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.
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