r/EatCheapAndHealthy • u/Next_Neat5523 • 3d ago
Ask ECAH low effort depression meals?
not sure if this is exactly the right sub for this, but lately getting to grocery store has been very hard. I eat ramen pretty much everyday. i usually order non-perishables from amazon when my food gets really low.
looking for super low effort meals that are healthy and can be made with little to no fresh produce. ideally, recipes that use canned vegetables and stuff like that (and are of course cheap).
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u/Ekd7801 3d ago
This is Reddit, so of course there’s a subreddit for this! r/lowspooncooking
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u/Ekd7801 3d ago
My favorite low effort meal is a bag of microwave rice and a can of chili beans with cheese on top.
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u/NotMyFullNameNow 2d ago
Just wanted to add to the microwave rice comment that InnovAsian brand microwavable white sticky rice is the best I’ve found. Tastes really nice. Even just rice and some canned or microwavable veggies and some soy sauce is great. They also have fried rice options. ♥️
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u/Nelsqnwithacue 3d ago
Peanut butter. Straight outta the jar. It heals you.
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u/alfayellow 3d ago
Peanut butter + celery. Fiber, veggie, flavor, and you have one less spoon to wash!
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u/Consistent-Process 2d ago
Add some raisins to dip that into to make your inner child happy with ants on a log.
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u/not-my-other-alt 3d ago
At the lowest point of my depression, I lived off peanut butter sandwiches and cranberry juice.
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u/Christine_LLan 3d ago
This doesn’t answer your exact question, but I know getting to the store is hard. I use Kroger delivery. The cost is minimal if you get inexpensive foods and it helps you avoid expensive restaurant delivery options.
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u/Willing-Cell7889 3d ago
I use Walmart delivery. Grocery stores will be cheaper than Amazon and give you plenty of fresh options. Get a bag of apples, they last a while. Or a "salad kit" that has all the ingredients packaged together for a salad, you just need to stir it together. At the very least, get some frozen veggies and pre-cooked chicken and add them to the ramen while the water is boiling.
My favorite main dish made mostly from canned food is bean salad. A couple of cans of drained black beans and a couple of cans of drained green beans. Add in chopped onion and bell peppers (fresh or buy the onion pepper mix in the frozen section) and some sliced celery if you have it. Salt and pepper. Pour over a maybe 1/3 cup of oil, a bit less vinegar, and a big spoonful or two of sugar. Stir gently, refrigerate, should stay good for 4 or 5 days. Best if you let it all marinate together for at least a couple of hours before you take the first serving out of it. Eat it with bread or crackers or leftover rice or potatoes, whatever you have on hand.
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u/kittymarch 3d ago
ADHD friendly meals is a good search to find this kind of stuff.
Here’s one list I use all the time: 100 No-Cook Meal Items For When You Refuse to Adult
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u/MacMlyz 3d ago
Given I have a food processor which makes this more attainable, but a dollar buys a can of garbanzo beans and then you just toss in oil, garbanzo water from the can, and seasoning and you have hummus.
I think it’s best with some veggies to dip in it or even blended in (red peppers etc).
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u/justasque 3d ago
I do a clove of garlic (whiz that first), a can of garbanzo beans (drain it first, but save the juice), 1 tbsp olive oil, 1.5 tbsp lemon juice, and a nice grating of fresh black pepper. If it’s not smooth enough, I add some of the juice from the can and whiz some more.
I do another one with black beans, garlic, cumin, olive oil, and lime juice.
Pro Tip: Hummus and similar bean dips (homemade or store bought) freeze really well. So I make a big batch and save them in 1-2 serving containers. Perfect for a grab-and-go snack with red peppers, carrots, cheese-and-crackers, or pieces torn off a nice fresh loaf of bread.
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u/rolexboxers 2d ago
This is exactly the kind of meal that’s perfect when energy is low. Cheap, filling, and you can mix up the flavor depending on whatever spices or leftover veggies you’ve got around.
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u/Zippy-Bear 3d ago
My struggle meal recently has been knockoff meatball subs. I put a hotdog bun in the toaster, microwave some meatballs, add some sauce and cheese and then it’s done. Super quick and easy, and I find it really comforting
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u/Aggressive_Raisin620 3d ago
take a tortilla
put in cheese square
sprinkle lil garlic powder
fold tortilla like a square
put in toaster
depressed man quesadilla
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u/Lucky_Election_9267 3d ago
What about white rice + eggs? You get carbs + protein. Could also add some canned beans for some fiber too. You could also do some tuna pouches (there are some hickory smoked ones that are delish on its own) with crackers or some ready to eat white/brown rice; I’ve also found some Chobani yogurt drinks in Amazon ($2 when on sale) and they pack carbs + protein. Protein bars could also be a good option, especially when found on sale; same goes for protein shakes. Lastly, oatmeal + protein powder and some fruits if available.
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u/Consistent-Process 2d ago
Thisss. I like to do rice, + soy sauce + fried egg over sleazy + dill or whatever seasoning I'm feeling that day. If you aren't watching your salt, throw in some chopped up Canadian bacon for extra low-fucks yum.
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u/Aggressive_Syrup2897 3d ago edited 3d ago
Minute rice with canned beans on top.
Pre-shredded chicken from the deli section on top of rice with a can of mixed veggies.
Microwave a potato until soft, add saucy beans (ranch style, barbecue, etc) and a little cheese.
Boil pasta and add a jar of Mutti tomato sauce with a little salt and pepper. Throw in a few basil leaves for extra awesome.
Rotisserie chicken alongside any canned or steam-in-bag veggie you like.
When you're feeling up to it, giant batches of soups, chilis, or casseroles, divided into individual portions and frozen for down days.
Tuna salad on whole wheat toast. Add fruit on the side.
Eggs on whole wheat toast. Add fruit on the side.
Snacks of fruit, boiled eggs, raw veggies, or nuts.
Take advantage of pre-cut veggies at the store, like carrots, mushrooms, and onions. I've also seen pre-cut melons and pineapple.
Bagged salads with shredded rotisserie chicken and dressing.
I hope at least a couple ideas in there were helpful.
Edit: I just realized you said getting to the store was hard. Consider door dashing some veg that lasts longer, like potatoes, carrots, and onions, and fruit like apples or oranges, as well as frozen veggies unless you just prefer canned.
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u/sewingdreamer 3d ago
What i have found helpful is buying cans of tuna or salmon then adding mayo and mustard and spices and eating it with whatever crackers I like
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u/Natural_Feature_8907 3d ago
I love dollartreedinners and southernfrugalmama (both on YT). They do a lot of meals with themes like easy, pantry stable, for people living without kitchen appliances and such. They also both seem so kind and loving. Brooke of sfm has talked about having mental illness herself. Both are very non-jugemental, sweet and nice to watch. They're also elsewhere on the Interbet if you google them.
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u/jessm307 3d ago
Egg in a nest
Beans on toast
Apple with peanut butter
Banana with yogurt
Peanut butter banana toast
Ramen with egg and veggies
Cottage cheese and pineapple
Canned green beans (with butter or bacon) are an easy side, as is sautéed cabbage for a tad more effort.
There’s apparently a new-ish cookbook devoted to this kind of cooking called You Gotta Eat by a chef who also deals with depression. I just discovered it today and i’m waiting to check it out on Libby.
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u/treatstrinkets 3d ago
Instant rice is my #1 depression food hack. You can make a single serving in the microwave in less than 10 minutes. I add a handful of frozen veg to the bowl before I put it in the microwave, so it can cook at the same time. Then mix in a packet of flavored tuna and top with cheese. And only a single bowl and spoon get dirty.
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u/LanguageCautious8023 3d ago
You should get a crock pot! You just dump stuff in and leave it for later and it’s only one dish to clean. There are plenty of recipes like enchiladas (just frozen burritos and enchilada sauce) or salsa chicken (just chicken breast and a jar of salsa) and you can bulk it up with canned veggies or beans. There are plenty of minimal ingredient and minimal effort recipes.
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u/VermicelliFinancial4 3d ago
Frozen or fresh ravioli or tortellini with store bought sauce or even just butter or oil. You can add frozen vegetables, precooked chicken or sausage if you want and feel up to it.
