When the weather heats up, two things happen. The person normally in charge of preparing dinner declares that it is too hot to stand over a blazing oven and stove. The person not normally in charge of preparing dinner runs toward his or her grill at lightning speed and decides to see if it really is possible to grill lettuce.

Cooking tasty (but healthy) meals in the summer can prove to be quite the challenge, but it is possible! Remember, you don’t have to stand in a sweltering kitchen to make a good dinner. There are plenty of great meals that can either be cooked outdoors on a grill or require little cooking at all! Here are a few tips to keep you (and your family) fed during the hot summer months:

1. Invest in a raw foods cookbook. While these cookbooks are loved by vegans the world over, they can also be very helpful when you find that you can’t stand the idea of cooking or even eating food that is warm! The raw foods/no bake cookbooks will be full of healthy and tasty recipes that will keep your family fed and happy.

2. Let the grill do the work. Wrap your veggies in a tin foil packet and cook them over your grill! You’ll be amazed at how extraordinary the vegetables can taste when they are cooked over open (or propane) flames!

3. Sandwiches always are satisfying and often can be a meal all by themselves (depending on the sandwich toppings you like the best). Sandwiches are also a fantastic way to use leftovers from last night’s grilled dinner.

4. When all else fails and you can’t stand the idea of another night of barbecue, find an affordable restaurant and let someone else do the cooking for a night!

Last weekend I had the amazing opportunity to go to the Anheuser Busch plant in Merrimack, NH, to attend the 6th annual Rock’n Ribfest. Hosted by the Nashua West Rotary, the Ribfest has grown into a huge festival. It is also the home of the New Hampshire BBQ Competition! With tons of things to do such as eat, drink, listen to music, and more, the Ribfest is a ton of fun! Even big bounce houses were available for the children and DCU and Re/max had tethered hot air balloon rides. There was a main stage that featured a Teen Band competition and bands such as Project Mess, The Risen , Brickyard Blues, James Montgomery Band, and more.

I had ribs from Stickyfingers and T-Roy’s. I’d have to say that I liked the way Stickyfingers used the wood grill and I liked their sauce better; however, T-Roy’s meat was grilled better.

It’s so hard to put everything about the Ribfest in this short article, but if you have never been, you should really think about going next year! Everything that goes towards the Rotary West club goes to charity, so you’ll be having fun while supporting a great cause.

When we think of barbecuing, we usually imagine steaks, burgers, and hotdogs lining the barbecue grill, but what if you’re a vegetarian? Even if meat is not part of your diet, you can enjoy many tasty foods hot off the grill.

Veggie Burgers: You can find veggie burgers in the freezer section of your supermarket or health food store, but the best ones are usually the ones you make from scratch. There are many recipes for veggie burgers on the web or in vegetarian cookbooks. Experiment with different recipes until you find one that you like.

Veggie Kabobs: Kabobs are a great way to customize your meal to each person’s particular tastes. Put out a variety of ingredients in different bowls. Some good ones to try include: mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, summer squash, bell peppers, tofu, and onions. Hand out skewers, and let everyone make his or her own kabob.

Teriyaki Eggplant: Slice eggplant thinly and marinate in teriyaki sauce. Grill on each side until tender. You can add green onions and peppers and serve over a bed of rice.

Grilled Pizza: You don’t need to heat up the kitchen to get a great homemade pizza – grill it! Brush your grill with olive oil and put your dough right on the grate. Watch it carefully and when one side is brown, flip it over to brown the other side. After you turn it, brush your crust with olive oil and add pizza sauce, chopped vegetables, and cheese. Lower the barbecue lid, and cook until done.

Grilled Corn on the Cob: You don’t have to be a vegetarian to enjoy grilled corn on the cob. Take off outer husks, leaving a few inner husks. Melt butter, carefully pull back the remaining husks, and brush each cob with butter, then cover again with the husks. Wrap the corn in aluminum foil, and cook on a heated grill until tender, about 20 minutes.