Few ingredients, quick cheap meals?

immahappyhappyhorse
immahappyhappyhorse Posts: 12 Member
in Recipes
I'm a pretty busy person and I dont have all the time to cook up a nice meal like you see on instagram, my general meals per day would be chicken breast and broccoli, yogurt and fruit, hard boiled eggs, and I'm trying to incorporate more veggies into my diet but it's kinda hard to when I have to cook them and I have no time. So do you have any meals with little ingredients that doesn't take much cooking and can be pre cooked? Kinda like meal prep. For me I can only really have chicken meat as I don't eat seafood so that kinda limits my options. I don't wanna have to keep eating just chicken with broccoli and fruits on a daily basis just because I don't have the time or money (or the skill) to whip up some meal that uses 6 different kinds of organic veggies, sauces, etc. Hopefully the simpler the better.

Replies

  • musicfan68
    musicfan68 Posts: 1,143 Member
    Steam in bag vegetables are fast and easy. Pre-cook a big batch of brown minute rice and freeze portions. It takes less than 15 minutes to make rice. Add that to what ever protein you have and you have a healthy meal. Season how you want.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    Besides chicken there's pork (loin), beef, tofu.

    There are lots of vegetables that you can eat raw, like lettuce. If time in the evening is a stretch you can peel and slice them in the morning. I suggest you get one new vegetable a week and prepare it simply.

    Potatoes and other root vegetables can be peeled or not, and roasted in the oven. Nothing fancy.

    Buy your sauces. They instantly change up the meal. You can get spaghetti, teriyaki, sriracha, butter chicken or Garam Masala, and Alfredo.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    If you're not going to post it on Instagram, there's no reason your meals can't be simple. I personally prefer simple meals. They can still be balanced and tasty. Everybody is busy, most people have limited funds. If you have money to buy and time to cook chicken and broccoli, you can buy and cook other meats and vegetables. It's up to you how many ingredients to use, and whether to buy "organic" or ordinary items. If you add starchy foods to your meals, you'll be eating more balanced, more tasty, and cheaper.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    Skinny Taste has a series of 30 minute meals.....https://www.skinnytaste.com/recipes/quick/

    Stir Frys are always quick - Bag of veggies, jar of sauce, lean protein.......much cheaper if you make your own sauce: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/simple-chicken-stir-fry
  • lolastjude
    lolastjude Posts: 5 Member
    STIRY FRY FOR SURE!
    1/2 bag of stir fry veg
    1/2 packet of ready to eat chicken and individual stir fry sauces
    Then whack in the wok!!

    Can use the other half for the next day but change it up with different individual sauces

  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    Pick a protein and grill it on a foreman grill, with marinade or seasoning of choice.
    Pick a vegetable, toss with oil & vinegar, microwave for 2-4 minutes while protein is cooking.
    Throw together a side salad.
    Dinner is done in 10 min.
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,740 Member
    Are there any places in your area that have grab and go meals? Maybe a natural market or similar?
    I know that stuff isn't cheap, but I have seen some options that are pretty close to fast food pricing. Things like quinoa bowls, simple veggie or cooked sushi rolls, healthier/lighter pasta salad or entrees that can be heated in a microwave.

    Obviously you're not going to do that every day but maybe it could help break up the monotony? We cook at home a lot but I think both me and my husband would do this more often if we were single or dining alone. Quick & easy, and they have some good stuff with minimal prep and minimal additives (I'm not one of those all-natural-or-die people, but I mean in comparison to say, typical restaurants with a lot of extra butter and oil in the food).
  • AngryViking1970
    AngryViking1970 Posts: 2,847 Member
    I regularly make what my son refers to as the "Dollar Tree Meal". LOL A box of jambalaya mix, 2 packages of John Morrell hot smoked sausage and a can of pinto beans. That's $4 total. It takes like 30 minutes to make and it serves 3 for dinner, plus 2 lunches the next day. Add a bag of frozen veg for another dollar if you want. You can't really beat that for cheap and easy.