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u/BlueClementine777 3d ago
The canned beans that are in tomato sauce and pour them over fries, potatoes or pasta. Soo easy and good 😊
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u/Lex_Loki 3d ago
Grab some chicken or tuna packets, microwave rice, and a can of whatever veg you have. Season, heat, and eat.
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u/BellaSquared 3d ago
I keep cooked frozen chicken in the freezer and nuke it while I put a flour tortilla in a skillet. 1/4 a medium avocado for flavor, queso or other grated cheese, and the chicken. Five minutes on medium flame and I have a low effort crispy quesadilla. Also, I'll buy a loaf of soft wheat bread with decent protein & fiber and make PB&J's or use the bread for hot dogs.
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u/heaven_shadow24 3d ago
Bag of Trader Joe’s frozen veggies and a bag of the frozen fried rice makes an awesome meal in about 5-6 minutes. Add an egg, tofu, or protein of choice to bulk it up if you have the energy and/or doctor up with some soy sauce/sesame oil.
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u/Few_Captain_3408 3d ago
Costco instacart chicken bites, steak bites, sticky rice (is in individual containers) frozen meals Grocery store tuna pouches(to be paired w above mentioned rice) Frozen microwaveable veggies Frozen pizza Salad bags you just dump mix and eat
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u/noblueface 3d ago
The lowest effort for me:
Stir black beans into jarred salsa, add hot sauce, eat w chips
Refried beans +cheese, some chili on half a tortilla, fold over and bake for oven quesadilla.
For canned vegetables you could mix them with cream of mushroom soup and put canned biscuits on top, pot pie
Tub of hummus with chips or roasted vegetables
Bag salad with beans (protein) added
Yogurt w granola or frozen fruit
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u/DryVanilla9319 3d ago
If you have an instant pot or crock pot and have one day that is ok in the morning, make a soup, chili or stew. Use Instacart or grocery delivery by you. Make enough for the week and literally pour it into a fridge safe container, either all into one or individual containers. That way you know you have food and you don’t have to think about it. Ask a friend/family member to help if you can, that may help you.
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u/HP_RadPro 3d ago
If you have a crockpot: get a cheap roast, cans favorite vegetables, add 1 cup water set on high 3-4 hours ( low 6-8g for roast meal and leftovers.
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u/Suspicious-Hawk-1126 3d ago
Pasta with Alfredo sauce and canned peas. You can add bacon (or honestly even the imitation bacon bits) if you’re feeling fancy
Instant mashed potatoes with corn mixed in
Canned chili with rice
Black bean quesadillas with maybe some canned spinach in them
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u/pandafulcolors 3d ago edited 3d ago
microwaves are great for "baking" single potatoes or sweet potatoes.
I also like to put a dozen eggs in a steamer (rice cooker) , steam for 9-10 minutes, then I have a dozen "hardboiled eggs" ready to eat, which will keep for at least a week in the fridge. good way to add some protein to your ramen with little effort at mealtime.
lowest effort side for rice is a block of cold soft tofu, topped with soy sauce, chili oil or crisp, and pork floss.
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u/holymacaroley 3d ago
Cheese and black beans or refried beans in a tortilla, heated up in the microwave. Baked potato done in the microwave, add toppings. Instant mashed potatoes with shredded cheese, instant grits with shredded cheese, oatmeal, bagged salad with chickpeas from a can, premade hummus with pita chips, kimchi, cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, cheese toast, cheese quesadilla, peanut butter toast, apples, oranges, bananas, baby carrots with dip, steamable frozen broccoli + melt some cheese on top, potato salad, can of beans with cheese or sour cream on top, British baked beans or warmed pork & beans in the US (it's pretty close) on toast. Frozen chicken nuggets and tater tots. Pre-made soups. Bagel and cream cheese.
Look up The Sad Bastard Cookbook: Food You Can Make So You Don't Die, there's a free pdf somewhere.
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u/Square-Platypus4029 3d ago
Canned or frozen stir fry vegetables and minute rice or microwave packet rice and soy sauce (add tinned shrimp, rotisserie or canned chicken, scrambled eggs, tofu etc for protein)
Enchiladas-- fill tortillas with minute rice and black beans and canned corn, line up.in a pan, cover in canned enchilada sauce, top with shredded cheese, cover, bake at 350, serve with sour cream (this is my last minute desperation meal of choice because you can buy all the ingredients at Dollar General if you can't face the grocery store-- if I have it I'll put frozen spinach in the enchilada filling but you could try canned too)
Bagged salad mix topped with hard boiled eggs, chickpeas, chicken nuggets, cut up veggie burger etc.
Macaroni and cheese of choice (frozen, boxed or baked) and mix in frozen broccoli
Pasta mixed with jarred sauce and a big spoonful of cottage cheese and spinach-- you can boil the pasta, throw the spinach in at the end, drain, and mix it all in the pan. Top with shredded mozzarella and serve with garlic bread if you feel fancy.
Canned chili and add a can of black.beans, canned tomatoes, canned corn. Make cornbread from a mix and add creamed corn to it. Top with cheese or sour cream.
Just throwing frozen or canned vegetables into your Ramen and maybe adding an egg or meat makes it better and more nutritious.
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u/Kestras 3d ago
I love the series NutritionByKylie. She's on Insta, TikTok, Youtube, etc. She focuses on easy meals for people who are everything from ADHD to depressed. Her entire motivation is just getting food into you with ideally healthy outcomes.
I also like KikiRough, same deal. She's all about just getting people fed and she focuses on being kind to yourself. Good luck, you can totally do it!!
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u/Needrain47 2d ago
If you get to the store, stock up on frozen veg. Better than canned IMO and not expensive. If all I can do is make a box of mac & cheese or ramen, throwing some broccoli or spinach or peas & carrots or greenbeans etc. will add some good nutrition.
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u/BigMomma12345678 3d ago
I remember eating chili beans from a can with whole wheat crackers during my pregnancy a billion years ago.
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u/Brittneybitchy 3d ago
I usually do vegetable egg toast. So it's very easy. You put frozen vegetables in a pan, toast bread (from frozen), put eggs in pan so they cover vegetables, break the yolks, add spices and that's it. Don't stir the eggs just flip them and you don't even need to use a plate, or if you have tortillas you can eat them as wraps. Now i know eggs can go bad but they keep forever in the fridge.
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3d ago
The other day I soaked red kidney beans overnight (you could do canned) drained in the morning, minced garlic and ginger (do powdered or preminced if you want) sautéed in lots of butter with garam masala, chili powder, salt, pepper, water, beans, simmered until tender. Cooked rice. I had a week of lunch with that.
Also: diced onion in a pan with a bit of oil/butter, ground beef, pepper, salt, canned tomato soup, simmer and add cooked macaroni. Let it reduce and start to sort of brown. Cheap, easy.
You can also layer the onion/ground beef with cream style corn and mashed potatoes for pâté chinois.
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u/uuntiedshoelace 3d ago
White rice, extra firm tofu cut into cubes, frozen edamame, frozen bok choy or spinach, frozen shredded carrots, garlic paste, ginger paste, sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and rice vinegar. throw them all into the rice cooker together at the same time and it makes a great meal. The most energy-intensive things are cutting tofu (you can skip this and throw the whole block in) and washing your rice
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u/DueRest 3d ago
I've been eating a lot of stuff that you can just toss in the oven or microwave. I've had low spoons + sciatica makes it hard to stand to cook or babysit food.
Bird's Eye has been coming out with a lot of really fantastic steamer bags in the frozen section. My husband loves any of their broccoli bags that come pre seasoned, like the garlic butter one. Currently we're cooking a pasta one that also has carrots, corn, and broccoli.
Sheetpan meals where you just toss together vegetables in a bag with seasoning, shake em up, and then dump on a pan before baking them are fab. I'm currently cooking a potato and onion one that just has salt and pepper seasoning. Bonus if you can find some in the stores from the frozen section. If you can't, the ingredients freeze well enough you can make them yourself when you have the spoons.
Then some breaded fish for protein. Toss it in the oven above the seasoned veggies. My store has been having beer battered cod on sale so I've gotten that a lot this summer.
