Simple Summer Meals: Beyond Brats and Burgers

When the days are long and the sun is high, no one wants to spend hours at the stove.  I certainly don't! When you're craving something different than simple summertime staples like brats or burgers, don't order take out.

Instead, here's a few of our favorite simple summer meal ideas that hit the sweet spot: big flavor, low effort. These are the meals we lean on during hay season, garden overload, and weeknights when we just need to feed everyone fast.

1. Supper in a Skillet

Fast. Sizzling. Done in 15.  A hot skillet and a handful of fresh vegetables are all you need when you start with flavorful cuts like:

Fajita Strips (dry-aged beef, pre-sliced and ready to go)

Pork Stir Fry Strips (tender, lean, and quick cooking)

Andouille Sausage (ours is fresh so precook it on a day where your oven is already on)

Serve with tortillas, rice, or right out of the pan with a squeeze of lime and a dollop of sour cream.

2. Cold Plate Suppers

No stove, no sweat. Build a plate that’s cool, crisp, and completely satisfying:

Start with Smoked Sausage or Dried Sliced Beef. Then add

Hard-boiled eggs, pickles, garden veggies (Johanna loves snap peas!), and small slices of your favorite cheese.

Lastly, add a slice of buttered sourdough or a handful of crackers.

It’s a throw-together meal that feels like a picnic and plates in minutes.

3. Wraps & Flatbreads

This takes leftovers up a notch. Take leftover steak, pork roast, or brisket and roll it into:

• A beef wrap with ranch slaw and Wisconsin cheddar
• A flatbread with tzatziki, cucumbers, and a sprinkle of mint
• A tortilla with BBQ sauce and coleslaw for a quick pulled pork taco

If it fits in your hand and doesn’t require silverware, it’s a summer win.

4. Sheet Pan Dinners (Yes, in Summer!)

All the flavor of the grill, none of the mess. Crank up the broiler and toss everything on one pan:

Kabob Bites + cherry tomatoes + bell peppers

Drizzle with olive oil and your favorite seasoning (or try one of our new creekdust seasonings - coming Summer 2025!)

Finish with fresh herbs or a spoonful of yogurt sauce

Great for when the grill is out of gas or when the mosquitoes are winning (Spring thaw through fall freeze!).  

5. Beef Bowls, Cold or Hot

Build-your-own bowls = dinner with options. Start with:

Rice, couscous, or noodles. Then add

Thin-sliced steak, crumbled burger patties, or chuck roast.

Top with anything in your fridge: cucumbers, shredded carrots, spicy mayo, sesame seeds, or pickled onions.

It's the kind of meal that feels fresh every time you make it.

6. One Roast, All Week

Cook once, eat five ways. Start with a brisket, chuck roast, or pork shoulder in the slow cooker or oven. Use it all week:

• Tacos
• Sliders
• Grain bowls
• Sandwiches
• Tossed into a stir fry or soup

Tip: Let it cool and portion it right away. Your future self will thank you, I promise!

7. Snacky Suppers

The best meal is sometimes just…snacks. Especially when it’s Creamery Creek meat and cheese. We love:

Summer sausage or jerky

Cheese curds, pickles, cherry tomatoes

A handful of nuts or cut fruit

Set it out on a board or just pass the paper plates. It still counts as supper.

Let’s Keep It Simple

Summer meals don’t have to be complicated to be delicious. Start with high-quality, flavorful meat, add what’s in season or in the fridge, and call it good.

Creamery Creek has all the cuts you need to make dinner easy, even when the days are long and the kitchen’s the last place you want to be.

If you make some of these simple summer meals, I want to know! Tell me how it goes for you!

XOXO, 

Louisa