One day the warm sun was shining like a beacon on our back deck. The next day, it cooled and went back to gray and rainy. But I have faith the sun will return. We’ll have cookouts on our deck and outdoor parties on patios, in urban concrete backyards and on spacious green lawns.

Side dishes abound at these kinds of parties. There are always burgers, dogs and chicken, but good summertime salads are especially clutch.

When we make these dishes, inspiration often comes from memory. The salads I’ve always had are based in mayonnaise or cream cheese. I’ve come to think of them as the unhealthy salads. Kind of like when I would go to salad bars and load up on iceberg lettuce, shredded cheese and eggs — soaked in ranch or blue cheese dressing.

My sister and I still put pretzel salad at the top of our list of favorite summer party food. It’s one of those things my family introduced to newcomers to our parties. We’ve won over many a palette with this sweet and salty dish — at least after I explained what it was and they took a very tentative first taste.

In this casserole dish, there are three layers of yummy: the base is broken pretzels mixed with melted butter; then there’s a cream cheese/whipped topping center. It’s all topped by strawberry gelatin combined with strawberry slices.

It’s true; words do not do the pretzel salad justice. It doesn’t help that we’ve always put it out with the burgers and coleslaw. You wouldn’t find this on the dessert table, for some reason.

I haven’t had pretzel salad in a while. That’s not because my man — who dares to use the word “hate” — doesn’t eat it. I’ve just never made it myself. But I have considered taking it to one of the many get-togethers already on the schedule in the coming months. I can’t wait to see the reaction of our health-conscious friends when I show up with a dish that starts with melted butter and salted pretzels. It just isn’t supposed to be made healthy, and I’m not going to be the person who tries.

There is another favorite summer salad, though, that I have decided to perfect for this season’s parties and dinners. It may not be the most original take, but it allowed me to make a fresh, clean-tasting side dish.

My stepmother’s contribution to pool parties at her house is cucumber salad. It’s simple: cucumber slices, mayonnaise and vinegar. I think there might be a dash of sugar in there, too. I made this recently and again I found my husband was “not a fan.” So since I was the only one eating it, I had a plastic container full of it in the refrigerator. Seeing the ingredients separate with the passing days was decidedly unappealing. I decided to try it again, this time with a lighter touch.

I took some diced cucumber and diced some tomato as well. Full disclosure: I never ate tomatoes until a few years ago. Yeah, I was the one in the drive-thru asking for my fried chicken sandwich with no tomato on it, just mayonnaise and lettuce. I’m surprised no one reached out of the window to slap me on the forehead, like in that V-8 commercial.

To season it, I added some olive oil, salt and pepper and headed to the back deck for fresh dill and parsley. That’s another clutch move in my new kitchen adventure: I’m taking my herbs in from the outside instead of out from the inside of the cabinet.

I chopped up the delicate greens and threw them into the bowl. It was delicious. And I didn’t even miss the mayonnaise.