What's an easy diet that requires little cooking?

Posts: 5 Member
edited November 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
Give me your favorite recipe that takes little to no time to prepare. I don't care if it's a small snack or whatever I just want more variety in my bland diet.

Welcome!

It looks like you're new here. Sign in or register to get started.
«13

Replies

  • Posts: 5 Member
    edited September 2015
    I'm a student with little time in between classes/work/studying/socializing/etc
    And less money
  • Posts: 29 Member
    Eat whatever you normally eat, just eat less if it/eat at or below the daily goal MFP suggests. You don't have to do anything fancy to lose weight :)
  • Posts: 318 Member
    Pizza. McDonalds for variety
  • Posts: 9,603 Member
    McDonald's, frozen dinners, pizza, etc.

    It's called "fast food" for a reason. :)
  • Posts: 5 Member
    Are you guys being srs...what the heck?
  • Posts: 5,178 Member
    You need to be more specific if you want more serious answers.
  • Posts: 5 Member
    Oh...well then...I guess I'll delete this and try again :neutral:
  • Posts: 1,372 Member
    Cook multiple servings of meals which can be reheated (pasta dishes, stews, curry etc.) on one of your less busy days, then warm them up when you're short for time. Also works out fairly cheap to bulk cook. This what I did whilst watching my weight as a student.

    Really though, as long as you know you're at a calorie deficit you can eat whatever's convenient.
  • Posts: 9,603 Member
    aggelikik wrote: »
    You need to be more specific if you want more serious answers.
    You want a diet that requires little cooking. That's what you eat.

    You can eat Crunch Berries, fast food and frozen dinners or you can prepare your own food. Coming takes time.
  • Posts: 154 Member
    Raw vegan, no cooking required whatsoever. :p
  • Posts: 35 Member
    I'm following a low FODMAP plan at the moment, so all of my meals need to be home cooked to be sure of their contents. I typically make meals that take less than 30 minutes to prepare and cook, and I also use that time to make the lunches for the next day. This might be more effort than you want to make, but I was relying on ready meals before this phase of my eating plan, and I didn't find it as satisfying as the portion sizes were too small for me.
    Here's a pic of my prawn curry from last night:
    5gx9nxtg6t33.jpg
  • Posts: 421 Member
    There is lots of food out there you do not need to cook. Apples. Oranges. Bananas. Avocados. Take a pick
  • Posts: 340 Member
    Donutello wrote: »
    Give me your favorite recipe that takes little to no time to prepare. I don't care if it's a small snack or whatever I just want more variety in my bland diet.

    Lean cuisine frozen dinners can be tasty, many which will meet diet criteria. President's Choice blue menu have more taste but more calories, too, and possibly too much sodium. Read the labels with care.

    Osric
  • Posts: 4,142 Member
    I don't cook from scratch - The result would be an utter disaster.

    I eat a lot of fish, boiled potatoes, rice and chicken - but it's all prepared and ready for me to put straight in the oven. Works for me! :D
  • Posts: 4,131 Member
    edited September 2015
    I can go weeks without cooking if necessary. Cold oatmeal that you put in the fridge overnight (google 'overnight oats'), pre-made mason jar salads (Google it), chunks of cheese, chunks of deli meat (or precook a ton of chicken thigh to have on hand), raw veggies and fruit (maybe with some peanut butter), nuts, seeds, dry fruit, yogurt, cottage cheese.
  • Posts: 175 Member
    Canned beans and some frozen veggies, maybe some shredded cheddar. Zap in the microwave for 2 mins. Throw on some salsa and a dollop of plain Greek yogurt. Sometimes I make rice once a week and throw that in too. Good luck.
  • Posts: 1,765 Member
    A pack of 2 minute noodles, some chicken pieces torn from a grocery store roast chicken, and a handful of frozen veg. Boom.
  • Posts: 1,942 Member
    Fruits and veggies can be eaten raw and you can eat lots of them for the calories.
  • Posts: 124 Member
    http://www.rawfoodlife.com/#axzz3m5uWXJpA

    Raw food diet. Plants, no cooking. Seems tough for me anyway....
    Other than that....there are short cuts to things. Canned soups (downside can be high sodium), tuna salad, egg salad requires minimal prep really- get rotisserie chicken and buy a bag of salad that has dressing and croutons added already- microwave dinners such as lean cuisine, weight watchers, healthy choice. If you have a decent budget, nutrisystem, you get all meals and snacks premade. Just microwave it. I like thai kitchen soups, also green giant veggie steamers, various flavors.

  • Posts: 83 Member
    Turkey wraps - big piece of curly leaf lettuce, deli turkey breast, slice of provolone or gouda, and sliced avocado. Roll up and nom nom nom. Clementines, those tiny little tangerines, are awesome too. Boiled eggs aren't bad time wise either, just 10 minutes or so, and they're a good source of protein and fats. You can boil up a big batch and then have them ready to go all week. And once you have boiled eggs, it's just a few minutes at that point to make tuna salad or egg salad, both of which are super easy and fast to make. Somebody else mentioned rotisserie chicken. You can do a lot of things with that that don't require a lot of prep work - like wraps. Big piece of chicken breast, sliced fresh red bell peppers (or your veggie of choice), add mayo if you want, wrap in a tortilla or stuff in a pita and you're good to go. :)
  • This content has been removed.
  • Posts: 30 Member
    Trader Joe's has some great shortcuts, if you live near one. FROZEN foods like frozen veggies and frozen brown rice are a big help, not only because they are easy and fast but because you're not going to have food waste from all the fresh produce you can't get around to cooking. Eliminating waste, I think, is a big part of saving money with food prep.

