Want healthy meals your kids will love?

Summer Grilled Cheese

3 Comments

Fresh basil, tomato, and dill take on that classic, comforting grilled cheese for a summer makeover!

Summer Grilled Cheese - Fresh basil, tomato, and dill take on that classic, comforting grilled cheese for a summer makeover! www.superhealthykids.com

We have been go, go, go for the last few weeks as summer kicks off. It has occasionally left me with a big fat question mark in my head for that “what’s for lunch” question that inevitably pops up around 11am!

While some days I seem to scramble, most days can come together quickly if I just lean on what summer offers the best of – fresh produce! After months and months of relying on my freezer stashes and a local grocer, come May and June my meal plans rely almost solely on whatever is in season at the markets. And right now I just can’t get enough of those fresh summer herbs and juicy tomatoes!

Summer Grilled Cheese - Fresh basil, tomato, and dill take on that classic, comforting grilled cheese for a summer makeover! www.superhealthykids.com

We also have a simply amazing local farm family that makes the most incredible raw cheeses you have ever tasted. So when the milk supply goes up to summer production, those raw cheeses are always available in our fridge. I couldn’t think of a better way to use their creamy sweet edam cheese than with fresh herbs and tomatoes to make a summer spin on grilled cheese for lunch one afternoon.

Summer Grilled Cheese - Fresh basil, tomato, and dill take on that classic, comforting grilled cheese for a summer makeover! www.superhealthykids.com

If you have loads of tomatoes, you can even toss those in a pot with some broth for the freshest tomato soup. The stuff in the red and white cans have nothing on homemade tomato soup! Grilled cheese and tomato soup is a match made in heaven.

Take the kids on a trip to the market and see what fresh herbs are in season right now near you. Then have them hop on the computer at quiet time and research what is producing in the growing season you are in right now. Have them build their own fresh take on that classic grilled cheese! I promise you my 5 year old would have totally made a face at something green in her grilled cheese had she not known what it was. But before we made the sandwiches, we hopped out to the garden and smelled the fresh basil. We picked the “best” ones for “her” sandwich. She helped stack it all up on the bread. It is never faster and is always messier, but always worth it to make them a part of it!

Summer Grilled Cheese - Fresh basil, tomato, and dill take on that classic, comforting grilled cheese for a summer makeover! www.superhealthykids.com

For more real food inspired kid lunch ideas, you can follow my Instagram and hashtag #rgnsummerlunches to see what my kids are eating this summer!


Print Recipe Pin Recipe
4.3 from 7 votes

Summer Grilled Cheese

Fresh basil, tomato, and dill take on that classic, comforting grilled cheese for a summer makeover!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
Course: Lunch
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4
Calories: 496kcal

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup softened butter
  • 1/2 tsp dried dill
  • 1/2 tsp dried basil
  • 8 slices of bread of choice
  • 8 oz of cheese of choice, sliced
  • 1 medium tomato sliced
  • handful of fresh basil about 3 large leaves or so per sandwich

Instructions

  • Pre-heat your griddle or skillet while you prepare the sandwiches.
  • In a small dish, mix the butter, dried dill, and dried basil and then spread a thin layer on each slice of the bread.
  • Stack the cheese, tomato, and basil on the non-buttered side of the bread and place on the hot griddle. Put another slice of the buttered bread on top to complete the sandwich – buttered side up. Continue this step to complete all 4 sandwiches into the pan.
  • Let the sandwiches cook over medium/high heat about 2 minutes and flip them over to toast the other side, and then serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 496kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 87mg | Sodium: 647mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g
Keyword : Summer Grilled Cheese

www.superhealthykids.com

Renee blogs at Raising Generation Nourished, and with 3 girls ages 6 and under. She’s passionate about raising the next generation with an understanding where food comes from and how food affects their bodies.

Natalie Monson

I'm a registered dietitian, mom of 4, avid lover of food and strong promoter of healthy habits. Here you will find lots of delicious recipes full of fruits and veggies, tips for getting your kids to eat better and become intuitive eaters and lots of resources for feeding your family.

Learn More about Natalie

Leave a Comment:
Did you make this recipe? Leave a review!

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




3 Comments

This Summer Grilled cheese recipe looks Fantastic!!! I can’t wait to try it. Maybe I’ll have to start growing some of my own fresh basil so I can make it soon. (After all it is early Spring in Florida now.) Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe! I’m almost drooling just looking at the pictures!!! <3