17 Wholesome No-Prep Recipes for the Days When You Simply Can’t

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Nowadays it’s understandable if the last thing you have to do is prepare elaborate (and delicious! And healthy!) Meals.

Perhaps the COVID-19 pandemic has left you in a stressful job from home with kids arguing in the background. Or maybe financial pressures, an uncertain future, and lack of social interaction are weighing on your sanity.

Regardless of your pandemic situation, there can be many days until 5 p.m. when you just can’t muster the momentum to have a healthy, homemade dinner.

I am right there with you.

As a work-from-home parent with three kids now attending school online, I haven’t been jumping up from my laptop to prepare our dinner lately.

But as a nutritionist, it is still just as important to me that our meals are healthy and nutritious.

Through some trial and error, I’ve found that many lightning-fast recipes can actually feed us well with minimal labor.

Everything you need to know about the short cut to healthy unprepared dinners is here.

Putting together healthy meals on the fly is not done without a little thought ahead – mainly in the form of deliberate grocery shopping.

Get these handy resources to help you prepare for the success of an unprepared meal.

Proteins

  • smoked salmon
  • Beans like chickpeas or hummus, black beans, cannellini beans, or pinto beans
  • grilled chicken
  • Turkey or fish burgers
  • Eggs
  • tofu
  • Block, chop and crumble cheese

Strengthen

  • Whole grain bread and breadcrumbs
  • Frozen corn
  • Instant brown rice
  • frozen gnocchi (made from wheat or vegetables like cauliflower or sweet potato)
  • pre-made wholemeal pizza crust, naan flatbread and pitas
  • fast-cooking noodles such as angel hair, tortellini or mussels

fruit and vegetables

  • Baby carrots and other pre-cut vegetables like peppers or zucchini
  • frozen vegetables like peas, carrots, spinach, and green beans
  • frozen vegetarian spirals like zucchini and butternut squash
  • Bagged greens like kale, spinach, or romaine
  • Sack of coleslaw with cabbage, carrots or broccoli
  • Canned and dried fruits
  • Berry

Simple flavor additives

  • mustard
  • mayonnaise
  • olive oil
  • Vinegars such as balsamic vinegar, red wine, and white wine
  • dried herbs and spices
  • grated parmesan cheese
  • Salsa

Once you have these ingredients on hand, it’s time to try the 17 delicious meals below. Whether you are looking for salads, soups or main courses, I have it all for you.

Tuscan tuna and white beans salad

Think outside the box! Canned tuna is mostly used in sandwiches, but it’s an excellent protein to add to a quick and easy salad – like this Mediterranean-inspired meal.

You can find the recipe here.

Apple salad with chicken and cherries

Roasted chicken, apples, and dried cherries make this tasty salad a quick job on the sweeter side.

Sub-dried cranberries for a more economical (but still antioxidant-rich) berry selection.

You can find the recipe here.

Mexican salad

Full Disclosure: You have to chop a little for this salad, but it’s well worth it when you get a perfect bite of creamy avocado and juicy tomato.

Use a bag of pre-cut romaine to make things even easier. And if you really don’t feel it for dinner, skip the homemade dressing in favor of a variety based in olive oil.

You can find the recipe here.

Chilled cucumber melon soup

The instructions for this fascinatingly flavored chilled soup couldn’t be simpler: Put all the ingredients in a blender. Mix until everything is smooth. I will sip on it!

You can find the recipe here.

15-minute miso soup with vegetables and tofu

Fermented foods like miso have been linked to stronger immune systems – making this simple Japanese classic a win-win pandemic.

Serve with a side of instant brown rice for extra fiber and complex carbohydrates.

You can find the recipe here.

5-ingredient black bean soup

They got me on “five ingredients” (and on “20 minutes”).

This simple soup relies on the tangy flavor of cooked salsa to work its magic south of the border, while canned black beans make for brisk cooking time.

You can find the recipe here.

Healthier charcuterie board

You might not be hosting any celebrations in the near future, but a sausage board always seems to set the party mood.

DIY a custom tray of meat and cheese with lots of healthy additions like dried apricots, grapes, whole grain crackers, and hummus.

You can find the recipe here.

Herbal tuna in heirloom tomatoes

Summertime is heirloom tomato season. Make the most of the misshapen beauties in this low-carb, allergy-friendly recipe.

For a richer meal, combine it with cheesy toast or a green salad.

You can find the recipe here.

Smoked salmon and peas with creamy gnocchi

A simple dinner that looks very elegant? Yes, please!

With just six ingredients, this recipe conjures up a one-piece meal that is chic enough for society but quick enough for a low-energy week.

You can find the recipe here.

Tin pan turkey sausage and vegetables

If you haven’t explored the wide world of tin dinners, now is the time. I like to think of these simple dinners as “chop, plop and pop”.

Chop the protein and vegetables, place on a baking sheet and put in the oven. Done!

You can find the recipe here.

Balsamic Pot Pot Roast

Get a step ahead of the dinner game by adding a few ingredients to your slow cooker around noon. In the evening you are well on your way to an aromatic, home-made meal.

This simple roast requires few ingredients, which is made even easier with baby carrots and potatoes small enough to chop with a single slice.

You can find the recipe here.

Easy chicken gyros

Roast chicken saves the day (again)! Go Greek without prep by piecing these gyros together with pre-cut pitas, crumbled feta, and purchased tzatziki.

You can find the recipe here.

Grilled pesto caprese cheese

Children and adults alike will choose this particularly fine grilled cheese, made from store-bought pestos and sliced ​​tomatoes.

Shake a few greens out of a bagged mix and you have a full meal.

You can find the recipe here.

Zucchini noodles with beans, feta and lemon

Don’t have the time (or the drive) to spiralize zucchini on a Wednesday after work? Thaw frozen zoodles for the base of this healthy vegetarian main course.

You can find the recipe here.

Flatbread Veggie Pizza

Make pizza night a little more interesting – and so much faster – with naan flatbreads as a crust.

Sprinkle some vegetables and cheese on top and place in the oven for 10 minutes for a nutritious, versatile meal.

You can find the recipe here.

Spicy chickpea wraps with spinach and avocado

The fact is: Sriracha makes everything better (or at least it makes everything sharper).

In spicy chickpea wraps with lots of greens, turn the heat up or down as desired.

You can find the recipe here.

Loaded veggie nachos

Can nachos be good for you? If you load them up with beans, vegetables, and avocado, they can. A few minutes in the oven is all that stands between you and this healthy Mexican dinner.

You can find the recipe here.

If tough days get you down, the occasional take-out meal is nothing wrong with. But like many quick fixes, taking it out on repetition isn’t a very sustainable solution.

Instead, fill your pantry and refrigerator with the unprepared meal building blocks. Do it for your health, your wallet and your stress level.

Sarah Garone, NDTR, is a nutritionist, freelance health writer, and food blogger. She lives in Mesa, Arizona with her husband and three children. Find out how she shares down-to-earth health and nutritional information and (mostly) healthy recipes under A Love Letter to Food.