Summer is coming to an end! Labor Day picnics mean one thing: Delicious food. Healthy summer side dishes, grilled main courses and fresh, fruity desserts are on the menu!
When you’re on a weight loss journey, one of the best ways to stay on track and still enjoy yourself at a summer gathering is to bring something that works with your plan and that everyone will love to share.
Start with one of these 23 summer side dishes that your friends and family will rave about: They’re not just delicious and easy to track for your Flex Meals, but many of them can also help you reach your four daily servings of non-starchy vegetables—a key factor in staying full and healthy while you progress towards your goals.
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1. Tomato Salad with Peaches >
On Nutrisystem, Count As: 1 SmartCarb, 1 PowerFuel, 3 Extras and 2 Vegetable
This salad has it all: Sweetness from the peaches and tomatoes, bite from arugula, creaminess from feta and hearty protein from chickpeas. The homemade dressing couldn’t be simpler: Three ingredients—olive oil, honey and balsamic vinegar—bring all those components together in a perfect, peachy medley. Click here for the full recipe! >
2. Tomato, Cucumber and Mint Mediterranean Salad >
On Nutrisystem, Count As: 1 Vegetable
34 teeny-weeny calories! This salad is gorgeous to look at with bright red, green and purple hues. It’s also refreshing to eat: The mint and cucumber give it a cooling effect that’s like a breeze on a summer day. It’s a snap to whip together, but double—or triple!—the recipe, because everyone’s going to be back for seconds. Click here for the full recipe! >
3. Greek Orzo Summer Salad >
On Nutrisystem, Count As: 1 SmartCarb, ½ PowerFuel, 1 Extra and 1 Vegetable
Give your pasta salad a Mediterranean kick—and a kick of nutrition, too! This orzo salad is loaded with crunchy vegetables like cucumber, red onion and chopped bell peppers, plus herby flavor from both mint and parsley, all topped with a zingy lemon dressing. Want to give it even more flavor? Instead of cooking your orzo in water, boil the little pastas in a low-sodium chicken broth to infuse it with even more savory flavor. Click here for the full recipe! >
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4. Red Potato Salad >
On Nutrisystem, Count As: 1 SmartCarb and 1 Extra
This side adds a filling, protein-packed ingredient your average potato salad doesn’t have—hard-boiled eggs. These help add creaminess and make the salad a belly-filler. And the dressing adds an extra protein punch without sacrificing flavor: Greek yogurt is swapped in for mayo, giving you all the creaminess you’re used to, but with nutrients that will keep you feeling fuller, longer. Click here for the full recipe! >
5. Napa Mint Slaw >
On Nutrisystem, Count As: ½ SmartCarb, 1 Vegetable and 1 Extra
Not Napa, California—Napa cabbage! This Chinese variety has a crisper texture and less bitterness than “regular” cabbage and it pairs perfectly in this simple-to-prepare slaw with chopped apples, shredded zucchini and fresh mint. The honey-lime dressing is sure to make it a favorite topper for tacos or a side all on its own. Click here for the full recipe! >
6. Roasted Jalapeno Quinoa and Chickpea Salad >
On Nutrisystem, Count As: 1 SmartCarb, 2 Extras and ½ Vegetable
Roasting peppers brings out their natural sweetness and pumps up their flavor—and when they’re jalapenos, adds a smokiness that will have everyone thinking you’re a master chef. But really, you’ll be the master of healthy, filling sides: Besides those smoky peppers, this salad comes with a double-whammy of protein, a nutrient that helps you feel full faster and stay feeling full for longer—chickpeas and quinoa, one of the highest-protein grains on the planet. Add in some avocado for filling, healthy fat and there’s one word for this salad: Satisfying. Well, also tasty. So two words. Click here for the full recipe! >
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7. Grilled Cabbage Steaks >
On Nutrisystem, Count As: 2 Extras and 2 Vegetables
Who says greens can’t be hearty? These thick slices of cabbage bring serious crunch and delicious, flame-grilled flavor to your side repertoire, all topped with a zippy lemon and tahini dressing. And they only taste hearty: At just 121 calories per cabbage steak, you’ve got plenty of room left in your daily plan for dessert. Click here for the full recipe! >
8. Watermelon Summer Salad with Quinoa >
On Nutrisystem, Count As: 1 SmartCarb and 1 PowerFuel
When the weather heats up, we’ll take every opportunity we can get to enjoy the fresh, cool taste of watermelon: We love it as the star of summer side dishes and fruit salads! The creaminess of feta and the cooling flavor of mint do the impossible in this easy recipe: They make watermelon even more refreshing. If you love that bright pink summer flavor, this salad is a must-try. Click here for the full recipe! >
9. Spicy Sriracha Slaw >
On Nutrisystem, Count As: 1 Vegetable
This salad is bringing the heat—literally! A splash of sriracha sauce in the dressing—or more, if you’re daring—gives this simple, crunchy salad serious bite. But don’t break out the fire extinguisher just yet. The dressing also includes cool Greek yogurt so your tongue is tingling, but you’re saved from racing for a jug of water. The yogurt’s protein, plus the fiber from the salad’s two types of cabbage, means this spicy number will also help you feel full fast and stay feeling that way for longer. Click here for the full recipe! >
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10. Easy Homemade Pico de Gallo Salad >
On Nutrisystem, Count As: 1 Vegetable
Jarred salsa is great, but in the summer, everything’s fresh—and your salsa should be, too! This pico de gallo recipe makes it easy to savor all those seasonal flavors, and savor them as much as you want: This homemade salsa is made entirely of unlimited foods, so you can top your tacos, eat some on the side and have as much of this fresh, lime-dressed summer salad as you like—without counting or worrying about derailing your awesome progress. Click here for the full recipe! >
11. Grilled Romaine and Corn Salad with Honey Mustard Tahini Dressing >
On Nutrisystem, Count As: ½ SmartCarb, 1 PowerFuel, 2 Extras and 1 Vegetable
Who says the grill is only for protein? Giving your summer vegetable side dishes some charcoal kisses brings out their flavor and makes “just a salad” transform into a serious side. Case in point: This grilled romaine and corn salad looks and tastes gourmet. It’s topped with a delicious, weight loss-friendly lemon and tahini dressing that you make with just five simple ingredients, then brush on to lock in flavor. Click here for the full recipe! >
12. 4-Step Chinese Garlic Eggplant >
On Nutrisystem, Count As: 1 Vegetable and 2 Extras
This recipe packs a lot of flavor into just four steps: After tossing bite-sized pieces of eggplant in cornstarch and sautéing them, they’ll get tossed with garlic and green onions before everything gets coated in a simple soy-ginger sauce. With cornstarch to thicken things up, your guests—and you—won’t believe it’s just 119 calories per generous serving. Click here for the full recipe! >
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13. 4-Ingredient Dill Pickle Egg Salad >
