1 Cold foods do make fine meals.
How many times in your life have you heard the phrase "a good, hot meal"? Why is it that no one ever yearns for a good, cold meal? We tend to think that cold foods – cereal with milk, sandwiches, yogurt – might be fine for breakfast, lunch, or a snack, but for the most part, we expect our dinners to be served piping hot. It’s a silly bias, particularly in summer, when there’s little less appealing than the thought of a steaming hot plate adding to the already sweltering temperatures.

Time to scrap that ridiculous notion that a proper meal must be a hot meal … because when the temperatures are hovering around the triple digits, there’s nothing more satisfying than a refreshingly cold dinner. Think big, crisp salads, full of flavorful summer veggies picked fresh from the garden, or cold pasta and noodles tossed in a vinaigrette or a light soy dressing, both of which make for a filling summer lunch or dinner. For something lighter, try dips such as hummus, baba ghanoush, bean dip or guacamole, scooping them up with raw veggies, pita wedges, tortilla chips, or fresh bread.