Mac & Cheese with a can of tuna. Usually either Kraft Deluxe or Velveeta Shells and Cheese and usually white/albacore tuna. Sucks that shrinkflation has made the cheese packets watered down so much that it’s no longer tons of sticky cheese and that the cans of “solid” tuna are now only mostly solid pieces with added filler. But it is still a decent tasting, simple meal.
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If you’re not doing something to that chicken besides just baking it, I’m not eating it.
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Least effort: essentially snacks, but somewhat filling and can get the job done
- string cheese (proteiny, and fun to pull apart like you’re still a kid. Why can’t adults have fun too?)
- cut up fruit
- those seaweed snacks@toomanypancakes
Some effort
- tortilla wraps with anything, basically, to make food portable. Bananas and Nutella? Cold cuts and cheese? Half a can of beans and a chunk of that leftover chicken?
- veg sticks and dip/ranch. Always taste better than I expect (which is not much). “Some effort” bc I cut em myself and mix my own dip (sour cream and mayo as a base and any seasonings you have around are usually a good mix. I go garlic powder, olive oil, salt, pepper, lemon juice.)@toomanypancakes
And then slightly more effort but bigger payoff is making combos of the big 3 - carb, protein, veg.-Rice, gravy, canned peas
- Pasta, sauce (pesto?), Chicken (frozen/precooked) and (steamed bag)broccoli.
- 1 pot ‘gumbo’: rice sausage peppers onions tomatoes seasonings.
- instant noodles with an egg and some leafy veg tossed in
- frozen dumplings or ravioli
Mix and match
With some of these I feel like you’re in danger of entering the higher effort territory so take your pick
Instant rice. Sugar. Cinnamon. Milk.
As much ice water as it takes to feel full
five to ten microwaved potstickers and a can of carbonated water.
I am not into the foreign food being an American. The potstickers are an excellent suggestion though. But the carbonated water? Sounds Italian. Or Swiss. One of those foreign countries.
If your not careful, they might come in them there “metric” sizes!!!
We do not worship Satan. Keep that to yourself.
nah, its just US bachelor chow I snagged from the frozen section and soft drinks section respectively. I just kind of like them together.
Roasted almonds. Tons of protein, lots of fiber, often keeps me sated for longer than a “balanced” meal.
I buy them raw and roast them myself, it takes 15 minutes in the oven on a pan, that’s it. I have a giant tub that I go to when I need them.
Yes, they are calorie dense due to the oil but this is a replacement meal, not a daily thing.
It’s actually amazing how far 100 g of almonds will take you in a day. I managed to lose 130 lb of fat by incorporating various high protein nuts into my diet.
Edit: Unsalted only. Salted nuts just provoke greater sensations of hunger.
I usually have Rice left over in the fridge cause I always cook it in big batches. Egg fried Rice is so quick and simple.
Careful with rice >24 hrs old!
Why?
Why? If your frying it, not much can survive to make you sick the normal ways?
Shiga toxin is heat stable. Not sure if that pertains to rice, but you should be aware that heating things doesn’t necessarily always render them safe to eat.
Quick Google says no…
Chips with cheese melted in the microwave.
Ricecakes and hummus, Beans and toast
I’m not seeing it here so I will recommend:
Always have some frozen shredded chicken in the freezer.
It’s super easy to make. Chicken, broth or water, some veggies like celery and onion and salt if you just used water and let it simmer in pot with a lid on at a low temp or use a pressure cooker for even more hands off and then hit with a mixer to shred the chicken.You can make several pounds of it in advance and then just wrap up portions of it in Saran wrap or foil. Bag it and put it in the freezer. It’s now very resistant to freezer burn and it’s a perfect ingredient for lazy days.
Tacos, grab some chicken add some cayenne cumin and lime juice and throw it in a tortilla.
BBQ, mix with BBQ sauce and heat up throw on bread or a bun or even better some yellow rice or rice-a-roni. You can add it to soup, you can turn it into all your classic chicken dishes and it’s there and waiting for you.Shredded chicken.
does this have a vegetarian alternative
Fried tofu. I mean it’s way more effort but freeze it to get all the water out and then you can even freeze it again.
Each time you do it makes the tofu more chewy than creamy and has a tougher texture which actually makes it easier to work with.From here I would have differing suggestions depending on desire. I personally love to cut them up just straight into cubed strips and lightly toss them in cornstarch with some salt or msg added and some white pepper and then fry them in a pan with generous amount of coconut oil. Get a nice golden crisp on them and you have basically strips that can also be used for sandwiches or nugget replacements or things of that nature. But if you want to have the shredded chicken style option.
Once frozen for the second time shred the tofu or cut into really thin strips when it thaws out and you want to toss it in veggie bouillon powder and some black pepper and a touch of soy or vinegar and then bake at 350 until golden or panfry.
It’s a different texture and flavor per say but should be very useable for the same purposes of just being able to quickly toss it into anything and have it add some protein to a otherwise plain meal.
Both store very well and can be reheated easily. Preferably baked to reheat. But not everyone has a toaster oven.
I know I recommend freezing it but also if you prefer the creamy texture I know some people who recommend boiling the tofu block for just like a minute in salt water to quickly get the moisture out but I’m aiming for easy and little work and I’d put this above freezer if below tofu pressing.
Instant ramen or few slices of bread with cold cuts and some cheese microwaved till the cheese melts.
Cheese.
Overnight oats, just steel cut oats in whole milk left in the fridge for at least 4 hours. Healthier and cheaper than a box cereal and so so easy. But if I didn’t think ahead to chuck some in the fridge beforehand, then it’s gotta be hardboiled eggs. I always have eggs in the fridge and chucking them in a pot and waiting 11 minutes is as easy as it gets.
Well, aside from eating fruit/berries with cheese and crackers but that could be argued to be a snack not a meal.
Depends on your definition of cooking. My “lazy and unpretentious” meal is pasta with whatever. If I have a pre made sauce, that. Perhaps some frozen cream spinach, that works too. A couple eggs mixed into the hot, strained noodles is pretty tasty too. If my stash is completely empty, a piece of butter. Then top it all off with some grated parmesan, and eat it quick before the shame sets in.
Edit: works just as well with rice
