This is the season when the makings of salads and light meals are great buys. Think salads, vegetables as the center of the plate, and the sweetness of fruit. Here are some meal ideas that combine nutrition with some great buys. And remember to check out the Giant Eagle circular and be ready to change your meal plans when you see a great tasting bargain you can't pass up!

• Go retro with a Tuna or Salmon salad served in a tomato. Hollow out the tomato and stuff it with a basic salad mixture that combines the tuna or salmon with chopped celery in a mayonnaise or Greek yogurt base. A touch of curry , dry mustard  or tarragon adds flavor depth. Chopped hard cooked egg  is a  way to change the taste and stretch the protein. And yes, plain yogurt is a good way to cut the fat and add extra protein and calcium to the salad mixture.
• That same tuna or salmon salad can leave the tomato as a garnish for the side and be tossed with greens, lettuce or fresh spinach. Chopped chicken is another choice and a good way to use the bits and pieces of last nights Rotisserie chicken!
• Bean salads are good ways to bring protein to the table in a low cost way. Did you know that by draining and rinsing canned beans (like navy, kidney, black, pinto) you can lower the sodium by about 40% but still have the taste you like? Combining beans with corn, chopped onion and celery and flavoring the salad with Giant Eagle Vinaigrette dressing makes this salad easy. Adding other cooked vegetables (from last night's dinner?) is a way to recycle with a new look. And Giant Eagle Salsa is another way to make a quick bean salad by draining the beans and adding to your choice of salsa.
• Fire up the grill for vegetable roast.  Grilled corn, tomatoes, zucchini take center stage. Serve with thick slices of bread with cheese done on the grill for a touch of protein.
• Sweets come naturally with fruits and this is the season to enjoy melons, the season's best peaches and always berries.   Another "retro" treat is cantaloupe with a scoop of frozen yogurt or vanilla ice cream — known as a Boston Cooler!  Try grilling fresh peaches for a new flavor.   
• Remember to keep the "plate" in mind for a balanced meal.  The focus is on ½ of the plate as fruits and vegetables (non-starchy is the better choice), ¼  for the plate for a protein choice (and yes beans count along with fish, chicken and even cheese or nuts) and the remaining as a grain or starchy vegetable (corn, potatoes, bread are examples but aim for whole grains half of the time).