According to the survey
- 36% of Brits eat more cold meals instead of cooked dinners during the summer.
- 30% cook less often altogether.
- 27% graze throughout the day rather than eating proper meals.
- 25% say their biggest challenge is finding meals that do not require lots of cooking in hot weather.
- 23% struggle daily with deciding what to cook.
Women driving the shift
Women appear to be driving much of this seasonal transition. They are significantly more likely than men to report changing their eating habits during summer, including
- Eating more cold meals (43% of women compared with 29% of men).
- Cooking less often (38% of women compared with 22% of men).
- Struggling to find low-cook meals (31% of women compared with 18% of men).
- Struggling with daily meal decisions (29% of women compared with 17% of men).
Expert advice on summer meal fatigue
Sophie Nahmad, Lead Recipe Developer at Gousto, explained the phenomenon behind these changes. “Every summer we see what I’d call ‘summer meal fatigue’. The meals people usually rely on suddenly feel too heavy, nobody wants to spend an hour standing over a hot hob, and deciding what to cook becomes harder than it should be,” she said. “It’s completely natural for our eating habits to change when the weather warms up. We tend to crave lighter, fresher meals, while spending less time standing over a hot hob or oven.”
Nahmad added: “The trick isn’t to stop cooking altogether, but to cook smarter. Choosing recipes that use seasonal ingredients, require minimal cooking, and help keep your kitchen cool can make a huge difference during warmer weather. The good news is that a few small changes can make a real difference. Planning ahead, making the most of seasonal ingredients, and having a handful of quick, reliable recipes ready can take away much of the daily decision-making and help you spend less time in the kitchen and more time enjoying the longer evenings.”
5 chef tips for warm-weather cooking
To help households overcome summer meal planning challenges, Nahmad shared five practical strategies
Build a heatproof recipe shortlist
Instead of starting from scratch every evening, keep a shortlist of five or six recipes you know everyone enjoys in warm weather. Having a handful of trusted meals removes much of the daily stress of deciding what to cook.
Let seasonal ingredients guide your meals
If tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, courgettes, and fresh herbs are in season, let them inspire your menu. Seasonal produce often needs very little cooking and naturally lends itself to lighter summer meals.
Think assembly rather than cooking
Not every summer dinner needs to be cooked from scratch. Pair ready-cooked proteins with fresh vegetables, grains, and simple dressings to create balanced meals without spending ages over a hot hob.
Prep ingredients once, use them again
Cook versatile ingredients like chicken, grains, or roasted vegetables in advance, then use them in salads, wraps, pasta dishes, or grain bowls across several meals. It saves both time and mental effort.
Decide tomorrow’s dinner today
If you know it’s going to be a hot day, choose tomorrow evening’s meal the night before. Making the decision while you’re not hungry helps avoid reaching for a takeaway or defaulting to the same meals.
For more heatproof recipes, seasonal meal ideas, and chef-approved hot-weather cooking tips, visit Gousto’s Heatproof Meals Hub online.