Cold Dinner Ideas & No-Cook Suppers (2024)

Don’t feel like cooking tonight? No problem. Too hot in the kitchen? I get you. You can skip cooking tonight with these cold dinner ideas and no-cook suppers. No take-out or reservations required.

Whether you grab a rotisserie chicken at the grocery store or throw together the ultimate snacky dinner, you can enjoy a great meal without breaking the budget or wearing yourself out.

Fancy dinnersare to people in the ’20’s what restaurants were to people in the ’80s. Ahem.

I just might have borrowed a phrase from one of the best movies to watch on repeat during the 90’s. You’ll forgive my poetic license as I make thepoint: You don’t have to cook every night.

In fact having a few cold dinner ideas and no-cook suppers in your bag of tricks is perfect for when you’re busy, it’s too hot to cook, or you’ve just lost your mojo in the kitchen. It’s also pretty sweet to plan for a staycation meal plan.

Why It Matters

You should not feel chained to your meal plan or guilted into cooking every night. Food is fuel, after all. You can still enjoy great meals easily and affordably without getting all hot and bothered in the kitchen.

Years ago, reading The Kitchen Counter Cooking School was a huge boost to my own cooking journey. Its emphasis on cooking at home and focusing on the basics, yeah, even shopping the kitchen, was a great reminder that good meals don’t need to be complicated.

These cold dinner ideas are just the ticket to get dinner done.

Ingredients to Have on Hand

When you think of cold dinner ideas, you obviously want to be able to cook something in advance or buy it already prepared. Keep these ingredients in mind as you meal plan:

• fresh fruit and vegetables, even those that might already be washed and chopped, like salad greens, shredded carrots, and chopped fresh fruit. These all make great salad toppings.
• cheese that is sliced or shredded
• kefir, yogurt, and cottage cheese
• baguette, rolls, and bread
• crackers, chips, pretzels
• canned tuna, salmon, or chicken
• canned beans and legumes
• deli cold cuts, rotisserie chicken, pre-cooked bacon
• pre-cooked grains – check the freezer section
• frozen fruit
• pickles, olives, spreads
• eggs (both raw and hard cooked)
• nuts, seeds, nut butters

Meal Ideas

Make a snacky lunch or dinner.

Snacky meals are some of my favorites. They require very little prep on my part, but everyone loves mixing and matching their own combinations. In fact, everyone is so happy with this option, that I even serve it on Christmas, New Year’s, and most Sundays.

It can be dressed up or down so easily, making it top on my list for cold dinner ideas.

Consider these combinations of snack dinners:

• Hummus, pita bread, olives, a veggie tray, and a fruit platter
• Hard-cooked eggs, berry salad, and whole-grain rolls
• Apple and pear slices, almonds, cheese, fresh baked bread
• Sliced cheese and meats, mustards and other spreads, crackers, and in-season fruit
• Rice cake or whole grain bread with nut or seed butter, sliced fruit, and a glass of milk

Mix up favorite fruits and dairy.

While you might often consider fruit and dairy as a breakfast option, these combinations can pinch hit as cold dinner ideas. I’ve lost count of how many people have told me they had a smoothie and popcorn for dinner. It’s a thing, people!

Obviously, if you don’t do dairy, you aren’t going to load up on cottage cheese and yogurt, however, you get the gist that fresh, seasonal fruit with some add-ons can make a great meal.

• Cottage cheese, cut-up melon, whole wheat toast
• Yogurt, granola, fresh berries
• Smoothie or smoothie bowl with add-ons
• Fruit {and vegetable} smoothie, made with yogurt or protein powder
• baguette with butter and jam and cocoa or cafe au lait

Make a salad.

Salads are simple, cool, and delicious. You can easily assemble them with pre-chopped and pre-cooked ingredients, or take a few minutes to chop your own veg.

Consider these tasty combinations:

• Salad of sliced tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil leaves, and a drizzle of balsamic. Add baguette slices to sop up the juices.
• Tuna Salad, crackers, fresh fruit
• Mixed greens topped with chopped salsa vegetables, a can of black beans, and some shredded cheese (try Black Bean Taco Salad)
• Baby spinach with nuts, fruit, and cheese for toppings (This is great!)

Be sure to check out these 30+ Quick Things to Make for Dinner!

Grab a rotisserie chicken.

The rotisserie chicken is God’s gift to harried home cooks. What a great meal prep shortcut! Most grocery stores and club stores sell them for about the same price as the uncooked chicken. Grab a couple birds and make any of the following combinations with the tasty meat:

• Chicken salad, crackers, fresh fruit
• Chicken salad sandwiches with veggie dippers
• Taco salad with chicken, chips and salsa
• Chicken and vegetable wrap, with hummus
• Cold roast chicken, side salads, and seasonal fruit

Make a sandwich.

Sandwiches combine the best of all worlds. With the right breads for sandwiches on hand, you’re set for all kinds of delicious combos, such as:

• Ham and swiss on sourdough rye bread
• Turkey and cheddar on whole wheatbread
• Roast beef and provolone on sourdoughbread
• Egg salad on whitebread
• Hard cooked eggs and vegetables in a baguette

Don’t forget some cool drinks!

A cool, refreshing drink, especially one you mixed yourself, is the perfect touch to a simple meal. Consider one of these tasty beverages:

• Homemade Ginger Ale or Easy Ginger Lemonade made with this Homemade Ginger Syrup Recipe
• Sherbet Punch – more of a dessert, but perfect for a hot day!
• Homemade Cranberry Soda comes together in a flash with Honey Syrup
• You won’t miss the rum in these tasty Mojito Mocktails made with a Homemade Peppermint Syrup

Cold dinner ideas are some of the best! They can be delicious, simple, filling meals that don’t break the bank.

Whether it’s theheat of summer when lighter meals are preferred or the dead of winter when you’d rather cozy up with that jammy bread and cocoa, these no-cook suppers are all good cheap eats.

Take it easy some night this week with a night off cooking.

This post was originally published on June 11, 2012. It has been updated for content and clarity.