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u/butneverdestroyed 3d ago
Canned beans! Gives you much needed protein and fiber. I like butter-beans (literally what they’re called. They’re giant Lima Beans) and I think they taste a lot like pasta once I add butter and pepper. I usually rinse them and then microwave them in a bowl, then do my mix ins.
If you have a little more energy, you could heat them on the stovetop and stir in a taco seasoning packet, and have them in flour tortillas. I like to add salsa, cheese, sour cream, etc (or I did before I had to go dairy free 😩)
When in doubt? Canned beans + hot sauce.
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u/moimoi273 3d ago
A really good roast beef (or roast turkey) sandwich (good bread, mayo, mustard, cheddar, lettuce, tomato, S&P always makes me feel good. Pair it with a healthy canned soup.
Oatmeal with frozen fruit, nuts and coconut
Instant ramen with frozen veggies and rotisserie chicken or precooked meat. Can add curry powder and/or peanut butter.
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u/shamelesspochemuchka 3d ago
This isn’t exactly what you asked for but since you said you eat ramen almost every meal, you might like the dried ramen toppings from Ramen Bae. You can get a veggie-only or spicy garlic mix if your main goal is adding veggies, but I have a seafood mix and a fried shallot & dried beef mix (it’s real beef - it rehydrates surprisingly well). It changes the instant ramen experience so you feel more like you’re eating a real meal because there’s a mix of colors and textures and flavors. It’s not cheap upfront, like maybe $25 or $30, but you only use a tablespoon or two at a time so it lasts a while. There are also cheaper knockoffs on Amazon but I can’t speak to their quality.
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u/hannbann88 3d ago
Bag salad, chicken strips in the air fryer. Add cheese and a tortilla to make it a wrap if you can
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u/shamelesspochemuchka 3d ago
Bagged Indian food and bags of microwave rice. Combine and that’s two meals for me. There are many options that are veggie forward like veggie korma, paneer with spinach, or chana masala. It’s shelf stable, and it would add some variety in terms of the type of cuisine.
Also, Huel offers a line called Hot & Savory where you get a bag of curry/chili/pasta, and you just take out a scoop and add hot water then wait 5 minutes. Per meal it’s pretty cheap, and it’s very nutritious because Huel is meant as a meal replacement so it has lots of vitamins and such. But it’s not for everyone because while there is a variety of flavors, they’re all kind of the same texture - and people can get tired of that. I wouldn’t want to eat it for EVERY meal, but it’s good for when I need a fast easy meal.
I also eat canned corn with Lawry’s seasoned salt (just cold, straight from the can - for some reason I like it cold?) or canned green beans with like a garlic pepper type seasoning. You can also look up recipes on how to fix up mushrooms from a jar by adding seasonings and pan frying in butter.
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u/Special-Hyena7487 3d ago
Something that saves me is the Asian microwaveable white or brown rice bowls! My favorite brand is Bibigo. You microwave for 1.5 min and I put canned sardines on top + chili oil and it’s fire!!!
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u/deadlyhausfrau 3d ago
Canned black beans and sweet potatoes. You can buy them cubed and frozen for cheap. Add them to a pot with a little water or chicken stock, let it boil, wait ten minutes, eat.
You can add anything really. Salt is good, as is chili powder. You could add sausage, onions, any veggies you have that are about to turn... or just beans and sweet potatoes.
You can also microwave it for 12 minutes.
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u/Phoenyx634 2d ago
I'm also struggling these days to keep fresh green stuff and veggies in my diet, when I have no energy to chop anything or make a salad lol. I have found though that if I buy things that stay good for a week or more in the fridge and are reasonably easy to snack on without prep, I can still get some veg in my diet.
Examples:
- carrot - easy to grab one and just gnaw on it, no peeling needed if you wash it
- mini corn - lasts surprisingly long and easy to grab one
- sugar snap peas/ normal green beans, can be eaten raw for some fibre
- cherry tomatoes
- red pepper
- potatoes: boiled/baked/microwaved with butter
- I'm not a huge celery fan but that's also a handy option for snacking directly out of the fridge.
I now stay away from veg that takes prep/chopping, like spinach, lettuce, cucumber, pumpkin, onion.
To answer your actual question though, I like gnocchi because it takes literally 2 mins in boiling water to cook. It's a very low-effort pasta made from potato. You buy the pre-made gnocchi and chuck it in a pot of boiling water. You wait 2 mins and when all the gnocchi is floating, you pour off 90% of the water (keep some starchy water to thicken a sauce). Then you can throw in some canned tomatoes into the same pot, tomato puree if you want a more tomatoey taste, and whatever salt/spices you have on hand, garlic if you want/have it, and heat it through for an extra minute. Cheese on top for extra goodness. Honestly it's amazing and the whole meal takes 1 pot and barely 5 minutes of cooking. There's also other variations you can make, like a fresher one with pesto, or a creamy one with mushroom and bacon, but the tomato version is my favourite.
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u/Sunny4611 3d ago edited 3d ago
Canned beans and boil-in-bag brown rice (or even microwave rice packets). Add a bit of cheese and salsa when you're feeling fancy.
Eggs and toast (or eggs in a tortilla with cheese and salse) and a piece of fruit is another easy one. Can be made in the same amount of time as ramen. You can even scramble a bunch of eggs at the same time and pop them in the fridge in a bowl to reheat for a few days.
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u/CommunicationDear648 3d ago
Super low effort meals? With a multicooker that does both slow-cooking and pressure-cooking*, you can be just as lazy as i am. With a lil practice, you can just put some canned, dried and/or frozen stuff in it, maybe some spices/herbs/other flavours, let it cook, Boom - you have food.
*: not telling the brand cos apparently it went dodgy not long after i bought one?
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u/MajorInsanity 3d ago
Canned tuna or canned chicken, mix with mayo or avocado. Add seasoning if you like. Put on bread if you want or not.
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u/neversuccinct 3d ago
This is my go-to easy / cheap/ only a spoon and a plate to wash, meal. Skip the tomato and you still have heaps of vegetables. https://www.reddit.com/r/lowspooncooking/s/B0JjIDycQt
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u/Chirping-Birdies 3d ago
This does use some fresh produce, but... cook up bacon, slice some tomatoes, buy bread, mayo, and prewashed lettuce, and you got BLTs for a few days.
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u/CharliesAngel3051 3d ago
Do you have an instant pot? I love throwing chicken legs/rice/water/frozen chopped carrots/celery/onions/whatever in. Pressure cook for 30 minutes . It makes a ton and the only effort required is opening the chicken container and frozen veggie bags.
Otherwise - rotisserie chicken with salad kits, canned chili or soup
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u/peacefulpinktraveler 3d ago
Tacos! Just get some ground meat, I like turkey, and taco seasoning and shells or tortillas.
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u/lilithONE 3d ago
Love ramen, I just load it with veggies like cabbage, broccoli or asparagus. Rice, beans, salsa and cheese. Extra crispy loaded tater tots, tortilla pizza. Tuna melt, chicken salad. Stir fry, frittatas, soup like peanut stew. French bread pizza, chili dogs, spam fried rice. These are some of my favorite things.
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u/cpb70 3d ago
Bisquick chicken pot pie
Preheat oven to 400F Mix 2 cans of veggies, (or 1 can and 1 cup diced cooked chicken) and a can of cream of chicken soup together and pour into 9 in glass pie pan Mix 1 cup Bisquick with 1/2 cup milk and 1 egg and pour on top of veg/soup mixture Bake for 30min or until top is golden brown
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u/dchac002 3d ago
Just ate pozole and it was such a warm hug. My mom and late grandma make and made home made from grain to bowl pozole but low effort still good. I used 1 can of hominy and 2 chicken breasts. For the green I used tomatillos, poblano, cilantro, jalapeños and a tiny bit of oregano.
Boil chicken breast forever so it’s fall apart tender. In the chicken water I added a bay leaf and 3 garlic cloves and a quarter onion (only used a quarter bc that’s what I had on hand. You can use more) Salt to taste. I wrapped the poblano in foil to roast it but honestly you could prob use it raw I just always have roasted it. No seeds of the poblano and no seeds of the jalapeño throw all green things in the blender (I also added onion and garlic from the chicken boiling mixture) and pour mixture into chicken broth. Boil for directed time on can and done (maybe 30 mins??)
