Do Any of You Regularly Serve "Cold" Suppers, or Eat in Other Low-Effort Ways for the Evening?

[nevergiveup]

Grandma used to serve pie suppers.  

She would have ham sandwiches on the side just in case anyone wanted one.

I don't recall that anyone did.

[creekland]

We try to do our largest meal for lunch if we can, so it happens often.

 

Supper then is very light - often lighter than a typical lunch would have been.

 

There are times I just do an apple or something for supper - or even skip it entirely.  The rest of my family isn't interested in that light, so they often add a sandwich and chips or similar.

 

In summer, even when we cook, supper can be totally from our garden - something like beets, squash, and peas - sort of three sides with no big centerpiece.

 

We definitely don't need meat at every meal.

 

I was, however, raised more traditionally - as was hubby - so it's rather "stuffing" when we go to the in-laws and it feels like the common theme is eat, Eat, EAT!  Then they add dessert!   :glare:

 

I'm in that position now (for the holiday weekend).  It's not pleasant.  I'm already full from yesterday and they're preparing a full breakfast... (sigh)

[sunflowerlady]

:bigear: Following along for ideas.

 

I want to start something like this at least two times a week. 

 

This week I bought some fresh veggies and will be making dip to go with them. One night I will serve the veggies and dip, some pepperoni, crackers and cheese.  

 

 

[Lizzie in Ma]

We do a fair few pasta salads, quinoa salads and such in the summer and we grill a lot.  I love things I can put in the crockpot too, throw it in in the morning and not have to worry about it all day and the stove doesn't have to come on.

[Deb in NZ]

mmm I love child con carne

 

hahaha...does not take much to make me laugh

 

I really, REALLY don't like auto-correct  :glare:

[ScoutTN]

In our home, Sunday is almost always leftover day, so that I can get some rest.I make larger portions on Friday and Saturday so that we have plenty left. Love Costco for this.

 

In the summer, we often have a cold supper. Meat that was grilled another day plus salads of various sorts.

 

When our schedule in the evening will be busy, we have our main meal at lunch and sandwiches on the go for dinner. We do this in the summer too when we go to the pool in the late afternoon and stay through the evening.

 

I think the trick to all this for us is to think ahead and cook ahead. Got to have the ingredients and some things already prepped. Taco meat, grilled chx, pasta or rice side dishes, soup (in the cold months), lots of cheese, salad fixings, fresh fruit, nuts and tortillas are staples here. Grilled or cooked meats are the key to being able to do this and still have meals substantial enough for my Dh.

[ScoutTN]

We do a fair few pasta salads, quinoa salads and such in the summer and we grill a lot. I love things I can put in the crockpot too, throw it in in the morning and not have to worry about it all day and the stove doesn't have to come on.

Yes! The crock pot is my friend!

[ScoutTN]

Grandma used to serve pie suppers.

She would have ham sandwiches on the side just in case anyone wanted one.

I don't recall that anyone did.

 

My grandmother made several fruit pies every week. Good for any meal. As a kid, pie for breakfast was such a treat!

[TechWife]

Every month or so (more frequently in the summer) we have "snack supper." This is usually fruit, cheeses, crackers or bread, sometimes jam (if we have Brie as one of our cheeses) and sometimes some sliced meat such as salami. I lay everything out on the kitchen countertop in serving plates with serving utensils, knives, etc.  and everyone helps themselves to whatever they'd like during the course of the evening. I typically put the snacks out around 6 pm and clean up around 9:00 pm. 

 

 

[KrissiK]

Sure. We call if faspa, which in German (not sure if it's regular German or the low-German my Mennonite Grandparents spoke) means "light meal." Faspa usually was served on a Sunday night and it would be zwiebach (a kind of bread),fruit, cheese, cold-cuts and sometimes potato salad. I keep up the tradition sometimes when I don't feel like cooking.

[Orthodox6]

Every family members knows where we keep the cold cereal, the oatmeal, the different milks, the bread, and the peanut butter.  If I am sick or too tired, group starvation is not the result.

 

When I was growing up, my mother would serve a cooked meal on Sundays, but only snacks for Sunday evening (crackers, cheese, grapes, etc.).

[creekland]

If I can get away with it, I'm content with only the watermelon we just ate (as a snack - at my in-laws) for supper tonight.

 

Time will tell if I can get away with it or not.  I'm at their place, so I also have to factor in being polite...  :glare:

 

At home, I could do as I want and let others know if they're hungry, prowl around the kitchen and see what appeals to them.

[Audrey]

We frequently have a thing we call "the big salad."  It's green and veggies with a very small portion of some kind of cheese and maybe a deli meat or cold chicken.  There might be some roasted red peppers or some olives, or there might not.  It depends on what's on hand. I make a salad dressing that we all like and that goes on the greens. There are a few combos we have more often than others, but it can be anything you want it to be and different every time, if you like.

 

I also frequently serve soup and bread for supper.  The soup is most often something I've canned previously.  I do make the baguettes, but that's just my habit and those can be easily purchased.

 

Another thing my guys really like is quesadillas.  It's very quick, and no work for me if dh does them on the grill.  Their fave is a basic cheese, green onion and either black beans or corn. Any leftover meat can go in those, too.  It's a good leftovers kind of thing.  I serve them with a salad. 

[lllll]

nm

[SamanthaCarter]

I just love that other people on this thread have weekend "luppers". We have "linners" :-)

 

We call it "tea." We're trying to be sophisticated here. LOL!

