Summer is the perfect time to start incorporating more healthy options into your diet. You can find plenty of ingredients that are in season during summer. There are plenty of healthy summer dinner recipes that can help you get inspired.

Healthy summer dinner recipes can help you boost your nutrition while incorporating healthier options on your plate. What makes a recipe a summer recipe?

The answer is simple, the addition of ingredients that are in season during summer. Professional chefs know the importance of using seasonal ingredients. These ingredients have more flavor than they would any other time of year.

You would need to buy fresh ingredients in order to get the best results. But the flavor is definitely worth the extra effort. You will taste the freshness in every bite no matter what healthy summer dinner recipes you’re using.

But flavor isn’t the only benefit you can pull from fresh, seasonal ingredients. We all know the importance of fruits and veggies. They pair well with the main course as side dishes or are incorporated into the main dish.

But we eat them for the nutritional value they provide. A lot of the natural vitamins and minerals we get are from fruit and veggies. But seasonal fruits and veggies have their peak nutrition value.

For example, an orange has 60 to 83 milligrams of vitamin C. You can bet that an orange pulled from a tree in June will have closer to 60 milligrams of vitamin C; an orange picked in January will have closer to 83 milligrams.

This same idea can be applied to just about anything that has a season. You won’t have to worry about figuring out what is seasonal during summer; these recipes will do the heavy lifting.

Buffalo Chicken Wraps with Blue Cheese and Celery | Pure Wow

Cilantro Lime Chicken | Chelsea’s Messy Apron

Roasted Cauliflower Lettuce Wraps | Pinch of Yum

Chipotle Beef & Avocado Bowls | 40 Aprons

BBQ Chicken Skewer Salad | The Defined Dish

Healthy Summer Dinner Recipes

These recipes offer a lot of variety for families, which is very important. Some families want to introduce their children to as many foods as possible. The hope is that it will expand their tastes early on, which makes things easier.

But some families have pickier eaters, and that is complicated. Both family types need as many options as possible to make sure everyone eats healthier each night.

Southwest Quinoa Salad with Avocado Dressing | Rhubarbarians

Strawberry Chicken Salad with Almond Butter Dressing | Fit Mitten Kitchen

Beef Stroganoff on Zucchini Ribbons | The Healthy Foodie

Mexican Chopped Salad | The Cafe Sucre Farine

Teriyaki Chicken and Rice Bowls | Recipe Runner

Summer Seasonal Foods

These healthy summer dinner recipes will already incorporate as many seasonal ingredients as possible. However, knowing what’s seasonal can help you ensure you choose which ingredients would be better fresh instead of canned or frozen.

You can be sure that tomatoes, lettuce, carrots, beets, greens, radishes, apples, apricots, avocados, bananas, and berries are all in season during summer. Of course, the list of ingredients that are seasonal to summer is long.

You can also count on bell peppers, celery, garlic, and zucchini to be in season. There are plenty of fruit options as well, but we won’t be using too many fruits in these recipes.

Grilled Lemon Herb Chicken | Feasting at Home

Salmon Burrito Bowl | All The Healthy Things

Balsamic Glazed Steak Rolls | The Daring Gourmet

Grilled Summer Vegetable Quesadillas | House of Nash Eats

Slow Cooked Summer Beef Casserole | Kitchen Sanctuary