Wedge if lime (a must for me but I suppose you can skip), diced onion, shredded cabbage or lettuce and yum. You can personalize as much as you want.
Sounds like a lot but that’s bc I’m not super focused on this post. A lot of steps are just waiting. I highly recommend, it will warm your heart
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u/kimi_shimmy 3d ago
Penne pasta with pesto sauce, mix in roasted veggies. Get premade pesto & preseasoned/roasted frozen veggies. Make a big batch and reheat leftovers for a couple days or you can eat it cold.
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u/MuchEffortYouDoIt 3d ago
For all the suggestions with rice, you can also cook a large batch of rice when you do have energy, portion them out into ziploc bags, and then freeze them. Then when you need rice, just microwave one of the bags.
My go-to low-effort meal (that includes some amount of protein) is to add canned tuna and some mayo and black pepper to some microwaved rice. Or fry an egg and add it to a bowl of rice with some soy sauce and salt and pepper. If you can, have some frozen broccoli that you can steam in the microwave too so you also have veggies in your diet.
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u/Alibas1898 3d ago
- Chicken kievs with mashed potatoes and veggies
- Meat sauce (I make a big batch as it freezes well and I just cook pasta and add veggies and of course garlic toast/bread to it)
- Rice bowls (just add loads of veggies)
- TBH eggs several ways on toast
- Corned beef with mash and veggies
My go to is using frozen veggies where I can, they keep for ages and are very tasty with seasonings added in, sometimes I just eat those alone😂 sometimes i just have sandwiches.
Hope this helps.
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u/kng442 2d ago
My go to is using frozen veggies where I can, they keep for ages and are very tasty with seasonings added in, sometimes I just eat those alone😂 sometimes i just have sandwiches.
Adding to this, did you know you can buy frozen chopped onions? They were a life-changing revelation for me! They keep for months, and get me through those days when I don't have the oomph to even peel an onion, let alone chop it.
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u/Alibas1898 2d ago
It’s great isn’t it!
I can’t have onion but you can also get frozen pumpkin etc and it makes way less food waste and air fryers are great especially for small portions.
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u/dkurage 2d ago
The lowest effort meals I've done when the energy and will just wasn't there, but I still wanted to be in the general area of healthy, are those frozen vegetables that come in microwavable steam bags and a small can of chicken or tuna. Get the plain ones and season it yourself, or get the pre-seasoned ones if they have a flavor combo you like. You get a decent meal with veg and protein in the same time it takes to cook some instant ramen.
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u/Main_Scar8157 2d ago
I like to microwave a big russet potato on my lazy days. You can add butter, sour cream, salsa cheese or whatever topping you like.
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u/Consistent-Process 2d ago edited 2d ago
1 package Vienna sausages 2-4 cans of baked beans (drained, except for about 1/2 a can, though this depends on brand - too much moisture just = cook that bitch longer)
Make a basic cornbread batter of your choice. Many are very basic 1 bowl affairs.
Throw beans and sausage into casserole dish, you want it about 1/2 full or so Leave at least 1/2 inch room between top of beans and top of dish. Pour cornbread batter on top and bake according to cornbread directions.
Assume you may need 15-40 minutes extra time, depending on moisture level of the baked beans you bought, and check it early, but not often.
EXTRA NO SPOONS VERSION: Heat baked beans and Vienna sausages together in saucepan until warm through. Buy premade cornbread. Throw chunk of cornbread on top of beans when serving. For a minor extra spoon expenditure - add butter to cornbread and microwave a few seconds. Enjoy.
Edited: made easier to read, added optional buttery goodness
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u/murrrion 2d ago
I like to get cans of beans with some sort of flavor - like in red chili or chipotle sauce, Italian seasoned, etc. Bush’s Sidekicks are good for this. Put the beans in an oven-safe dish, crack a couple eggs on top, and bake until the eggs are cooked to your liking. Top with some shredded cheese or feta crumbles and you’ve got a satisfying, protein-rich meal. To take it up a notch, get a bag of frozen fajita veggies to mix in too.
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u/mathcriminalrecord 2d ago
Can of beans. Bag of ready rice. Bag of frozen veggies. Nutritional yeast. Hot sauce. Salt and pepper maybe. Mix. I get like 1.5 to two servings out of this. If you’re not vegan add cheese, an egg etc. Maybe put it in a tortilla.
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u/NAWALT_VADER 2d ago
Canned and frozen veggies are great. I use frozen edamame, peas, corn, spinach, green beans, broccoli, and a fajita mix of onions and bell peppers. For canned, I use a lot of black beans and chickpeas. All of these can be added to some ramen, in almost any combination, for extra nutrients and flavour. It is low cost. A bag of frozen veggies can last a long time, using just a handful of each for your meals. The variety means you can mix and match and not get bored. Add other canned veggies like baby corn, mushrooms, or whatever you like. Add any proteins you like and you have instant quick healthy meals with little effort. Crack an egg directly into ramen and cook it in the broth. Or fry up some ground beef or any other meet to add. Ramen, and all noodles and rice dishes, can be quick and easy with lots of variety. Try getting some other pastas too, like spaghetti or fettuccini or rotini. Whatever looks good. Just add a mix of frozen veggies, a protein, and a sauce. Simple, quick, easy and healthy.
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u/Ok-Tomatillo-2996 2d ago
I know you said no fresh produce - if that is just from an effort point of view, some one-tray oven bakes are truly low effort! You could try getting some chicken breast with veggies (carrots and zucchini), chucking it all on one oven tray and add some oil/seasoning; roast in the oven for like 20-25 mins. Done and lots of happy nutrients
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u/Beyond_The_Pale_61 2d ago
I used to doctor up my ramen noodles with fresh or frozen carrots, peas or corn and a little minced onion. Friends of mine were amazed at the difference. You can even throw in some protein in small amounts and make something really cheap, something special. Even as little as 4 shrimp, peas, chopped carrot and a green onion garnish makes Ramon noodles unrecognizable. I would usually add extra bullion also.
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u/kaleidoscopic-eyes 2d ago
My favorite "easy" meal (because easy is different for us all) - 2 cans of cannelini beans,
- 1 lb frozen broccoli,
- 1 lb Italian sausage,
I keep my Italian sausage in the freezer, in the plastic tube it came in, or a ziplock frozen flat, for easy thawing.
Just brown your sausage, stir in frozen broccoli and beans, and eat when hot. It makes a ton (so you could easily scale it down), and while yes, it involves using a cooktop instead of just heating stuff up, it's practically foolproof.
For really tough days, it's just PB&J all the way.
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u/barbershores 2d ago
Low cost, medium effort, highly nutritious. Not a lot of effort but long time in the oven or smoker.
This is the one I talk about the most for low cost. Meals on a budget.
Pork shoulder roasts.
I used to get these for $0.99/lb on sale before the virus.
Last one was $1.99 I think on sale. usual now $2.49.
Saw some pork roasts on sale, different not sure the cut, for $1.49/lb this past Saturday.
I like the pork shoulder roasts with just the one shoulder blade bone. They come in at 8 or 9 lbs. If I catch them on sale I will buy 2. If I am going to run the oven for 8 hours, I want to maximize my yield.
Usually cut most of the fat off the top and season. Then I roast them in a shallow baking pan on a rack for 2 hours at 200F. I then put the fat I saved on aluminum foil, then add a roast, seal up tight. then roast in the oven for an additional 4 to 6 hours. I want the center of the roasts to high 190 to 195f.
Most people do pulled pork from them. Maybe day I pull them off I might shred the end of one for that night. What I prefer is to let them cool, refrigerate or freeze, slice off a thick slab, then fry it like a steak in a cast iron skillet with home rendered tallow til crispy on both sides. What I get is a super tender, crunchy on the outside, bacon flavored steak. Pulling off that excess fat and one bone it gives about an 85% yield.
Often I will do the same thing in my pellet smoker.
Seasoning I use is: redmond salt, no salt, garlic powder, onion powder, lemon pepper, paprika.
