When you are looking for ways to cool off on hot days, I know you turn right to organizing. While you might think that is crazy, there are some great organizing ideas that can help you cool off in the kitchen or at meal times.

Break out the slow-cooker. That’s right; it isn’t just for winter soups and stews. There are great summer dishes for the Crock-Pot. These keep you from heating up the house with the stove or standing out on the deck where the temperature is 104 degrees.

Organize your meal prep differently in hot weather. Get a tad bit earlier and work in the kitchen then. Prepare dinner ahead. Many steps, from putting together a casserole or salad to marinating meat can be done early in the day and refrigerated. Check out How to Manage Five Easy Nights of Family Meals.

When organizing a meal plan for the week, consider the weather:

Try to make a couple of cool meals. A pasta or rice salad, green salad with a protein or piled-high sandwiches, served with cold fruit, can be a welcome break during the heat.

Pack lunch at breakfast, even if you stay at home. Prepare your lunch when packing lunch for your spouse or for day camp. Pop it in the fridge.

Tidy the kitchen, turn out the lights and it stays clean until supper.

Need to cook? Turn to those countertop appliances such as an electric skillet, electric wok, or toaster oven to keep from heating the kitchen with the stove or oven.

When grocery shopping, plan ahead:

Take a cooler or an insulated bag along in the car.

Stack frozen and cold foods together on the conveyor belt.

Ask that they be bagged together so that you easily put them in your cooler, where they will help keep each other cool until you get home.

When you get home from the store, take a few minutes to wash the fruit. Cut up large items, such as watermelon or cantaloupe, so they are ready to eat.