Easy Meals

mazzye70

Hello! One of my roadblocks to weight loss is being tired after work and not wanting to make dinner. Like a lot of people, I have more than one job. What are your go-to healthier options for when you’re not up for cooking dinner? I have a family to feed and am pre diabetic, so bonus points for ideas that feed multiple people and/or are low carb, low sugar! TIA

Corina1143

Simple meat in grill, (pork chop, tenderized steak, hamburger patty), green beans, broccoli or canned asparagus in microwave, bagged salad.
Cook once, eat twice. Make a soup for tomorrow on the back burner while cooking tonight's dinner.
Put a casserole together for tomorrow while cooking tonight.
Make cooking a family affair. Ask for help.

yirara

Can you outsource the dinner cooking? How old are yout kids? What about the stress level of your husband? Can you cook for 2-3 days at once and just reheat?

claireychn074

I’m a huge fan of roasted veg with fish or chicken: I use fresh veg usually but you can buy frozen which is even easier. Simply grease a baking tray, scatter a mixture of veg on (carrots, squash, broccoli and sprouts work well - and I usually put some thin potato wedges on - skin on). Drizzle with oil and seasoning like Cajun, or garlic, or Italian seasonings and bung in the oven for c45-60 mins. Depending on the meat or fish, it can go in when there’s about 20mins to go (good for chops, chicken portions take longer).

With frozen veg it will take only minutes to prepare, yes it does take a little to cook but you can just leave it there and I do other jobs during that time.

Each time I cook I also try to double the quantities and do either two meals (freeze some portions) or have the leftovers to use in a frittata, omelette or bubble and squeak.

wm3796

Make double protein (grilled or baked chicken, pork tenderloin, turkey burger) and serve with bag microwaveable vegetable and sweet potato or fruit. Then serve the leftover protein again chopped up with veggies of choice in low carb tortilla with salsa and side salad. Also omelettes for dinner are great and easy but don’t go overboard with cheese to avoid too many calories.

JoLightensUp

Stir fries can be super quick and easy. If I'm in a hurry, I'll skip the chopping by using a bag of frozen stir fry veggies and beef or chicken strips. Sometimes I cook basmati rice in the microwave or rice cooker while I cook the meat & veg in an electric fry pan, or sometimes we'll have it with low gi noodles or pasta. My husband is diabetic so we are always carb conscious too.

As others have mentioned, I like getting other family members involved in planning and cooking meals. On the weekend we do a meal plan for the upcoming week then write in on a little whiteboard on the fridge, along with who's cooking the meal. That may or may not suit your family circumstances.

carterbrent

I have a healthy crockpot meals cookbook that i use.just take a couple minutes in the morning and have dinner ready when you get home from work. Sometimes I throw a whole chicken in for 8 or 9 hours on low. You can include some red potatoes baby carrots and a quartered onion

carterbrent

Breakfast for dinner. Omelets or scramble some eggs aND add a frozen waffle. Quick aND easy. Sometimes I throw in some mushrooms or spinach and grape tomatoes and a pinch of parmesan cheese

Sett2023

Meal prep/batch cooking (I have some points in common with you: high glucose / a family to feed / job etc, so my foods should be ok for you too).
I stuff my freezer(s) on Saturdays/Sundays (see examples below) and in week days I only take out things and reheat them in microwave while adding the last touch with something fresh but very quick (basmati precooked: 2 minutes in micro; polenta precooked: 8 minutes + 5 for boil water - if you use integral kind is useful for glucose; dress lettuce or other salads ---> the prewashed that comes in supermarkets, 1 minute; and similar "not-really-chores").
Examples from my freezers:
* vegetables in a lot of ways: patties; loaves; gratin; stuffed zucchini;
* salt pies (with puff pastry by super and filling made by me, for instance stewed leeks or zucchini or other vegetables + some cheese. You can store them by portions and everyone in family can choose how many/which kind bring out, so for you less pieces = less carbs from the pastry);
* vegetables ready for omelettes (at the moment, onions and peppers);
* poultry stews ("pollo alla cacciatora") with a lot of vegetables;
* fish patties (codfish and salmon);
* stewed meat (beef) patties with peas;
* etc. etc etc.

sollyn23l2

mazzye70 wrote: »

Hello! One of my roadblocks to weight loss is being tired after work and not wanting to make dinner. Like a lot of people, I have more than one job. What are your go-to healthier options for when you’re not up for cooking dinner? I have a family to feed and am pre diabetic, so bonus points for ideas that feed multiple people and/or are low carb, low sugar! TIA

I get one of the rotisserie chickens from the store. No cooking involved. Add whatever you want as a side and dinners ready.

spiriteagle99

Pulled pork in the crockpot is cheap and easy. I cook for two people and really like the Hormel foods in the meat section like roast pork, roast beef, and turkey. Not much fat and a good portion size. Add a baked/microwaved potato and veggies and you have dinner in just a few minutes.

loulee997

mazzye70 wrote: »

Hello! One of my roadblocks to weight loss is being tired after work and not wanting to make dinner. Like a lot of people, I have more than one job. What are your go-to healthier options for when you’re not up for cooking dinner? I have a family to feed and am pre diabetic, so bonus points for ideas that feed multiple people and/or are low carb, low sugar! TIA

Two words--Air Fryer.

