundays are what I call “OYO” = on your own. We choose from leftovers or make salads, sandwiches, quesadillas, or simple charcuterie plates and everyone is in charge of it themselves (for the most part).
For more easy menu planning tips, check out these articles:
- Menu Planning 101 (5 Steps To Easy Meal Planning)
- Seasonal cooking through the year
- Monthly dinner menus
I hope you enjoy and are able to use some of these favorite family meals of ours. You can follow me on Pinterest for even more simple, seasonal and from scratch dinner ideas!
These July recipes are perfect for us here in NC – it is rather hot:) Are your salmon burgers different from your salmon flax patties? Burgers sound thicker and yummier to me:) would love recipe if it is.
Yes, not the same – the Salmon burgers are just the ones you can find at Costco, Teresa. š We use them a lot in the summer for quick grilled meals – they’re great with a number of things, not just as a ‘burger.’
Thank you for all your delicious recipes your blog is now one of my favorites.
Thank you so much, Maribel, I’m so glad you’re enjoying the recipes. š
Oh, your Spicy Chicken Noodle Salad looks amazing!!!! I am going to make this tomorrow. Can’t wait!!!
I do have one question about your diet plan. I am planning on reducing my servings to just small amounts at each meal. Do you add snacks in the day since you eat so little in your 3 meals? Or do you just stick with the 3? I was thinking of adding fruit and veggie snacks in-between. Whatever is in season. I am looking to go fresh and what you would call “clean” eating as well. At least as much as I can. Thanks so much.
I love your menus:) your family likes the same kind of foods we do! Your recipes are great and easy to follow. I bought your ebook couple weeks ago and enjoying that as well. I read and reread your weight loss ” Section” all the time as it is the most wise and sensible one I have found online. Thank you for all your hard work Jamie:)
Oh my goodness, Teresa, my day has officially been made! Thank you so much for letting me know this – you’ve no idea how happy that makes me that you’re finding useful things for you and your family on the blog. š AND that you bought my book – wow, thank you!!
Great post. I’m still trying to get my husband (the main cook) to cook seasonally. He’s always afraid to use the fresh produce in the garden, thinking it too prescious. I used to feel that way too… Only to have lettuce bolt one because I didn’t pick it in time. I’m determined to use all the produce we are growing this year!
Oh my goodness,that’s too funny Amber – definitely pick and enjoy the fruits of your labor. š I do find having a menu makes it easier to use what the garden is producing, because I’m being more intentional about planning for it. Otherwise I find I just shop like I always do and forget to shop my garden at home!