Go to quick meals?

jakereef

Hello, I usually get off work pretty late and always struggle with figuring out a quick and healthy meal. I usually end up grabbing fast food. Does anyone have go-to meals that are easy to cook and don’t take a lot of time?

Corina1143

Thin pork chops cook fast. Veg in the microwave.

Put water on to boil for pasta before you change clothes, etc. Make double, save 1/2 for pasta salad tomorrow night.

Tv dinners can be cheaper and healthier than fast food.

Check menus and nutrients for fast food between work and home so that when you do get fast food, you can get healthier, lower calorie fast food.

claireychn074

Have you got a freezer? Packets of veg are great to microwave, and you can add them to to 2 min rice and scrambled egg to make a really quick egg fried rice (add in soy or chilli sauce etc). Or fish which can be cooked from frozen, again with frozen veg. I also batch cook when I have time, so my freezer is full of home made meals - all of which can be reheated quickly. It ensures I have tasty food to hand which meets my needs. Noodles or pasta with tinned fish is also a quick go-to meal for me - again using tinned or frozen veg if I’m short on fresh ingredients. Finally, I like omelettes for a quick and filling meal. You can throw cheese, veg, meat, or fish inside.

kmp9881

I prep a package of chicken breasts at the beginning of the week to grab, and one of my favorite go-tos is 3oz of chicken, half a cup of cottage cheese, and a package of steamed veg (whatever ends up being around 120 calories for a whole bag). Mix it up and add whatever seasonings you want. Ends up being around 350 calories (or less), it's super filling, and has 40-50g of protein. Also only takes as long as the steamed veggies take to cook.

COGypsy

I have what I call “scoop dinners”. I keep frozen precooked protein—chicken, beef, meatballs, shrimp on hand, along with bags of frozen vegetables. When it’s dinner time, I open a packages of precooked rice or pasta, add the desired “scoops” of protein and veg and top with some sort of sauce or seasoning. Microwave for a few minutes, dinner is ready and you probably only got one bowl dirty! It’s not gourmet, but it definitely cuts down on the misery of both cooking and doing dishes.

DiscusTank5

This isn't a sexy answer at all, but a crock pot is great for working late. Chili, roast and veg, chicken and dumplings, even a pot of beans can all slow cook all day. Sometimes I'll get it all in the crock pot the night before, store it in the fridge overnight, then take it out and plug in as I head to work.

Fast skillet meals are also a possibility: sausage, bell pepper, and onion are great. Or breakfast for dinner with bacon and eggs, fruit on the side.

yirara

Depends on what's available where you are. If I'm really not into cooking I open a tin of stew (peas, lentils, or chili con carne) and eat with a fresh bread roll. Some brands available here have a fairly ok amount of protein, and it's filling for me in every season.

If I want to cook a bit I marinate chicken or pork, cook, and put them with quickly sauteed veg into a wrap with whatever fits what I did. Might quickly whack tsatsiki together, use mango chutney, other yogurt sauces or a bit of peanut sauce.

or quick pasta is always an option.

SafariGalNYC

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/comment/48671790#Comment_48671790

crock pots are sexy! lol - I concur.. it’s easy and I love the no heat in summer!