Easy Ways To Make Your Summer Meals And Desserts A Breeze

With more time spent at home, now is the perfect time to seize the everyday by trying fun spins on made-at-home meals and kicking back with those closest to you in your own space. From tasty family-ready meals to the best way to clean and care for your grill, Canadian Tire and Yahoo Canada are proud to help Canadians get there by bringing you everything you need for the season.

Many of life’s greatest moments happen when we’re gathered around the table with our family – no matter what your family looks like. And with extra time spent at home this season, that means there’s extra time to try tasty made-at-home recipes that your whole family will enjoy.

There’s no better time to uncover new recipes that will inspire you and carry your palette to faraway locations, or fall back in love with tried and tested family favourites. And luckily, Canadian Tire offers plenty of time-saving appliances and gadgets that will help cut-down on preparation, so you can spend more time focusing on the people and things that matter.

Below, we’ve rounded up some of our favourite hacks to spice up dinner and cut your meal prep time so you can spend even more time with those closest to you.

Make Mealtime Easy, Not Lazy

The Instant Pot revolutionized the world of meal prep by doing the work of nine different appliances in one with 15 built-in smart programs. This particular model, which has an illustrious 5.0 star rating, even includes a 24 hour delay start function. So whether you’re cooking up a tried and tested favourites or experiment with a new, tasty recipe, it’s even easier to serve up so you can spend your days doing things that bring you joy.

When it comes to what to cook, there are hundreds of recipes of cool and inventive Instant Pot recipes — and while it might seem like it’s a cold weather staple, many of them actually have a fresh summer twist. We love taking a twist on a traditional slow cooker meal, like chicken, and turning it into a tastier, lighter warm weather must-have. If you’re looking for a recipe, check out these Instant Pot Green Chicken Tacos. Yum!

Reinvent The Wheel When It Comes To Cookware Uses

Do you have store your cast iron pot away when the temperature hits 20 C? A Dutch Oven, or similar cookware item, might seem like it’s a cold weather staple, but there are plenty of ways to utilize this versatile cooking tool during the summer months, too. We love the idea of preparing and serving your backyard family meals in this cast iron pot in a bright, colourful enamel finish. Although known for cooking soups and stews, a dutch oven can also be used to create your favourite summer jams, cobblers and cakes like this tasty Dutch Oven Upside Down Peach Cake.

Taste The Season

When you think about summer, what comes to mind? For many, one of the things is fresh fruits and veggies grown close to home. Since Canadian weather doesn’t allow for around-the-year fresh fruit produced locally, it’s a treat to be able to pick up fresh peaches, berries and more made right here at home.

And with summer fruit finally in season, there’s no better time to whip up a mixed-berry cobbler or peach pie to serve with ice cream.

This 12 piece bake prep set by MASTER Chef, features the essential tools you’ll need to begin making your favourite recipes in a durable stainless steel finish.

Lighten Up

Another tasty dessert we can’t get enough of during the summer heat is something lightweight and fluffy — like a delicious pavlova, like this berry one with lemon whipped cream. This sweet meringue-based dish is perfect for warm nights on the patio — and since it’s so light, it’s the perfect finisher for those nights when you feel like it’s too hot to indulge in anything too heavy.

A lightweight go-to for mixing everything from lightweight topping for a summery pavlova to folding in the right amount of chocolate chips to create the perfect cookie. The easy to use five-speed KitchenAid mixer is a go-to for mixing everything from lightweight topping to folding in the right amount of chocolate chips to create the perfect cookie. features a soft grip handle and dishwasher-safe accessories. As an added bonus, it also allows you to lock the cord at either side to tackle your mixing jobs with ease.

Canadian Tire and Yahoo Canada are helping Canadians seize the everyday this summer, with tips, tricks and everything you need for the season. Click here for more!