We've all been there: feeling lazy, exhausted, or simply lacking the time to cook anything elaborate. Luckily, with a bit of inspiration, it's easy to whip up delicious and healthy meals in a hurry using simple ingredients. This article explores a variety of low-effort meal ideas, drawing inspiration from home cooks and culinary experts alike, to provide you with quick and easy solutions for those busy days.
Quick and Easy Meal Ideas from Home Cooks
Redditor u/Bacon8er8 asked, "Tell me about your REAL low-effort meals. I'm talking microwave. I'm talking little to no dishes to clean afterward." The responses highlighted the creativity and resourcefulness of home cooks in creating satisfying meals with minimal effort. Here are some of the suggestions:
Tortellini Soup: A simple and comforting soup made with frozen tortellini, vegetable or chicken stock, canned chopped tomatoes, and fresh spinach. Heat to a simmer until everything is hot.
Cheater's Goulash: Brown a pound of hamburger meat, then stir in a can of golden mushroom soup and sour cream.
Tomato Sandwich: Toasted white bread topped with a thin layer of Miracle Whip, thinly sliced tomato, and salt.
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Dump Meals: Combine a jarred sauce with meat and cook. A popular example is salsa chicken, made with a jar of salsa, chicken, and taco seasoning. Cook in a slow cooker for six hours or in the oven at 375ºF for 30-45 minutes.
Tuna Pasta: Boil spaghetti, drain, and toss with butter. Add a can of tuna and diced tomatoes. Season with basil, oregano, garlic powder, and lemon juice. Add olive oil if needed.
Campbell's Soup Tuna Casserole: Combine egg noodles, canned tuna, cream of mushroom soup, and breadcrumbs or crushed crackers.
Rice Cooker Meal: Toss rice, frozen veggie mix (corn, green beans, peas, & carrots), eggs, sausages, water/broth, and seasonings (soy sauce, sesame oil, chili oil, Cajun seasoning, adobo powder, or bouillon powder) into a rice cooker. Add butter if desired.
Roasted Vegetables with Rotisserie Chicken: Roast frozen broccoli or other vegetables on a cookie sheet with olive oil and salt/pepper at 425ºF for about 20 minutes. Serve with a rotisserie chicken.
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Naan Pizzas: Spread pesto on naan, add fresh spinach, cooked chicken, and mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle with olive oil and broil or microwave.
Tuna Rice: Stir together a can of tuna, mayo, sesame oil, and soy sauce. Dump on some rice.
Hummus Wrap: A summer lazy meal consisting of store-bought hummus, sliced tomato or sweet bell pepper, and lettuce or spinach wrapped in a tortilla.
Taco Bowls: Cook meat and veggies or just veggies with taco seasoning in a pan. Throw in a bowl and top with salsa, sour cream, etc. You can also wrap them in tortillas.
Canned Dolmas: Enjoy canned dolmas by themselves or on a plate with hummus and veggies.
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Microwaved Potato: Microwave a potato or sweet potato until soft.
Ramen with Veggies: Add whatever veggies you have on hand to ramen.
Jambalaya Rice with Kielbasa: Combine a box of jambalaya rice mix with chopped kielbasa, a can of corn, and a can of pinto or black beans.
Ham and Cheese Sliders: Simple and satisfying ham and cheese sliders.
Shells and Cheese with Rotel and Black Beans: Combine a box of shells and cheese with a can of Rotel tomatoes and a can of black beans.
Turkey Sloppy Joes: Make turkey sloppy Joe’s with ground turkey, marinara sauce, and onion powder. Serve on a deli roll.
Microwave Rice Pouch with Chicken and Veggies: Combine a 90-second microwavable rice pouch, a can of shredded chicken, and a steamer bag of frozen veggies. Season with salt and pepper, add a little butter, and maybe a sprinkle of cheese on top.
Salsa Quesadilla: Make a quesadilla with jarred salsa.
Shakshuka: Cook tomatoes (fresh or canned), peppers, spices, and eggs in olive oil. Add garlic, eggplant, onions, goat cheese, etc.
