Pasta Salad Summer

I remember when I was little and we'd go to the pool club all day during the summer.  My mom would sit and read while the kids ran from pool to pool (pro tip - jump in the diving tank, which is freezing, and then quickly head over to the adult pool, which is usually pretty cold too.  But, it will feel like a hot tub in comparison to the ice cold diving tank!).  There was also the playground and basketball court and ball fields where we'd play kickball or tennis racket baseball.

And there was an awesome snack bar - with genuine Chipwhiches!  And chocolate ones, too! - but my mom would usually pack us lunch and snacks.  Feeding three hungry kids from a snack bar could expensive.  

My dad would sometimes meat us there for dinner after work.  Sometimes, we'd get pizza ordered to the pool club for dinner, but more often than not, my mom made tuna pasta salad - elbow noodles, tuna, mayo, and sliced hardboiled eggs - and packed it up in a cooler with ice to eat for dinner.  None of us ever got sick, so I'm guessing the ice did it's job in sufficiently cooling the mayo all day (although my RD sister would probably have none of that these days!).

That was probably my first introduction to the idea of pasta salad as a meal.  It's a great idea, especially in the summer.  It's quick and easy to make, and you only need one burner to boil pasta, so the house won't get too warm.  You can mix in anything that you want - veggies, protein, herbs, sauces - toss together, refrigerate, and enjoy for the next week or so. 

I have a big batch of pasta salad in my fridge right now that I'll be picking at for a while.  But I really don't mind - it's light and filled with veggies, and makes a great grab and go lunch or quick and easy dinner.  If I wanted, I could cook up some chicken or sausage and toss that in a serving for a little extra protein. And obviously, I could use it as a side dish as well. 

Pasta salad rocks.  Seriously. It's a great, versatile dish that also lets you use up whatever you have in the fridge and cabinet.  You can dress it any way you want - I've done it before with a gazpacho-type dressing and it's yummy, or an Italian-type dressing is always good.  And it stays for a decent amount of time without getting weird.  Plus, you don't have to heat it up (although you could, if you wanted to).

In summary, I'm a fan.  The end.