It is my go-to, don't want to cook, but want something hot solution.

You can throw in some extra crispy Ore-Ida fries. Cook at 375 to 380 for 12 minutes. Shake. Cook more if not crisp enough.

Don't want processed food? Get some small round baby potatoes, cut in half. Toss in olive oil and salt. Cook at 380 for 15 minutes in the air fryer.

You can also throw in a frozen chicken finger or frozen shrimp.

Together, you can have a nice quick meal with potato and meat for less than 400 calories. Wipe out the air fryer with a paper towel. Eat from a paper plate.

No mess, hot food, low calorie. Is it the healthiest, no, but it isn't horrible.

You can even throw in corn on the cob in the air fryer, pizza rolls, anything frozen into the air fryer.
Air fryer broccoli is pretty good.

https://www.aheadofthyme.com/25-easy-air-fryer-recipes/
AIR FRYER RECIPES EASY

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Another option, I get a non-frozen pizza and cut it up in individual pieces. Freeze. You can make 1 to 2 pieces at a time in the oven when hungry. Quick and portion controlled. Cook in oven.

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Not wanting even that much work? Get some Amy's Kitchen's soup. Super low calorie and healthy---you can just reheat.

You can also bake a burrito.360

https://www.amys.com/our-foods/organic-hearty-french-country-vegetable-soup-reduced-sodium
ORGANIC HEARTY FRENCH COUNTRY VEG SOUP-REDUCE SODIUM Amy's Kitchen
210 Calories a cup

https://www.amys.com/our-foods/no-chicken-noodle-soup
No Chicken Noodle
180 CALORIES FOR CAN

https://www.amys.com/our-foods/organic-minestrone-soup
MINESTRONE SOUP
190 Calories for the can

AMY'S SOUTHWESTERN BURRITO
https://www.kroger.com/p/amy-s-southwestern-burrito/0004227200076?fulfillment=PICKUP&storecode=01400477&&cid=shp_adw_shopl_.FY23.02_search_ent_conv_lia_corelia_kroger_g_lia_shop_acq_evgn_ship_all_roas_verylowperformers&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAvdCrBhBREiwAX6-6Ulgjz3NEq3vGgNIDYjL3wushXM3UJZbrKkzt9pTdVP4uC4Df_FuRYxoCzbIQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
300 Calories, organic

Amy's Black Bean and Veggie Burrito
290 Calories

Amy's Cheese Enchiladas
360 Calories, 1 TRAY...every one loves them and they microwave.

loulee997

EASY FAMILY MEALS

A taco bar. By a roasted chicken, you can use the leftover chicken for the taco bar. Buy some taco shells, buy some pre-cut veggies, and a bag of lettuce. Sauces are available. Buy it all pre cooked and pre cut. The chicken can make more than 1 meal. Quick meals.

Low Cal Pizza. Use Naan or low-calorie pita bread to make quick pizzas. Cover in pre-cut veggies, and throw on some turkey pepperoni and cheese. Bake and eat. Quick and tasty. Using low calorie pre cooked bread and turkey pepperoni keeps the calories low. IF you can't find those breads, the thin BOBILLI thin crust pizza crust will do in a pinch.

Meatless spaghetti and jar sauce. Quick and makes a lot.

loulee997

loulee997 wrote: »

EASY FAMILY MEALS

A taco bar. By a roasted chicken, you can use the leftover chicken for the taco bar. Buy some taco shells, buy some pre-cut veggies, and a bag of lettuce. Sauces are available. Buy it all pre cooked and pre cut. The chicken can make more than 1 meal. Quick meals.

Low Cal Pizza. Use Naan or low-calorie pita bread to make quick pizzas. Cover in pre-cut veggies, and throw on some turkey pepperoni and cheese. Bake and eat. Quick and tasty. Using low calorie pre cooked bread and turkey pepperoni keeps the calories low. IF you can't find those breads, the thin BOBILLI thin crust pizza crust will do in a pinch.

Meatless spaghetti and jar sauce. Quick and makes a lot.

Eggs and toast. Quick and easy.

Air Fryer roasted potatoes and chicken fingers.

andreajlnhe

I recommend freezer cooking. You cook in bulk and freeze meals for later, reducing overall time spent cooking and cleaning.