These suggestions demonstrate that low-effort meals don't have to be boring or unhealthy. With a little creativity and resourcefulness, you can create satisfying and nutritious meals using simple ingredients and minimal equipment.
Meal Prep Ideas for a Busy Fall
As the seasons change and schedules become more hectic, meal prepping can be a lifesaver. Having healthy meals prepped and ready to go can help you save time, money, and eat well throughout the week. Here are some healthy meal prep ideas for breakfast, lunch, and dinner:
Healthy Meal Prep Ideas for Breakfast
Overnight Oats: Mix up overnight oats the night before for a quick and easy breakfast.
Hard-Boiled Eggs: Hard-boiled eggs keep well in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Chia Seed Pudding: This easy pudding is packed with protein, fiber, and healthy fats.
Breakfast Cookies: These soft, nourishing breakfast cookies can be stored at room temperature for up to 4 days. Freeze slices for busy mornings.
Vegan Breakfast Burritos: Filled with tofu scramble instead of scrambled eggs, these burritos are freezer-friendly.
Salad and Bowl Meal Prep Recipes
These healthy meal prep recipes are perfect for packing for lunch.
Roasted Tomato and Olive Salad: Roasted tomatoes, olives, and Italian dressing fill this hearty salad with complex flavors.
Kale Salad: Kale holds up nicely once it’s dressed, making this salad perfect for meal prep.
Turmeric-Tahini Veggie Bowl: A sunny turmeric-tahini sauce takes this veggie and brown rice bowl over the top.
Packable Sandwiches, Wraps, and Rolls
Prepare the fillings in advance for quick and easy sandwiches, wraps, and rolls.
Egg Salad: This bright, briny egg salad keeps well for up to 3 days in the fridge.
Spring Rolls: Assemble these spring rolls entirely in advance for a fresh and yummy lunch. Serve with peanut sauce for dipping.
Soups and Stews
Soups and stews are some of the best easy meal prep ideas, and they freeze super well.
Smoky Chili: This smoky chili is a perfect one-pot meal, packed with protein and veggies.
Curry: Adapt this recipe to use whatever veggies you happen to have on hand.
Soup with Cornbread: Bake homemade cornbread to pair with soup. They’re a match made in heaven, and both freeze perfectly.
More Freezer-Friendly Meal Prep Recipes
Casseroles: Assemble the casserole up until the point of baking, then cover and freeze it in the baking dish. To reheat, bake, covered in foil, at 350°F for one hour, or until warmed through.
Falafel Balls: Freeze the cooked patties for up to 2 months. Reheat by baking them in a 400°F-oven until heated through, about 10-20 minutes.
Stuffed Peppers: After baking, freeze them for up to a month. To reheat, pop them in a 400°F oven for about 25 minutes, or until crisp and warmed through.
Meal Prep Components
Prepare components - not full recipes - that you can use in a variety of ways throughout the week.
Rice: Perfect for bulking up grain bowls and salads, serving with curries and stir-fries, or tossing into fried rice.
Tofu: Toss them into bowls, salads, stir-fries, noodle or pasta dishes, and soups!
Roasted Vegetables: Serve them as a side dish, add them to a salad or bowl, fold them into tacos or burritos, stir them into pasta, bake them into frittatas…the options are endless!
Sauce: If you meal prep a flavorful sauce, it will punch up so many of your meals throughout the week.
More Healthy Meal Prep Ideas
- Mediterranean Quinoa Salad: Prepare the quinoa, roasted tomatoes, dressing, and chickpeas in advance.
49 Low-Effort and Healthy Dinner Recipes
Veronica Brandy, co-founder of Eatwell101, offers a "best-friend" guide to cooking delicious, healthy dinner recipes with minimal effort. These super easy and healthy meals are on the table in 30 minutes or less and make a great option to grab the basics if you’re just getting started learning to cook! Most of these easy dinner recipe ideas only require a skillet, two basic ingredients, and spices. Here are some highlights: