It’s July 13, which means (in the northeast) hot muggy days, or hot dry days, or hot rainy days. Notice the trend?
Yeah. Hot.
Well, there are ways to keep from broiling like a chicken this summer, and we’re going to share them with you.
1. Stop using your oven. This might seem like common sense, but I’m amazed at how many people insist on making oven-cooked dishes even on the most brutally hot days. Even if you have air conditioning, keeping your oven off reduces the drain on the power grid, and that’s good for all of us (none of us enjoy it when the grid goes down, and we’re air conditioner-less on a hot summer night). If you MUST use it, do so only in the early morning or late night – or pick a slightly cooler day.
2. Easy is the name of the game. Speaking of cooking, it’s a known fact that our appetites go down in the heat. So take a break from cooking – or at least, do much less of it – and keep plenty of fixings on hand to make salads. Cheeses and deli meats are a great effortless way to bulk up a salad; include items such as nuts, jarred veggies (such as sun-dried tomatoes, olives, and pickles), and dried fruit, and you can easily make a meal without lighting the oven. If you own a gas grill, cook up a batch of boneless chicken breasts and keep them on-hand for salads during the week. Stocking up on easy snack food (such as veggies, yogurt, and healthy grains) is another way to satisfy a summer appetite – it allows you to nibble throughout the day (which some nutritionists say is a better way to eat anyway) instead of eating (and having to cook!) three large meals.
3. Drink it frozen. We know that everyone needs to increase their consumption of liquids in the summertime, but there’s no rule that says you can’t consume those liquids in solid form. Take your favorite summertime beverages and make Popsicles. You can find inexpensive Popsicle forms in your local big box store (or in dollar stores or general merchandise stores); simply mix a batch of the beverage (if necessary) and pour it into the molds. An hour or so later and you’ve got Popsicles! Of course, kids love them – simply use their favorite drinks and make them some Popsicles too! And if you drink mostly water, there’s nothing that says you can’t make plain ice Popsicles.
4. Stick stuff in the freezer. The day my son discovered the ice pack was heavenly. He loves it – we even had to go out and buy a few more because he was using them so much. If you’re starting to overheat, just grab one and put it on top of your head, or against your neck, or wherever you need some cooling (if you have circulation or other health problems, consult a doctor before using ice packs, as they might affect you adversely). If you find it’s too cold at first, wrap it in a thin towel to disperse the cold.
And don’t stop at ice packs. I stick my pillowcase in there so that I have a nice cold pillow when I go to sleep. The hubs sticks a clean t-shirt in the freezer each day so that in the evening he has a cold shirt to help cool him off. Make sure you stick the stuff in a large Ziploc before you put it in the freezer to help keep it clean.
So try to keep cool this summer, and remember, it won’t last forever. In about 50 more days, it’ll be September and time to start thinking about autumn!
How do you keep cool when it gets hot out? We’d love to hear about it – share with us in the comments!
