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Easy healthy food when too exhausted/depressed to cook

65 replies

Adollop · 03/10/2019 03:27

I rarely feel like cooking. What do you eat when you've no motivation to cook and just feel like eating junk? I want to make sure I'm still eating something healthy, but can't be bothered to make anything, so I end up just eating toast and biscuits.
Grateful for any ideas.

OP posts:
imundecided · 03/10/2019 22:26

I like to make a healthy pasta bake.

Fry garlic and chilli together
Add 1 box of passata
Add spinach (I freeze mine so it lasts longer)
Add cooked pasta and stir in
Sprinkle grated cheese over it and cook in oven for about 15-20 mins

applecatchers36 · 03/10/2019 22:39

Ready made Spanish omelette all you have to do is fry it to warm it up
Scrambled eggs with whatever you like ham, smoked salmon
Ready made quiche you can heat up in oven & have with a bit of salad
Easy soup, tin tomatoes, tin kidney beans, garlic, bit of chilli and ginger if you like heat prepared in 5 mins. Heat and serve.
Another easy one, yellow lentils, onion or leek, cumin, garlic,squeeze of lemon fry up add veg stock, heat for 20mins

VaggieMight · 03/10/2019 22:45

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LonnyVonnyWilsonFrickett · 03/10/2019 22:45

I freelance so here are my quick and easy individual ideas:

Beans on toast or egg on toast - there is NOTHING wrong with this as a meal, equally toasties are great. Making yourself something quick and nutritious is just as self-carey as a 'proper' meal.

The freezer is your friend too. I always keep packets of bagels (slice them before freezing) and mini naans. Both can be toasted from frozen and topped with something easy like cream cheese, ham, egg. My favourite lunch is a toasted mini-naan topped with a spoonful of mango chutney and a fried egg.

Stir-fried rice (packet or if you do succumb to a takeaway, save half a pack of rice for the next day) with peas and sweet corn from the freezer and a beaten egg.

If I'm pushing the boat out, chickpea curry - frozen chopped onions, sweat them off, add spices or a paste, tin of chickpeas, tin of tomatoes, simmer for 15 mins or so. Eat with a mini naan.

Pasta with pesto, or pasta with butter and cheese is also good.

I do get that pps are suggesting batch cooking, but sometimes just even thinking about cooking big pans of things is too wearing.

VaggieMight · 03/10/2019 22:49

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NumberblockNo1 · 03/10/2019 22:53

I really really struggle with this. I end up eating quick carbs.

Adollop · 04/10/2019 02:56

Yes, can't face batch cooking at all .. or any sort of proper cooking really.

I'm cooking for two adults, nothing spicy for health reasons.

I do often buy supermarket salad bowls, although I worry about how fresh they are. I buy ready meals, but can't stretch to M&S meals all the time.

OP posts:
Adollop · 04/10/2019 02:58

I have a slow cooker, time to dig it out again!

OP posts:
BeetrootBasil · 04/10/2019 07:32

I have ADHD and struggle with the constant decision making. In the end I worked around my week (mon-thurs I need energy for work) and decided set days/meals

Mon - salad of black beans, sweetcorn, avocado, red onion (all from freezer, no need to have shopped), salmon or tuna night (with a potato or rice
Tues - cannelili beans in blender with basil from freezer, red meat night (steak, burger, cottage pie etc.). Food shop on a mid morning break (beats weekend supermarket)
Weds - soup or goats cheese salad, mackarel dinner
Thurs - omelette, turkey stir fry
Fri - treat lunch e.g. deli counter, white fish dinner (cod and chips, fish pie etc)
Sat - leftover lunch, veggie chilli dinner
Sun - nut cutlets, chicken dinner

Frozen veg is your friend.

NumberblockNo1 · 04/10/2019 07:53

Im sure I have ADD and keep wondering whether to persue that.

Its sonce Ive ahd kids Ive been overwhelmed by the "simple" act of making dinner and feeding us all and yep its all the small decisions that lead to a meal including having the right bits/what everyone will eat. We've ended up eating beige food and putting on weight and it needs to change

Adollop · 04/10/2019 07:54

Yes, definitely overwhelmed by deciding what to buy/cook/eat. It seems impossible.

