It’s infinitely easier to just tuck into something you can shove into the microwave, but there’s nothing better than a home-cooked meal. Stuck on what to make for dinner? Low on time? In these situations, you need a selection of quick and easy meals that can be made with minimal effort. If you’re not much of a cook, maybe that’s what you need all the time! It can be difficult to allocate time every day to cooking, especially when you’re super busy. Not to fret though, we’ve curated a list of quick and effortless meals that can be made when you don’t have a lot of time on your hands.
Pasta
First up is pasta—warm, delicious, carby goodness. You really can’t go wrong with this. Opt for something easy like a creamy tomato pasta, add tomatoes and seasoning to a food processor with some olive oil and pour over your freshly boiled pasta. If you’re feeling a little fancier, throw some leftover meats on the pasta, a great way to add flavor and bulk up a pasta meal.
Boiling some pasta and adding any sauce with a side of bread is a fantastic easy meal. Most of us will always have the ingredients for a nice pasta dish; all you need is your favorite pasta, tomatoes, or tomato sauce. Add whatever seasoning you like, and you have yourself a yummy meal. Another easy recipe is spaghetti with garlic and olive oil; add crushed garlic, olive oil, and grated parmesan cheese to boiled spaghetti, and voila!
Mac and cheese is always a crowd-pleaser; whip up some of this rich, creamy, cheesy goodness with cheese, water, salt, and some milk. Add the sauce to boiled macaroni and top with more cheese.
More Carb-Goodness
A cheese platter or the more fancy charcuterie board is a super-easy way to create a light dinner or a pre-dinner snack. Load up a tray or plate with cheese, meats, crisps, pretzels, and fruit. Arrange it aesthetically, and you have yourself an Instagrammable cheese platter. Consider keeping flatbread in the freezer that you can whip out and top with cheese and toppings to create a yummy pizza. You can also slice up any bread you have on hand and do the same or cook a frozen pizza in an Air Fryer. Add a salad and some dips, and you have yourself a delicious meal.
Breakfast burrito, yes, you heard correct. You can have this meal at any time of the day, and it consists of scrambled eggs being wrapped up in a tortilla. You can also add avocado and any sauce you fancy.
Vegan Options
Even if you aren’t vegan, vegan meals can often be simple as they require fewer ingredients, and you can usually find whatever you need in your kitchen already. Try a chickpea curry, make a base of onions, tomatoes, garlic, ginger, salt, and any other spices you fancy. Add chickpeas, and there you have a healthy, wholesome dish. Serve with rice or bread. You can also cook up a lentil curry in a similar way, adding coconut milk to thicken it and give it a sweet edge.
Lettuce taco boats are a yummy way to make a meal of leftovers or anything you have on hand. Stuff lettuce with vegetables, beans, or whatever you fancy.
Boil a sweet or white potato, slice, and stuff it with beans and vegetables. This makes for a super yummy and nutritious meal.
Fish
If you fancy a nice fish dinner, don’t be fooled, you can make a delicious fish meal with minimal effort. Pair zoodles (zucchini noodles) and shrimp roasted in garlic and seasoning. Add lemon, and you have yourself a fresh, healthy, and most importantly, delicious meal. A tuna wrap with some veggies and a yummy dressing is a super easy meal to put together.
Grab some salmon fillets and cover them with olive oil, lemon, and spices. Pop it in the oven until cooked and serve with your chosen sides. If you’re a taco fan, stuff tacos with tuna or your chosen fish. For a healthier version, boil the sweet potato, fry tuna, veggies, and seasoning together. Slice your potato and stuff it.
We hope you’ve been inspired to whip together a yummy meal even if you only have a small amount of time on your hands. Bear in mind, prep time is usually very low, a few minutes sometimes. This way you can prepare a delicious meal and carry on with your day. These are just some ways to ensure you always have a delicious, easy meal on hand.