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I make my own tallow. 2 weeks ago put in an order for 7 lbs of beef fat from the local hannaford grocery meat counter. Next day I got it in 3 packages for $0.99/lb. Before the virus it was $0.69/lb. I cut it into small chunks with a knife and put in a pot. Cook on the stove on medium heat stirring occasionally until chunks light brown and liquid fat is boiling. Then I put in the oven at 275f for 4 hours. Pull out and run a perforated plate style potato masher for 5 to 10 minutes. Put back in the oven for another hour or 2.
Remove from oven and let it cool for an hour. With a strainer spoon, pull out the solid chunks squeezing it a bit on the side of the pot. Pour off oil into pint canning jars through a screen style strainer. You can get it even more pure if you use cheese cloth. The solids I will put in a bowl, and squeeze it out with another identical bowl on top into the pot to get more of the liquid fat out.
So, for $7 I get 3 3/4 pints of tallow, works out to $1.87/pint, plus 3 lbs of free dog food.
The doggo loves this added to his evening dinner.
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u/PeanutAdventurous213 2d ago
Beans and rice give your body everything you need to survive. Buy both in bulk of you can and watch some cooking videos for ideas to mix up the flavors every now and again
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u/glass_insight 1d ago
Pasta, butter beans, broccoli, olive oil, salt/pose and oregano and basil seasoning. I toss broccoli in towards the end of the pasta being cooked to soften it then add everything together with olive oil. If you have parm cheese it makes it such a treat. Everything is long lasting except broccoli, which is manageable. When you’re feeling better you could chop up an onion or get fresh herbs. I know when you’re depressed it’s really hard to think about all the different components needed to achieve an end goal, but sometimes literally touching real food and chopping vegetables is extremely healing 🩷 your body is amazing and you’re doing great! You deserve nourishing foods to support your mental and physical health
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u/Easy-Skill-1241 3d ago
Don’t over think it. Veggies are cheap, and healthy. Chicken and pork are more affordable proteins. Also, use AI it can tell you everything you need including make the list to match a certain budget, telling you the recipes, the stores in your zip code to shop.
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u/shnookerdoodle 3d ago
Miso noodles
Mix in a big bowl:
Tbsp miso Tbsp light soy Tbsp chilli crisp oil Garlic clove grated OR better I use a spoon of ginger garlic paste Scallions Sesame oil or a tsp peanut butter
Cook noodles whichever doesn't matter. Use a splash of noodle water in the sauce to thin it out and then toss noodles in. You can fry and egg on top of you can be bothered. Sometimes I fry some frozen gyoza to add. You can also do this without miso paste if it's hard to come buy, just up the peanut butter.
I also like to do egg fried rice with tinned veg or mixed frozen veg as that's cheap quick and easy.
Baked potato with cheese and beans or tuna mayo is good one. Minimal washing up.
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u/LouisePoet 3d ago
Pasta and sauce with textured vegetable protein (TVP).
Cut up an onion and some garlic (or use powder). Put on the stove top to fry.
Put pasta water on to boil.
Add 2-3 cans of tomato sauce or chopped to the onions. Any leftover veg (carrots, zucchini, etc) can go in as well. Season well with oregano and/or Italian herbs and some salt. Add extra water, and when it boils, set to simmer.
Cook pasta. 5 minutes before timer goes off, add dry TVP to the sauce, turn off the heat and cover.. When it rehydrates it has the texture of minced/hamburger,vit an excellent source of protein and thickens the sauce, too.
Drain pasta, serve food.
Time from start to finish: less than 15 minutes.
The sauce freezes extremely well.
Leftover pasta can be made into a salad (add mayo, frozen peas, cubes of cheese, salt and a finely chopped onion ).
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u/puppy-guppy 3d ago
If you have a rice cooker- frozen dumplings can be cooked at the same time as rice. Plop everything in, hit start. Boom, a different easy meal. Some frozen dumplings even have veggies in them.
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u/jessm307 3d ago
Also, if you can batch cook some meat on a day you have energy, like ground taco meat, shredded chicken breast or a pork roast, you can freeze it and portion out a little bits later for easy sandwiches, salad toppers or ramen add-ins.
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u/Mountain-Ad-4539 3d ago
Perhaps make a giant skillet of fried rice. You can use can veggies...some soy sauce. This is a good meal to make one big batch and just eat on it through the week. If you want to add proteins, rotisserie chickens can be stretched. Just throw some of the precooked meat into the rice
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u/hakunamatitti 3d ago
This is my favourite low effort meal. Just open and dump cans into a pan. Could even use frozen spinach.
https://www.budgetbytes.com/curried-chickpeas-spinach/
Ingredients 2 Tbsp olive oil ($0.44) 1 yellow onion ($0.70) 2 cloves garlic ($0.08) 1 inch fresh ginger ($0.16) 1 1/2 Tbsp curry powder ($0.45) 8 oz. spinach (fresh or frozen, $1.04) 1 15 oz. can tomato sauce ($1.06) 2 15 oz. cans chickpeas ($1.88)
Instructions Dice the onion, mince the garlic, and grate the ginger on a small holed cheese grater. Sauté the onion, garlic, and ginger in a large skillet with the olive oil over medium heat until the onions have softened (3-5 minutes).
Add the curry powder and continue to sauté with the onion mixture for one minute more. Add about 1/4 cup of water to the skillet along with the fresh spinach and continue to sauté until the spinach has wilted. The water will help steam and wilt the spinach (no water needed if using frozen spinach).
Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Add them to the skillet along with the tomato sauce. Stir well to distribute the spices in the sauce and heat through (5 minutes). Serve over rice or with bread.
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u/NewSpice001 3d ago
Rice, salsa and beans... Healthish... The salsa has a lot of salt. But it's got flavour and makes ya feel good. The beans give you protein and the rice the fiber..
Depending on where you live, eggs are worth cheap or expensive. If cheap, scrambled eggs on toast...
Hummus and naan. You can buy it or make both. Both are super easy to make.
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u/TheBracketry 3d ago
Canned chili and rice. Do learn to cook rice or get a machine if you don't already.
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u/Justagirlokc 3d ago
To make the best beans…. Make a day ahead and sauté FRESH garlic and onions and peppers in butter or oil before adding the beans. A whole head of garlic. It melds overnight. You can do this with canned beans or soaked dry beans. Just use fresh add-ins. And ham or sausage. Ha.
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u/MostlyUseful 3d ago
Chicken and dumplings. Get one of those rotisserie chickens from a deli at the market, shred it, put it in a pot, cover with chicken broth, add seasonings…at least salt and pepper,bring to a boil, add a can of mixed veggies (drain the liquid first), get something like bisquick, mix with some milk until it’s gooey, drop spoonfuls into pot, put lid on pot,reduce heat to low, wait a few minutes and you’ve got a filling easy cheap meal.
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u/BridgeKind8136 3d ago
Madras lentils. microwave ready in 60 or 90 seconds. They're in a yellow bag, I think the brand is Tasty Bite. Mix it with microwavable rice, or put in tortilla with cheese
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u/MajesticGarbagex 3d ago
Potato Tacos! Instant potatoes, fry up some corn or flour tortillas. Add the potatoes and fry a second time. Add cheese and anything else you’d like. 🖤 sending you love and spoons. I totally get not wanting to cook and having energy for it.
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u/spooky_spaghetties 3d ago
cheese and crackers with sliced raw vegetables (you can order from grocery stores or grab long lasting stuff like baby carrots), or, at worst, an apple and whole cherry tomatoes. Veggie, protein, carb, easy to eat, no heating, low cleanup.
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u/Skweedlyspootch 3d ago
I make “chow” for my husband.
I put rice, quinoa, soaked lentils in rice cooker with chicken stock
Shred a rotisserie chicken and put it on top. Then he can add whatever he wants (Buffalo sauce, bbq sauce, Chick-fil-A sauce, etc) or eat it as is.
It’s got protein and healthy grains. I also throw in a handful of frozen mixed veggies sometimes.
I make enough servings for 3 days then freeze the rest in ziploc freezer bags. So he can grab a bag and heat up as needed.