[SamanthaCarter]

In our home, Sunday is almost always leftover day, so that I can get some rest.I make larger portions on Friday and Saturday so that we have plenty left. Love Costco for this. 

 

And we call this Manna day! 

[SamanthaCarter]

I would love to learn how to make a good pasta salad without mayo or vinegar. My family won't touch it if it has either, so I've never really put the effort into trying pasta salads for dinner. I love it, but I won't make stuff that only I will eat ... any help?

[Mbelle]

When I was growing up lunch was called dinner and dinner was called supper.  We had a large Sunday dinner and then if you wanted supper you made it yourself.

In the summer we very often had cold fresh vegetables, cornbread and a squash casserole for the main dish.  Or, sometimes just cornbread crumbled in milk or buttermilk for supper.

[umsami]

Sure. We call if faspa, which in German (not sure if it's regular German or the low-German my Mennonite Grandparents spoke) means "light meal." Faspa usually was served on a Sunday night and it would be zwiebach (a kind of bread),fruit, cheese, cold-cuts and sometimes potato salad. I keep up the tradition sometimes when I don't feel like cooking.

 

I googled faspa and these delicious zwieback rolls came up.    I always thought of zwiebach as a kind of crispy rusk type bread.  These look delicious. :)

[medawyn]

I would love to learn how to make a good pasta salad without mayo or vinegar. My family won't touch it if it has either, so I've never really put the effort into trying pasta salads for dinner. I love it, but I won't make stuff that only I will eat ... any help?

Pesto? I make a big bowl of pesto pasta (spinach pesto, halved cherry tomatoes, a cup or so of fresh/frozen peas, and cubed chicken or ham or even tuna) and serve it cold for dinner at least once a week in the summer.

 

I don't eat mayo and DH doesn't eat vinegar, so pesto has been our best compromise so far.

[PrairieSong]

I would love to learn how to make a good pasta salad without mayo or vinegar. My family won't touch it if it has either, so I've never really put the effort into trying pasta salads for dinner. I love it, but I won't make stuff that only I will eat ... any help?

We really like this one: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Chicken-Pasta-Salad-II/Detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Thumb&e11=chicken%20pasta%20salad&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&e7=%2fmy%2frecipebox%2fdefault.aspx&soid=sr_results_p1i2

 

My chicken isn't canned and I substitute black olives for green ones. The dressing has mayo AND vinegar but I think the combination of mayo and Italian dressing is yummy. Not too thick and not too vinegary. My niece who doesn't like pasta salads with mayo dressing really liked this.

[lllll]

Here's one.  I use regular pasta because I don't care for the ww or brown rice pastas.

 

 

 

Avocado & Pasta Salad

 

3 cups dried whole wheat or brown rice pasta (medium shells work well)
2-3 cloves fresh garlic, pressed
2-3 medium, ripe tomatoes, chopped
2 medium avocados, peeled and chopped
juice of one lime
salt and pepper to taste

Cook the pasta to al dente. When pasta is done rinse with cold water. Combine all fresh ingredients in a large bowl and add salt and pepper. Add pasta and stir well.

Hints: Slivers of fresh basil are a fresh tasting addition to this salad. Thin slices of fresh zucchini and/or cucumbers may also be added.

[Orthodox6]

 

 

Here's one. I use regular pasta because I don't care for the ww or brown rice pastas.

 

 

Avocado & Pasta Salad

3 cups dried whole wheat or brown rice pasta (medium shells work well)

2-3 cloves fresh garlic, pressed

2-3 medium, ripe tomatoes, chopped

2 medium avocados, peeled and chopped

juice of one lime

salt and pepper to taste

 

Cook the pasta to al dente. When pasta is done rinse with cold water. Combine all fresh ingredients in a large bowl and add salt and pepper. Add pasta and stir well.

Hints: Slivers of fresh basil are a fresh tasting addition to this salad. Thin slices of fresh zucchini and/or cucumbers may also be added.

This is "my kind of food"! Do you mind if I throw in a handful of fresh cilantro?

[LucyStoner]

I just love that other people on this thread have weekend "luppers". We have "linners" :-)

My son calls it dunch.

[lllll]

This is "my kind of food"! Do you mind if I throw in a handful of fresh cilantro?

 

Oooo, that sounds delicious.  I love cilantro.  :)

[redsquirrel]

My entire summer meal planning is centered around not cooking in an attempt to keep the house cooler.  We also now belong to a "swim club' which is a private outdoor swimming pool. We like to pack up dinner and pick up DH at work and go to the pool for the evening. That means that dinner needs to be easy to pack up.

 

I keep my fridge well stocked with food that can make a meal.  I have:

 

Lots of brown rice

cooked pasta (can be reheated in the microwave without making the house all hot)

quinoa

tortillas for wraps/quesadillas/burritos

good bread

hummus

tabblouleh

peanut sauce

roasted vegetables: broccoli, sweet potato, zucchini

cheeses

olives

refried beans

baked tofu

cooked beans

salsas

eggs

hard cooked eggs

pesto

other basic sandwich stuff like sliced provelone,  tofurkey slices, peanut and almond butters, etc

I also make a couple pizzas and we can warm that up if we like.

 

lots of raw veggies for salads etc.

 

I do most of my cooking on one or two evenings and the house can cool off over night. We then only need to reheat in the microwave or briefly turn on a pannini press etc.

 

This has made my life so much easier! I can make so many dinners and lunches from all of that.