No or Low Cook Meal Options

July 16, 2024

First Stop Health Coaches

You don’t need to spend hours in the kitchen or be an amazing chef to put together a nutritionally-sound meal. Whether you’re short on time, not excited about cooking or just need meal planning options for 1, having some quick meals you can throw together in a few minutes time can make the difference between regularly ordering take out. 

First, you’ll need to stock some pantry, fridge and freezer staples that offer a variety of macronutrients, like those suggested below. Then, look to combine a protein + a grain + produce for a quick and satisfying meal. Here are a few quick options: 

Proteins

  • Canned tuna, salmon, and/or tuna, salmon or chicken pouches
  • Rotisserie chicken
  • String cheese
  • Frozen turkey burgers, frozen veggie burgers (e.g. Beyond meat, Dr. Praeger’s)
  • Greek yogurt
  • Cottage cheese
  • Frozen cooked shrimp, or seasoned fish fillets
  • Peanut butter or other nut butter
  • Canned beans
  • Cooked lentil pouches (e.g. Tasty Bites)
  • Frozen egg bites (e.g. Egglands Best, Organic Valley)
  • Hard-boiled eggs
  • Hummus

Produce

  • Bag spinach or other greens
  • Sliced vegetables or vegetable tray
  • Bag broccoli and cauliflower mix or broccoli slaw
  • Salsa
  • Grill-ready veggie skewers
  • Baby carrots
  • Steam in the bag frozen vegetables
  • Spiralized zucchini, and cauliflower rice (fresh or frozen)
  • Fresh cut melon or pineapple
  • Fresh fruit salad
  • Fresh apple slices
  • Frozen fruits of all types (no added sugar)
  • Frozen smoothie combos (no added sugar or juices)

Grains

  • Rolled or quick oats
  • Frozen prepared steel-cut oatmeal
  • Pre-cooked whole-grain pouches (e.g. Uncle Ben’s original whole grain brown ready rice, Seeds of Change whole grain blend)
  • Whole grain or blend pasta (e.g. Barilla Protein +, Dreamfield’s)
  • Whole grain crispbread crackers (e.g. Finn Crisp, Ryvita, Wasa)
  • 100% whole wheat English muffins or thin-sliced slices of bread

Meal Combination Possibilities

  • Shredded rotisserie chicken + rice pouch + bagged spinach or slaw + shredded cheese + salsa
  • Frozen turkey burger or veggie burger + pre-cooked whole-grain blend + steam-in-bag frozen veggies
  • Curried lentil pouch + frozen or fresh spinach + pre-cooked brown rice +/- rotisserie chicken
  • Fresh apple slices + peanut butter + string cheese
  • Whole wheat English muffin + slice cheese + frozen egg bites or hard-boiled eggs
  • Rolled oats + milk of choice + Greek yogurt + chia seeds + frozen fruit + pb drizzle
  • Hummus + Wasa crisps + hard-boiled egg + baby carrots

 

 

 

 

Care you will love.

Originally published Jul 16, 2024 1:50:39 PM.