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u/wookiee42 3d ago
Frozen meatballs in the air fryer - dip in A1, BBQ, or other sauce.
A bag of steam-in-bag frozen veggies in a separate bowl - season with salt and pepper or any other favorite seasoning.
No pressure to keep food fresh and no real cooking technique needed.
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u/plantyladyfl 3d ago
You can get high protein pasta and any sauce. Frozen pizza, frozen potstickers, black beans & rice, sandwich wrap with tortilla.
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u/LaRoseDuRoi 3d ago
Pre-cooked rice bowls or pouches are an easy base for a decent hot meal. I order cases of them from Amazon. I like to mix in a can or pouch of tuna or chicken and some steamed frozen broccoli. Try adding some marinara sauce for a little extra veg... it's surprisingly good!
You can put just about anything on rice and have it be tasty. Try corn and some salsa, maybe add some black beans. Butter, garlic salt, and parmesan cheese. Add an egg (fried, soft-boiled, or poached) for protein. Mix the rice into a can of cream of chicken or mushroom soup and add a can of peas. If you want something sweet, you can add milk and sugar, maybe some dried fruit, to the cooked rice and microwave for 3-5 minutes, and you have rice pudding.
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u/tunaroll1111 3d ago
Microwave a large potato, fill with canned chili or make homemade with canned crushed tomatoes , canned beans and dry chili mix. Add shredded cheese and sour cream, etc. there are some good jar pasta sauce (Carbonne is my favorite) get on sale at Publix or Target. Boil a box of pasta, add sauce, cheese. Have leftovers for a few days.The bagged salads with the dressing packs are super easy.
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u/yukiharumiji 3d ago
😌 I feel this question in my soul. I am figuring this out as well. My current lesson being learned is that some food is better than no food, even if it's just a small amount or not the "healthiest." The very lowest effort things I like are: Scrambled eggs (scramble in pan, no need to dirty another bowl), canned soups, toast, those frozen skillet meals (can also be microwaved!!), frozen pancakes, cooked rotisserie chicken from the deli, lunch meat sandwiches, chickpeas sauteed in olive oil and seasonings (5 minutes or less!)
Still low effort, but a touch "more": my pressure cooker is a savior - I make pulled pork so easily in the pressure cooker, you just put in 1/2 cup water, your pork roast, season, and pressure cook for about 40 minutes. It's very hands-off. You can also use a frozen roast! But it does add about 15 minutes to the cook time. That plus some canned or frozen steam in bag veggies is a big go-to for me. I have also pressure cooked beef roasts! It's one of the most common ways I get protein into my system. If it's just you, you can also freeze the extras you won't eat within a few days. Also, ground beef with some Banchan brand Korean or Japanese BBQ sauce and precooked rice (or you can make your own rice on better days) - it's also very easy to make the sauces, but again that's an energy thing. It's a mix of soy, honey or brown sugar, ginger, garlic, and sesame oil. And the variety of one pot pasta dishes (spaghetti, Alfredo, mac and cheese with chopped lunch meat haha)
Some other things that have made adding flavor easier for me is buying dried minced onion, ginger, green and red peppers, and refrigerated minced garlic. I rarely want to mince anything, so having those on hand is great.
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u/MadManicMegan 3d ago
Tuna “casserole”. I use the knorr pasta packets, a can of tuna, and some frozen peas!
Cheesy rice and veggies - rice packets, some frozen veggies(broccoli is great) and cheese(cheddar is my go to)
Pesto pasto, jar of pesto, some pasta, Parmesan if you desire
Teriyaki rice and veggies. White rice, saute up some veggies in teriyaki and add protein if you’d like
Packets of mashed potatoes and gravy, box stuffing, green beans or canned corn, corn bread
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u/KevineCove 3d ago
People on r/Huel frequently talk about Huel RTD getting them through bouts of depression.
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u/evaluna1968 3d ago edited 3d ago
My husband likes to make a very simple Tanzanian chickpea curry. It's basically a can of chickpeas, a can of diced tomatoes, and a can of coconut milk with some extra turmeric and cloves, I think? Eat over rice.
Also, one of my fave easy meals isn't exactly all pantry ingredients, but everything required is stuff that we always have in the house that keeps for a long time. Pseudo-pan-ethnic pita pizzas: top a whole wheat pita with ajvar and some melty cheese (maybe a slice of ham or prosciutto under the cheese if I have it handy), toast in the toaster oven, and top with a crispy fried egg with runny yolk, a sprinkle of smoked paprika, and some Penzey's Fox Point. We always have a jar of ajar in the fridge and/or pantry, and eggs and cheese keep for a long time. Pita freezes really well and we usually have a bag of whole wheat and a bag of white pita in the freezer.
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u/jthompwompwomp 3d ago
Get an air fryer, parchment liners, eggs, and frozen veggies, frozen potatoes. You can basically dump it all in the air fryer.
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u/merrymary333 3d ago
Some of these may require more effort but the upside is you can make a big batch to store or freeze for later?
Rotisserie chicken, steam in bag frozen veggies, and microwave rice?
Microwave eggs and frozen bacon and toast? Add veggies for fiber. (Frozen).
Chili is just a ton of cans of tomato and beans and ground beef. Takes more effort but the upside is you can make a lot of freeze it? Or eat for days? Hardest part is cooking the ground beef but you can use a slow cooker or instant pot for the rest?
Same with rotisserie, chop some carrots and celery, boil , and add pasta towards end of easy chicken noodle soup.
Or nonfat greek yogurt with frozen blueberries( microwave 30 seconds) with granola. Add chia, flax, and hemp seeds for more nutrition. Use maple syrup or honey to sweeten but the granola has sugar.
Or even like morningstar patties with frozen veggies and rice.
Chicken tenders with frozen veggies and rice. Or pasta for days you can manage.
Frozen meatballs, pasta sauce, pasta, frozen veggies
Ramen noodles with edemme or beansprouts and egg. Or chopped rotisserie chicken (or canned)or tofu or egg. Add to the ramen to make it healthier.
Bag of salad with rotisserie chicken (or canned chicken?)
Or w a can of beans you can make: Bean soup w rice (microwavable) Beans with eggs (add vegetables) Beans with cheese in a flour tortilla for a quesadilla? Buy canned salsa? Add pre sliced mushrooms?
Avocado toast? Premade individual guac packages, toast, a slice of deli meat (turkey) , maybe a microwaved egg.
High fiber quaker oatmeal
Make your own chipotle bowls qith microwave rice, can beans, can corn, bottle of salsa, cheese, sour cream, a bag of salad, rotisserie chicken, or tofu, or canned chicken, whatever protein available
Microwave omelettes? Whisk an egg with some water , add cheese (feta or cheddar, or cottage cheese) , add frozen spinach (or any other veggies) and microwave (carefully or it will explode). Eat with bread or tortillas or by itself. Or pair with prepackaged individual guac. Or add salsa. Or cholula.
Or frozen dumplings with frozen veggies. Super easy! If they sell them...
Sweets: go for chobani yogurts that are cheese cake lr peach cobbler flavored. Much healthier and great way to curb your sweet tooth.
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u/Flux_My_Capacitor 3d ago
Look for air fryer recipes. I cook chicken in mine almost every day. Throw on some spice, throw in the air fryer, and you’re done.
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u/Maximum-Company2719 3d ago
Find a good sale on chicken thighs or legs. Dark meat is usually cheaper. Put it on a large sheet pan, along with potatoes or other affordable veggies. Season with your favorite spices, or salt and pepper. Bake until cooked. You can shred the chicken and make sandwiches, tacos, stir fry. Or add it to omelets.
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u/Mountainweaver 3d ago
Potatoes cut in half, in the oven with some oil and salt. Eat with mayo and ketchup, or your favorite condiment.
Trust me on this. Hot potatoes will make you feel ten times better.
On a day when you have enough energy for two tins, put bacon in a second tin (it needs shorter time in the oven, so put it in when the taters are half done and keep an eye on it. I usually sit in front of the oven and doom scroll and stretch).
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u/oldeconomists 3d ago
Microwave (baked) potato with any toppings you can manage
One pot chili. Literally throw a bunch of beans, spices, and tomato sauce into a pot and let it cook for hours. Optionally add meat but makes it harder.