  • avadahm
    avadahm Posts: 111 Member
    Pasta is easy to add vegetables to. Spiral veggie pasta if you’re avoiding carbs. Peas and corn are two veggies I like in pasta. You can use frozen (super cheap).

    I’m also a huge fan of pairing hummus with things like fruits and veggies for snacks. Lemon hummus on jicama or apples is yum.

    Do you have a crock pot? Those can get pretty simple and you can be hands off with most of the process. Stews that feature sweet potatoes (try Domoda) can use chicken or even be vegetarian if you choose. They’re also good over rice/noodles.
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,740 Member
    AngryViking1970 wrote: »
    I regularly make what my son refers to as the "Dollar Tree Meal". LOL A box of jambalaya mix, 2 packages of John Morrell hot smoked sausage and a can of pinto beans. That's $4 total. It takes like 30 minutes to make and it serves 3 for dinner, plus 2 lunches the next day. Add a bag of frozen veg for another dollar if you want. You can't really beat that for cheap and easy.

    I love Dollar Tree spring rolls or their "lobster egg roll" for a dollar...with some steamed veg, that's a great easy cheap lunch!
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,423 Member
    My lunch today was a pile of zucchini noodles cooked just a couple of minutes with some garlic and oregano. Added some canned diced tomato, cubes of cooked chicken, olives, feta cheese. It was ready pretty fast.

    I often eat leftovers or a sandwich for lunches. Maybe cook more than you need for 1 meal so you just need to reheat something. Soup for example.

  • corinasue1143
    corinasue1143 Posts: 7,464 Member
    One of my favorites, cook rice or quinoa on weekend, keep in fridge. When ready, boneless pork loin chop in skillet with 1 tsp olive oil, when you turn it over, add 1 sliced peach or nectarine or plum and 1 tsp butter. Meanwhile, warm 1 serving rice. Put either broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, etc
    In a small bowl, squeeze 1/2 lime or lemon over, cover, ( I usually set my dinner plate with rice on it, warms rice & cooks veggies at same time). And nuke in microwave until tender crisp. Takes 5-10 minutes.
  • corinasue1143
    corinasue1143 Posts: 7,464 Member
    On weekend, broccoli rice casserole idea. Cook rice or quinoa, when about 1/2 done, dump broccoli or cauliflower or carrots or mixed veg on top to cook too. In a skillet, cook onions, garlic, green peppers, celery, or whatever you like. Add a couple slices bacon for flavor if you like. Mix together, put in a casserole dish and bake. Then it's ready to dig into all week. Or put in individual dishes with cheese on one, leftover chicken on one, etc. pop one in microwave during the week.
  • Jennymarie57
    Jennymarie57 Posts: 57 Member
    Overnight oats..I prep them quickly night before in mason jars or food storage containers

    Tuna in pouch, I mix with plain yogurt and then eat on celery or lettuce leaves

    rice cakes with a nut or regular butter and fruit

    I roast a group of veggies together and then divide into containers . My current fav, carrots, brussel sprouts, and turnips. I boil the turnips and carrots actually..and fry or roast the sprouts with garlic and then mix all together..you could prep rice in containers also and add to this..along with a meat or fried egg..
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 7,956 Member
    Roast a chicken on the weekend and use leftovers during the week with a simple salad of shredded chicken mixed with a chopped avocado and a jar of commercial salsa. Serve in a soft taco shell. Remember to make some stock with the chicken carcass.

    Another quick use for the leftover chicken and stock is avgolemono. Throw in some shredded chicken and have a side of roast courgette to make it an easy meal. Or you could cook grated courgette in the soup if you can't be bothered with roasting it.
    https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/avgolemono-352269

    One more way to use leftover roast chicken is bang bang chicken with spiralized veg. https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/bang-bang-chicken-vegetable-noodles
  • pdunhom
    pdunhom Posts: 1 Member
    I recently discovered the Birds Eye Steamfresh Protein Blends in the frozen section of the grocery store. About 250 calories and they are only 2 for $5 at my store. I ate a half a bag for lunch each day this week with some fruit on the side. The Hawaiian blend is my favorite and only takes 2 minutes in the microwave.

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