This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Safeway. All opinions are 100% mine.
IDEAS FOR EASY OUTDOOR SUMMER EATING — From fried chicken to prepared salads, fresh cut fruit and desserts, you’ll find plenty of delicious options at your local Safeway store. Plus, a recipe for easy Mason Jar Lemonade!
One of my favorite things about summer is eating outside–whether it’s a backyard party for friends and neighbors, or a family picnic at one of our favorite natural areas.
And with so many delicious options at my local Safeway store, I can put together an entire outdoor feast without being stuck in the kitchen all day. Because who wants to be stuck inside when the weather is beautiful?
Safeway offers a wide variety of delicious, made in-store, grab and go meals, and sides. Including their famous fried chicken, deli salads, pies, chocolate chip cookies, and fresh cut fruit.
Safeway fried chicken and made in-store potato salad make a great meal when you’ve got a houseful of hungry boys to feed like I do, but it’s just too hot to turn on the oven and cook a hearty meal.
Personally, I’m a big fan of cold fried chicken. If you’re with me on that, you know that fried chicken is also the perfect picnic food.
That’s one of the things I love about all of Safeway’s grab and go options. They are easy to transport anywhere, whether your headed home for a family dinner, or off to a summer party or picnic.
I also love to add some fresh cut fruit to my summer meals. But I hate cutting fruit (I just want to dig in and eat it), so I’m thrilled to have someone take care of that for me.
And there are so many choices, including pineapple, watermelon, mixed fruit, and strawberries. If I have any leftover fruit after dinner is served, I throw into my breakfast smoothie the next morning. So easy!
Which brings me to one of my favorite things to serve for summer entertaining–fresh fruit, chicken salad and croissants. Safeway’s chicken salad is as delicious as any chicken salad I’ve ever made at home.
It’s is my go-to option for occasions like baby showers and getting together with my girl friends.
Here are a few of my favorite tips for entertaining with ready made food options:
- Transfer the food to your own serving dishes for a more elegant look. Set your table will a nice tablecloth and “real” dishes
- Add a sprinkling of fresh chopped herbs to things like prepared salads and other savory dishes
- Serve the food buffet style. It’s especially fun to create a dessert bar, with a variety of cookies, pies, fruit and other ready-made options
- When people rave about the food, let them know where you purchased it. Guests don’t expect everything to be homemade–they just appreciate the opportunity to get together and enjoy delicious food
Of course, you don’t want to forget about dessert. Safeway has that covered too, with everything from chocolate chip cookies to baked in-store pies.
My youngest especially loves the Signature SELECT™ Chocolate Chip Cookies, and would probably eat an entire bag himself (teenagers can eat a lot!) if I wasn’t paying attention.
And they’re so easy to bring along to almost any outdoor activity–hikes, picnics, backyard barbecues, and our favorite outdoor summer activity, the drive-in theater! I usually grab two bags. One for my fifteen year-old and one for the rest of us.
Safeway’s baked in-store pies are my personal favorite. The kids and I are partial to apple, but my husband loves the cherry. Served with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream, it’s the perfect summer dessert.
These pies taste like homemade, without all the work of rolling crust and making filling. Plus, who wants to turn on the oven and bake a pie when it’s hot outside?
And don’t forget the fruit when you’re thinking about dessert. It’s always nice to have a healthy option for those who don’t eat sweets. I love serving cut fruit as a dessert with my Three Ingredient Lemon Fruit Dip.
Of course, if you’re eating outside on a hot summer day, you’re going to want a cool, refreshing drink. So I’m sharing a fun recipe for Easy Mason Jar Lemonade. You can make a single serving, or multiply the recipe and make a whole pitcher.
My personal preference is for extra sweet lemonade with lots of ice, but the great thing about making individual servings is that everyone can have their lemonade just the way they like it!
It’s always fun to garnish with a lemon slice and a sprig of fresh mint. And cute straws are always fun and festive. Somehow drinks just taste better when served with a cute straw!
But if you want to transport this lemonade, forego the garnish and screw on the lid. And of course, bring along the straws and lemon slices!
Easy Mason Jar Lemonade
Make a single serving of lemonade in a Mason jar, or multiply this easy recipe to serve a crowd.
Ingredients
- 1 large lemon
- 14 ounces water, divided
- 2-3 tablespoons sugar
Instructions
- Roll lemon on a flat surface to loosen juices. Cut in half and squeeze juice into a 1 quart Mason jar.
- Add 12 ounces of water to the jar and stir (or shake, with the lid on)
- In a small, microwave safe bowl, combine remaining 2 ounce of water with desired amount of sugar. Microwave for 30-40 seconds. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Add sugar/water mixture to Mason jar and mix well.
- Add ice and serve immediately.
Whether you’re spending a relaxing evening at home in the back yard, entertaining, or heading out for a family picnic, you’ll find everything you need at your local Safeway store.
Be sure to save these ideas for Easy Outdoor Summer Eating to your favorite Pinterest board for later
Be sure to celebrate the summer season with delicious and convenient meal solutions from Safeway. Let them do the hard work while you sit back, relax and eat. Find the best fried chicken, prepared deli salads, pies, chocolate chip cookies, and fresh cut produce available in the Denver area exclusively at Safeway stores.
I shopped at Safeway in my local area but, you can also find quality meal solutions at the Albertsons Companies family of stores, including Albertsons, ACME Markets, Jewel-Osco, Vons, Randalls, Shaw’s Supermarket, Star Market, Tom Thumb, and Vons. Safeway also offers Grocery Delivery and DriveUp & Go™ for convenient ways to shop!
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