One of the best parts of cooking is creating delicious, satisfying meals for yourself, your family, and friends. But when it comes to weeknight meals, it can be a challenge to find the time to put together nutritious and healthy dishes that don’t take hours and hours to prepare. The last thing you or your partner wants to do is spend time in the kitchen after getting home from work.
Fortunately, there are plenty of easy meals that you can whip up in no time, so you can get back to relaxing and enjoying life. Here are some simple and fast meal ideas you can make any night of the week.
Main Dish Ideas
When it comes to main dish ideas, there are some quick and simple options you can make in no time.
•Burritos: Whether they’re made with chicken, beef, pork, fish, eggs, beans, or your favorite combination of ingredients, burritos are so easy to make. Just add all the ingredients to a tortilla, roll, and you’ve got yourself a meal.
•Fried Rice: This classic Asian dish might take some advance planning, but once you have cooked rice ready to go, you can easily add whatever vegetables, protein, and spices you desire.
•Grilled Cheese Sandwiches: Not just for kids, grilled cheese with a variety of creative toppings such as bacon, avocado, and tomatoes make an easy and delicious weeknight meal.
•Pasta: Whether you choose angel hair, spaghetti, bowtie, or any other variety, pasta is cheap, easy to cook, and can be jazzed up quite quickly with a wide selection of sauces and toppings.
•Vegetable Stir Fry: A healthy mix of vegetables with a handful of protein makes a delicious stir fry. Plus, you don’t have to worry about overcooking or risk throwing away valuable ingredients.
•Quesadillas: Mix it up by trying a variety of fillings such as black beans, corn, cheese, and cooked chicken. Also, you can get creative and throw in some unexpected but tasty ingredients such as artichokes and olives.
•Pizza: Whether you make it from scratch or use store-bought dough, pizza can be a fast and convenient meal. Just list the ingredients you want on your pie, make it and…voila! Delicious pizza in minutes.
•Taco Salad: Everyone loves tacos and salads, so why not combine them into one meal? Fill up a bowl with diced lettuce, tomatoes, corn, black beans, and enough of your favorite taco seasoning to make it tasty. Top this with some cheese, diced avocado and a dollop of Greek yogurt for a meal that can be ready in almost no time!
Salad Meals
Salads are a great option for quick and healthy meals. All you need to do is prepare enough of your favorite salad ingredients, dress them with a tasty topping and you have an amazing salad meal in no time. Here are some featured salad meals.
•Filipino-style Mango and Avocado Salad: Paired with a simple lime, garlic and soy sauce dressing, this delicious salad can be a great light meal or a side dish to enhance your main course.
•Tuna and Egg Salad: This combo gives you a boost of protein and lots of flavor. Mix tuna, chopped eggs, celery, vegetables and your favorite dressing, toss it all together, and enjoy one of the easiest salads in town.
•Spinach Salad with Feta and Pears: For something full of flavor and texture, try this combination of spinach, feta cheese, and pear slices. Add some olive oil and balsamic vinegar for a tangy flavor that will make you want more.
•Cucumber Lime Salad: Set aside your worries about a long and complicated salad. This cucumber lime salad requires only a few ingredients and no cooking time. Thinly slice some cucumbers and red onion, add lime and cilantro, and dress with a mixture of olive oil and honey.
Main Dish and Side Combinations
If you want to make complex meals that don’t take up too much time, consider combining main dishes with side dishes. Making a quick salad or simple boiled potatoes or rice can be just enough to make your meals more exciting. Here are some sample combinations you can make virtually any night of the week.
•Grilled Salmon and Salad: Grill up some salmon with a hint of olive oil, garlic, and pepper. To keep meal times even faster, you can use a pre-made package of fresh vegetables and top it with a tasty vinaigrette dressing.
•Stir-Fried Vegetables and Rice: This is an easy and yummy way for you to fill your plate with lots of veggies and carbohydrates. Doing a veggie stir-fry is easy, and all it takes is a total of 10 minutes.
•Penne with Chicken and Broccoli: Penne pasta, cooked chicken, cooked broccoli mixed with some cream sauce makes a delicious and hearty meal. If you combine all of the cooked ingredients and mix with a hearty sauce, the result can be a dinner on the table in just minutes.
•Fajitas and Refried Beans: Fajitas are an easy dish to make but they make a fancy dinner when served restaurant-style. Use pre-cooked chicken strips, peppers and onions, heated in a skillet with a packet of fajita seasoning mix. Serve them with refried beans and tortillas and dinner is ready.
Convenient Snack Meals
Sometimes you or your family members just get hungry in between meals. It’s a great idea to have convenient snacks handy to keep away those hunger pangs.
•Nachos: Nachos are a great way to turn a few ingredients into a full-fledged dinner. All you will need are tortilla chips, cheese, and your favorite toppings.
•Quesadillas: Tortillas can be filled with whatever ingredients you have on hand and make a quick and delicious snack. To dress them up, add black olives, tomatoes, diced avocados, and corn.
•Tuna & Avocado Toast: Mash up some tuna, add some ingredients to it, spread the mixture on some sliced bread, and you’ve just made tuna toast. Top it with slices of avocado and some pepper, and you have a delicious snack.
•Celery and Hummus: Hummus and celery are a well-known snack combination. Just cut up some celery and dip it into hummus for a tasty snack.
•Grilled Cheese Sandwiches: For kids and adults alike, grilled cheese sandwiches are always a hit. Just keep some cheese, butter, and white bread in your pantry and fridge, and you’ll be all set to make them anytime.
Cooking convenient meals doesn’t have to be a hassle during the week. Using the ideas above, you can create a variety of delicious and nutritious meals in no time. Preparing meals of this kind is good for your health, your budget, and your waistline. Enjoy the economical, healthy, and delicious meals you can make with these ideas this week.