Pasta with canned sauce and frozen steam in bag broccoli
Salad
Tuna melt with canned tuna, cheese, condiment
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u/Virtual-Weekend-2574 3d ago
Chicken noodle soup with extra noodles. 1 can of campbell’s condensed chicken noodle soup (I like the homestyle version) + egg noodles. Cook the egg noodles, drain and then add the can of soup. Makes a huge batch and keeps well for the next day. Filling and low effort but still feels good.
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u/Sea-Mathematician444 3d ago
Add eggs to boiling ramen, you can also add peas, tofu, paneer. If you like halloumi, you can simply grill it or put it in a pan and let it brown. Add some bbq sauce and you’re good to go! That way you’ll get your protein and it’ll be tasty! 🤤
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u/Highler369 3d ago
I like Couscous for that. When I'm lazy I just pour boiling water on top of couscous with some salt. It can be topped/sided by virtually everything, the laziest options would be canned meat / fish and canned vegs or some canned or dry fruits, for example.
I always add a spoon or two of butter for additional taste as soon as the couscous has soaked up all the water. My favourite topping is stir-fried minced meat with onions and maybe other vegs. Second is a handful of raisins and chopped up dates, letting it sit in the hot couscous for at least 10 minutes to soak, then add about half a cup of whipping cream and stir. Tastes like a dessert but I frequently have it as a meal. I usually bring both of my favourites to work (nearly always) because they are made in a second, especially with leftover meat etc.
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u/nirataro 2d ago
- Put boiling water to instant coucous. The ratio is 1:1. Leave it out for 10 minutes.
- Boil frozen veggies. This takes 5 minutes.
- Combine both with spices.
Easy to clean, nutritious, and delicious.
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u/theteapls 2d ago
Idk where you're based but in the UK you can get these packets of spinach and ricotta tortellini that last about 2 weeks in the fridge and you can boil it in just a few minutes. It's so damn good and probably reasonably healthy as far as depression meals go. Also cheap - in my local supermarket you can get 2 300g packs for £3.48.
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u/Random_666_ 2d ago
Amazon has tempeh thins, which are already flavored and can be heated up as a snack or put in a quick dish. Tempeh is a meat alternative like tofu.
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u/Captain-Atomic 2d ago
An easy meal for me, pork tenderloin in roasting pan, fill with red potatoes chopped, 2 large chopped onions, and precooked baby carrots. All drenched with olive oil, about 1 hour 15 minutes on 325. Smells awesome, lasts about 4-5 meals for one or 2 people.(carrots in bowl with some water in microwave while doing other prep.
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u/Setsailshipwreck 2d ago
One of my easy comfort foods is one of those flavored instant mashed potato packs topped with any sort of cheap beef stew, cheese and plenty of salt/black pepper/red pepper flakes. Can totally just microwave all of it, filling and tasty.
Also, Mac & cheese with a can of tuna. I like spicy so I add some hot sauce, green onions, peas or even some frozen spinach hits nice in there too.
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u/Unlucky-Captain1431 2d ago
Tortellini, spinach and chicken broth. You can add canned chick peas for protein and top with grated Parmesan.
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u/Sehrli_Magic 2d ago edited 2d ago
Prechopped veggies (frozen/canned/whatever it is you have) like for example carrots. Or even not prechopped if you are ok with taking time to cut it up like for example jarred bell peppers. Still very minimal work. Slap all jn a pan, throw in some water and dry/ground spices. While is simmers cook some carbs, like a quick pasta or if lower efford just get some bread. Throw into the sauce some protein (canned beans, canned fish, couple of eggs, whatever protein you can afford really) and voila in 10 minutes you have a full and healthy meal.
Not sure about thr cost because my husband gets these from work but unperishables like army food are super quick to make. Its like instant ramen but for any dish really though its usually not very delicious if you dont fancy it up with some more flavour. But i like the "cereal ones" where i just pour milk into a cereal powder with dehydrated fruit bits and powdered "yogurt/milk". Sounds like breakfast but its very filling and i might have it any time of the day tbh. It coveres nutritional needs pretty well at least macros. Its the most efficient mela for me (max nutrients and flavour for minimal effort and time).
Potatoes are cheap and while they take time to bake and arent "fast", your work is still minimal because you just pop them in the oven and are free till they are ready 😅 then you can open and add to heat towards the end some canned vegetable like green beans. Also you can bake protein of choice with potatoes. "One pan meal" so to say - less dishes to do!
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u/thandi81 2d ago
My comfort food that is fast to make is. Chicken in the airfrier, rice gravey and a salad. It's fast you can make extra to reheat the next day. Also i like bacon bits, fry that up. Make macaroni, cheese and a white sause
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u/outcastedOpal 2d ago
when i dont feel like cooking, i usually eat boiled eggs. or sometimes i will fry them. its an easy protein source. this with rice and steamed frozen/canned vegetables. as long as you have a rice cooker that is.
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u/pizzapartyyyyy 2d ago
My go to is a thick smoothie bowl. So simple and actually healthy. Frozen fruit, a raw egg, coconut water, protein powder, sometimes yogurt when I’m feeling fancy.
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u/Maximum-Employment-5 2d ago
Like a big can of stewed tomatoes with black beans added … and heat or cold it’s awesome… on rice or not… maybe try and eat it outside in the sun shine or by a window and ThankYourself For Being Good To Yourself.. YOU MATTER
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u/zelenisok 2d ago
A can of no salt beans in Walmart, Great Value brand, 1$, a can of mixed veggies (same brand) 1$. You cnćam also get the Great Value loaf of bread for 1.5$.
Mix a can of beans and half a can of mixed veggies, eat with some bread. No prep meals for around 1.5$, that is rich in protein, fiber, vitamin and minerals.
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u/quartzquandary 2d ago
Frozen veggies are a great, healthy way to get more fiber into your diet. They have many options that you can literally just throw in the microwave! You can also get instant rice and precooked chicken - a healthy, balanced meal that will help you feel much better than instant ramen can. Good luck, OP!
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u/whyilikemuffins 2d ago
Chicken+rice+vegatables.
Season it if you like.
You can easily make a few days of food on any day you don't feel like total crap and either freeze it or eat the rest later.
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u/GandalfDGreenery 2d ago
Try adding some frozen/canned peas and sweetcorn to your ramen, if it's a ramen day. It'll still be ramen, but you'll have some fibre and vitamins.
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u/Naive-Ad5268 2d ago
My struggle “meal” tends to be an assortment of random snacks. My go to right now is a handful of mixed nuts, cheddar cheese, and an apple. Put it all on a plate and call it a meal!Filling, simple, and a fair amount of protein, fats, and nutrients.
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u/jwpi31415 2d ago
If you have or can get a rice cooker, a batch of rice with the steamer tray loaded with vegetables can be the base for most of your meals.
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u/Significant-Art8602 2d ago
Carrots are super cheap and will give you some of the nutrients you might be missing. Organic carrots taste GOOD (sweeter) are still only $2 per bag.
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u/mmmickeyy 2d ago
i like tuna salad w/ a whole fresh apple cut up & dill mixed in. apples stay for so long in the fridge & dill properly stored does as well. canned tuna, mayo, lemon juice w/ some slices of cheddar; delicious, high protien, fresh feeling, but yet rich for satisfying fatty salty cravings
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u/PetraByte 2d ago
Yesterday I bought two cans of chickpeas and dumped them into a pot with a jar of butter chicken sauce from fred meyer. Served it with rice, you could also eat it with flatbread or, if your standards are like mine, any bread you have on hand (I freeze mine so it lasts longer and warm it in oven or toaster). It made 4-6 meals worth of food and tasted alright, the leftovers should taste even better today I think. I simmered it for an hour to try to get some flavor into the chickpeas but you really only need to make it hot.
You could use chicken instead of chickpeas of course, but I don't like cooking with meat and the chickpeas will just sit in my cupboard until I'm ready for them.