OP posts:
TheClitterati · 04/10/2019 08:26

Cheese on toast

Poach egg on toast

Big salad with cheese - Parmesan, feta, Roquefort, buffalo mozzarella all go well with a salad.

Pot noodle with added greens on days you really CBA.

I often make a big pot of lentil/lemon/kale soup and can eat that all week - cheese can be added or natural yog.

Ibizafun · 04/10/2019 22:38

Avocado on toast- mash it up with lime juice and sprinkle a few seeds. Easy bagged salad with smoked salmon on top.

Tehmina2 · 05/10/2019 10:37

Hi how are you feeling today? I buy protein bars for when I really have no energy to cook.

The Eat Natural bars have good ingredients low sugar low sat fat & are on offer £1.50 for 3 in Tesco.
They're 240 calories for the maple & pecan ones & quite filling. To be found in the gluten free section of Tesco.

Buy packs of sliced meat & cheese to snack on eg chicken, beef, put with bread or crackers.

Adollop · 05/10/2019 22:03

Thanks. I'm not too bad today - visited my mum and she cooked dinner.

I quite like the Eat natural bars, haven't bought them for a while though, so I'll stock up on a few.

I shopped yesterday, but cheated again with a ready meal Blush I like salad, but find preparing it is too much and end up throwing it away. When I buy prepared salad pots they seem to turn brown straight away Sad

OP posts:
NoSquirrels · 05/10/2019 22:08

Can your DP/the other adult take over some of the planning and good prep and cooking?

GetRid · 05/10/2019 22:13

Buy healthy soups with lots of veg in

Beans on toast with wholemeal toast

If I can't be arsed to cook at all, I have a big bowl of granola and unsweetened muesli mixed together, with dried fruit chopped up on top and massive dollops of Greek yoghurt.

Try to also eat an apple a day to keep the doctor away

Adollop · 06/10/2019 02:55

NoSquirrels I wish ....

OP posts:
Elllicam · 06/10/2019 03:14

I like things in wraps. So wholemeal wraps with taco beans, cheese, sweetcorn and peppers. Put in an oven dish and put more cheese on top and grill. Also cheese, ham peppers, mushrooms and pizza sauce in wraps.

Gingerkittykat · 06/10/2019 03:48

Microwave baked potato with filling of your choice.
Wholemeal bread sandwich with tinned salmon and salad and fruit.
Birds Eye freezer cheese pasta with veg, on offer 2 for £3 and around 400 calories for a packet.
Asian noodle soup, add some spring onion and pepper and poach an egg in the cooking liquid.
Iceland Quinoa and veg packets, microwave half a pack and have with protein of your choice.

Douberry · 06/10/2019 09:47

Beans on toast
Eggs on toast
Pasta and peas with a knob of butter and/or drizzle of olive oil. Salt and pepper. Or pesto.
Microwave rice mixed with chopped cucumber, tomato and sweetcorn.
Cous-cous, pour boiling water to cover and pop a plate on top, chop some tomatoes and cucumber.
Massive bowl of cereal Grin

applecatchers36 · 07/10/2019 13:31

Boil in the bag mussels. Can buy a packet cheaply at Lidls. 5 mins in boiling water, comes with tomato and chorizo sauce, serve with nice bread.

Gwenhwyfar · 07/10/2019 13:47

"Ready made tortellini with olive oil and Parmesan."

Very nice, but not healthy.

Gwenhwyfar · 07/10/2019 13:51

"I like to make a healthy pasta bake.

Fry garlic and chilli together
Add 1 box of passata
Add spinach (I freeze mine so it lasts longer)
Add cooked pasta and stir in
Sprinkle grated cheese over it and cook in oven for about 15-20 mins"

That's the opposite of a quick, easy meal!

Gwenhwyfar · 07/10/2019 13:55

Microwave aubergine and cheese. Cut an aubergine lengthwise, brush oil on it and cook it face down for 3 minutes. Turn the halves around and put grated cheese on them (buy the cheese already grated) then microwave for another 3 minutes.
I'd love tips on how to do something like this with more veg. Has to be veg that don't need peeling.