June 20, 2026

WEEKLY MENU 06.21.26

The Weekly Menu 06.21.26 is bringing the sun and heat~

HOW is the Weekly Menu 06.21.26 bringing the heat both literally and figuratively? With Father’s Day and the Summer Solstice landing in the same DAY, we’re celebrating with bold flavors, backyard-friendly meals, and daylight that stretches long enough for seconds (and dessert). Whether you’re planning a feast for Dad or just soaking up that golden-hour glow, this week’s menu is stacked with easy, crowd-pleasing recipes to match the summer vibe.

It’s fortuitous that Father’s Day and the Summer Solstice coincide during the same week, as June 20th/ June 21st happens to be Bert’s favorite day of the year. It’s almost like a present from nature for our favorite dad.

When Is The First Day Of Summer 2026?

The first day of summer arrives with the solstice this year on Sunday, June 21, at 4:24 A.M. EDT. For those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, the Earth tilts mostly toward the Sun during this time. As seen from Earth, the Sun will be directly overhead at noon 23.5 degrees north of the equator, at an imaginary line encircling the globe known as the Tropic of Cancer, named for the constellation Cancer the Crab, its northernmost point.

Why Isn’t Summer on the Same Date Every Year?

The timing of the summer solstice is not based on a specific calendar date or time. It actually depends on when the Sun reaches that northernmost point from the equator. The summer solstice can occur anywhere between June 20-22.

What Does The Term “Solstice” Mean?

The term “solstice” comes from the Latin words sol (Sun) and sistere (to stand still). At the solstice, the angle between the Sun’s rays and the plane of the Earth’s equator (called declination) appears to stand still. This phenomenon is most noticeable at the Arctic Circle where the Sun hugs the horizon for a continuous 24 hours, thus the term “Land of the Midnight Sun.”

Farmers Almanac

Here in Erieland, our sunrise is at 5:44 am, and sunset is at 8:59 pm, with “Civil Twilight” ending at 9:33 pm. That means the sun will be “on” for a whopping 15 hours and 15 minutes. Curious what sunrise and sunset are for where you are? Just enter your zip code into this handy-dandy link:

SUNRISE AND SUNSET TIMES

Father’s Day!

We’re celebrating our favorite Dad with a dinner that he likes (and I’m sure, because I asked him what he wanted for Sunday Dinner.) We’ve got plenty of options and some excellent gift ideas (WHY are Dads so hard to shop for?) if this menu doesn’t appeal to the Dad you’re cooking for.

FATHER’S DAY MENU(S) AND GIFT GUIDE

Weekly Menu 06.21.26

So what ARE we eating during the Weekly Menu 06.21.26? For Father’s Day, we’re going summer easy – we’re starting with Port Wine Cheese and Hard Pretzels, before having Pops Crisy Chicken Clubs and tater tots. It’s summery AND Dad-friendly, and Bert doesn’t even need to grill anything.

The grilling starts up on Monday – we’ve got pork chops marinated in a citrusy “mojo” combo. The recipe is for chicken, but, never fear, the pork chops work even better. We’ve got the crockpot coming out on Wednesday and Thursday. I’ve said it before, but I use the slow cooker way more during the summer than the winter. It doesn’t heat up the kitchen, and dinner is ready when we are. Everyone can eat when they’re available – it’s just one of those days.

We joke about how filling the Chicken/Bacon/Ranch Pasta Salad is, so this week it’s the star of Friday dinner. We’ll “round” out the meal with some grilled hot dogs, because, SUMMER. (If you could do jazz hands when you read that, I’d appreciate it. I’m not sure if there’s an actual emoji that fits.