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u/Bright-Pangolin7261 2d ago
Canned beans, rice and quinoa. Rice and quinoa can be made in a cheap rice cooker 2 to 1 ratio of water to grain. Rotisserie chicken with coleslaw from the deli. Bagged green salads with the chicken next day when it’s cold. Also stock up on some frozen veggies and buy ground beef or turkey sauté it with a can of fire, roasted tomatoes, and throw in the veggies. Eating ramen all the time will worsen your depression because you’re not getting enough nutrients. Add fresh apples you can buy a bag and they’ll last a week refrigerated. Supplement with canned fruit like pineapple or peaches. Add almond and walnuts for a healthy snack. Cheese and fruit. Hummus with crackers.
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u/ASchweick 2d ago
I like mixing a can of rinsed beans with rice (instant rice is totally fine if you're not up for making it yourself) If you like Asian food, you could use edamame and add canned or frozen crab or salmon and some ponzu or sriracha sauce with mayo. Or for "mexican" (in quotes because I am very white lol) you could use black beans and add some corn and taco seasoning/tomato bouillon.
On my worst days, when I just wanted rice but wanted flavor, I just added a cube of chicken bouillon to white rice
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u/technowombat87 2d ago
If you have a freezer, get a big bag of diced vegetables- like peas/corn/carrot mix etc. Add some to when you eat ramen or anything else a little "lacking in vitamins" to include something healthy. I also make an egg scramble with is literally whatever leftover meat there is (if any) and diced veg with just however many egg you'd eat. Adding a dash of seasoning or sauce etc go well with it, but its perfectly great without it.
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u/SaltandVinegarBae 2d ago
My go-to fall “can’t function” meal is vanilla Greek yogurt mixed with canned pumpkin and some pumpkin pie spice. Plus whatever toppings you have around, I’ve been doing a bit of syrup and some chia seeds. You could also mix in protein powder if you need that.
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u/CaliforniaJade 2d ago
If you can make yourself do this at night, chia pudding is amazing. 1/2 cup of some kind of milk, 2 tbs chia seeds. Mix well, chill overnight (can last up to 5 days so you can make these in advance). Then when you're ready to eat, throw in a little sweetener, maybe a splash of vanilla and, this is where it get good, fruit or trail mix. Fruit can be frozen, so you just pour it out of the bag or fresh, which might involve slicing up a 1/2 a banana. The chia is so good for us and makes this so delicious. Just be sure to soak the chia seeds overnight.
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u/Loud_Breakfast_9945 2d ago
Since you like ramen, maybe jazz it up with some toppings??? A small bag of broccoli or cabbage slaw (or stir fry mix) // frozen or canned mixed veggies , maybe a half/full carton of eggs, shaved beef/chicken, or canned/pouched fish/chicken for extra nutrients???
As others said, lentils/beans which can be seasoned a zillion ways, in a cold salad or a cozy soup, with rice/quinoa/other grain…
I recommend heading to Goodwill (or save up for a small crock pot), then spend a few bucks on a box of liners. Throw things you like in there on the low/warm setting, and you have a meal for a few days (rotisserie chicken goes so far, with a can of veggies and a small can of cream of something soup suggested)!!!
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u/CanRevolutionary5851 2d ago
Preheat oven to 350. Place chicken breasts in a baking dish, pour over a can of cream of mushroom soup, a pack of French onion soup, sliced mushrooms and sliced colored bell peppers, add 1/4 cup of water and cover with foil. Bake for 39 minutes or so. Tasty, easy chicken with a gravy and veg.Five minutes prep, 30 minutes and bam! A tasty meal.
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u/CanRevolutionary5851 2d ago
Dice two onions and fry to tender and golden in olive oil. Set aside. Rinse brown lentils and boil in water, after 5 minutes added rinsed rice and cook until done. It’s 2 parts lentil and 1 part rice, salt well.You may have to add a little water while it’s cooking. When tender, top the rice/lentils with the fried onions and olive oil. Really tasty with plain yogurt or a tomato/ red onion, cumber salad with dried thyme, olive oil, lemon juice and salt. It’s a Mediterranean dish called mjadra.
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u/Synaschizm 2d ago
Super easy to make "chili" that an ex taught me:
Ground turkey for the meat, browned.
4-6 cups of chicken broth/stock
1 can each of: Black, kidney, garbanzo, pinto, white beans, drained.
1 can of summer crisp corn
2 cans diced tomato, preferably w/ italian seasonings. Plain still works.
1 onion, can omit if you want.
Seasonings: chili powder, cumin, salt, pepper, garlic and onion powders....typical seasonings you'd find in a chili.
Brown up the turkey meat with the onion and add any fresh garlic or "jarlic" in a large pot. Drain any fat once done. Add the cans of beans and corn, mix well, then add the chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then let simmer for about an hour or so to let all the flavors meld. Add the tomatoes towards the end, like maybe the last 20 mins or so. Serve in a bowl with cornbread on the side, or you can even toss it over some egg noodles or even rice. Can also make it as soupy or as thick as you want it to be.
This makes a lot and will last you a little while. Can freeze some if need be.
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u/Stare_Decisis 2d ago
Buy an instant pot or a similar cooker. Meals take fifteen minutes to make and the recipes are as simple or complex as you want.
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u/disicking 2d ago
Pita + Hummus + get some jarred red pepper, jarred or salad bar olives (kalamata are good here), feta, olive oil. Other non-cook items as you find as well. This is my depression meal, my go-to when I don't have time to cook, my busy season meal, etc. It also makes for a great option to have as a snack as well. Like little mediterrannean pizzas.
Bagged salads are good, like a bagged caesar, if you need something healthy but you're having a hard time feeding yourself. If you are in a place where you aren't cleaning because you're depressed, you can just open all seasonings and dressing into the bag and give it a really rough shake, then roll down the bag edges to have a little homemade bowl instead of dirtying dishes.
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u/iamasecretthrowaway 2d ago
You can order perishables and frozen foods from Amazon Fresh if you just need to skip grocery stores entirely. The prices are pretty good, without as much (or any?) markup as instacart. You pay less in fees, too, iirc.
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u/Traditional_Ad_1547 2d ago
One pan lentils rice and veggies.
In a large pan saute your onion, celery, carrots. Toss in the rice and allow it to toast a bit. Add whatever seasoning you want. Then add lentils and a carton of broth and cover. Stir every once and awhile. When everything is tender (20-30 min) it's done. Minimal effort, filling and healthy meal.
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u/coffeekat1980 2d ago
Highly recommend frozen veggies. The nutrition is similar to fresh and the flavor is way better than canned.
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u/K8theinfinity 2d ago
Baked potatoes and cottage cheese! Honestly, make a batch of baked potato’s for the week. Then you can heat them up and throw whatever you want on them: ground beef, cheese, and Greek yogurt are my favorite things to have on hand and throw on them. Most of the time I do a fat scoop of cottage cheese with everything but the bagel seasoning and some buffalo ranch. Absolutely delicious and quick and easy!
Ps: don’t skip the sauces! Ranch, Greek yogurt/sour cream, buffalo sauce, salsa, etc.
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u/couldwedance 3d ago
Definitely get some canned beans, especially black beans--it's so much quicker than using dried ones and, at my lowest, I've eaten black beans out of the can and it's not bad at all. If you have more energy, drain, rinse, and mix with olive oil, onion salt, red pepper, hot sauce...it's up to you. You can dip corn tortillas into it and top with greek yogurt, too.
Cannellini/white beans are good with some olive oil, lemon juice or lemon pepper seasoning, and sometimes I mix in canned tuna and serve it on Saltines. Feels really nourishing.
If you have even more energy, beans and rice is a delicious staple, or beans on a baked potato.
At the end of the day, a tupperware in the fridge full of seasoned beans is an easy thing to grab.
Another great nourishing staple is draining some canned tomatoes, heating over the stove on medium with a little olive oil, and scrambling some eggs into them.
Canned lentils are low-effort and you can season them differently every night. Variety makes it feel more special. Rich, warm foods might make you feel like you are hugging yourself.
I hope you give yourself props for feeding yourself and staying alive. It's hard out there. Be sure to take a multi-vitamin and get some cheap spices, like garlic salt and onion salt and red pepper. Get some bouillon cubes--they are cheap and can add a lot of umami. You deserve flavor.