    I practically live off of breakfast tacos. I prep my shredded red cabbage, red onion, pre-portioned cheddar cheese. Eggs, hot sauce, corn tortillas. Avocados (instead of cheese) when I can get to the store.

    I work 70-80 hours a week, these tricks help me.
  • Posts: 858 Member
    I don't know what your goals are, but protein helps keep you going, and fuel workouts.

    I make boiled eggs for the week, yogurt cups, jerky, fresh and frozen fruit and veggies, deli meats (lean, but high in salt though), cottage cheese and applesauce. These are my quick snacks, breakfast and lunch.

    I make a batch of cold coffee, then add milk, ice, sweetener, vanilla or cinnamon, and sometimes protein powder. I takes 1 minute in the am to put together, and my morning is fueled.

    If you need fast, a microwave is your best friend, you can cook or heat most meals in it.
  • Posts: 12,942 Member
    Donutello wrote: »
    Are you guys being srs...what the heck?

    What kind of food do you like which you can afford?

    Many people live off of fast food and lose weight. It might be high in sodium, and the nutrition information might be underestimated by something like 10 - 20%, but at least you'd get your macros met.
  • Posts: 12,942 Member
    lyndahh75 wrote: »
    http://www.rawfoodlife.com/#axzz3m5uWXJpA

    Raw food diet. Plants, no cooking. Seems tough for me anyway....
    Other than that....there are short cuts to things. Canned soups (downside can be high sodium), tuna salad, egg salad requires minimal prep really- get rotisserie chicken and buy a bag of salad that has dressing and croutons added already- microwave dinners such as lean cuisine, weight watchers, healthy choice. If you have a decent budget, nutrisystem, you get all meals and snacks premade. Just microwave it. I like thai kitchen soups, also green giant veggie steamers, various flavors.

    He's a college student, he can't afford all that. He already said he's low on money.

  • Posts: 28,053 Member
    vegangela_ wrote: »
    Raw vegan, no cooking required whatsoever. :p

    When he says "little cooking," he's not just referring to heat but to prep time. Vegan is the most prep-intensive WOE I know.
  • Posts: 13,575 Member
    edited September 2015
    Sandwiches and salads
    I like to take frozen greens, precooked chicken and mix with a can of Progresso Light soups.
    Instant rice, canned beans and a bag of frozen vegetables makes a filling and nutritious meal.
    Rotisserie chickens from the supermarket are a great timesaver and good for several meals
    Eggs require only a few minutes to cook, add some fresh spinach and cheese for a full meal.
    Frozen whole grain waffles with pb
    If you have a slow cooker you can cook a variety of foods with little prep time.
    One of those small George Foreman grills can cook up a small chop, steak or fish filet in just few minutes. It's also good for many veggies or grilled sandwiches.

    ETA: Also plain greek yogurt, Kellogg's Bran Buds cereal and some berries is quite filling and delicious
  • Posts: 8,423 Member
    Donutello wrote: »
    Give me your favorite recipe that takes little to no time to prepare. I don't care if it's a small snack or whatever I just want more variety in my bland diet.

    What do you eat now?

    Raw vegetables and hummus. Hummus is super easy to make but you can also buy it.
    Fruit and yogurt, peanut butter or cheese.
    Sandwiches or wraps.
    Hard boiled eggs, deviled eggs
    Cereal, oatmeal, eggs... lots of breakfast foods are fast.
    Pizza using a tortilla, pita bread, naan, bagel, french bread, large mushroom for the crust. Microwave or bake until the cheese is melted.
    Bean and cheese burritos. Use canned fat free refried beans. Microwave a couple of minutes if you want it hot.
    Cook a big pot of soup or something once a week and eat leftovers.
    Wasabi peas.
    Frozen foods or restaurant food.

    http://busycooks.about.com/od/nocookrecipes/
  • Posts: 28,053 Member
    @Donutello do you have access to a full kitchen or are you in a dorm with limited facilities?
  • Posts: 80 Member
    I like to buy pre-cooked grilled chicken breast strips, either refrigerated or frozen (Costco or Walmart are great for these) and toss it into anything pretty quick. In a pinch for lunch I will throw some frozen Green Giant mixed italian seasoned veggies and some precooked chicken strips into container that can be popped in the microwave at work. You could cook 1 or 2 cups of rice or quinoa once a week and use it with the frozen veggies and chicken strips for more carbs.

    I also like the pre-cooked steak strips or turkey burgers you can get a walmart. These can be warmed up in a pan or in the mircrowave. Also if you have an oven there are some ok thin crust frozen pizza's you can buy, or even a portion of frozen fries or potato wedges with some kind of vegetable and protein.
This discussion has been closed.