Quick and easy meals that are healthy

10 Fast foods without the drive-through.

We all need to eat every single day. It can be so exhausting to be a mother and have to think of meals every day! You have so much on your plate already that panning meals or forgetting to plan can be so overwhelming. What do you do when you’re totally worn out and need to feed the family? Chances are, you run to the drive thru and just ignore how guilty you feel for feeding everyone preservatives and junk. But you just need a break! You don’t have the time to cook!

This situation is true for a lot of working Moms and families. There’s just little to no time to prep and cook meals every single night. Between work and school and sports, there’s little time left. Even if there isn’t anything going on for the evening, chances are you’re exhausted and just want to sit down.

I was there too. When my kids were little, I had so much going on. I was a stay-at-home mom when I was married but once I got divorced, I had to go back to work. I tried to keep up with all that I did when I stayed at home and it was impossible. When I stayed home, I cooked dinner almost every night. If I didn’t cook, my husband did. We rarely had take out or seldomly got anything deep fried. But when I got divorced, it all changed.

I became guilt ridden and exhausted every single day. After my long work day, I absolutely did not want to cook. I would end up grabbing burgers on the way home or stopping to get chicken fingers. The kids were happy and I could sit down and put my feet up. Not to mention during sports seasons, there was less time than usual to cook, so take out it was! Our lives morphed into something I hated. A homemade meal was a treat now, not the other way around. If I had to the time or energy to make something from scratch, it was extremely rare. Salt and preservatives became our norm.

When I started to notice health problems in all of us, I knew I had to make a change. Everyone started gaining weight, we’re more tired and got sick more often. I hated that we had become sick versions of our previous selves. But there was no time! How could I cook when there was no time!?

I decided that I had to fix things and our bodies had to start being nourished. It was when I took the stress of expectations off that I found a solution. I didn’t need to cook some gourmet meal every single night. I could make grilled cheese and it would be better than fast food. I was looking at the problem all wrong. Any food made with fresh ingredients was better than preservative and salt packed junk.

We still do get take-out but it’s back to the way it used to be. We only do it once in awhile. There are meals every single night again and I’m not anymore stressed than before. Life is more balanced and we hardly ever get sick. There’s the once a year cold or flu but that’s it. Everyone is more active and has much more energy. As my kids age, they crave homemade meals and have started cooking for themselves. They notice a difference in their bodies and how they feel after eating junk too. I’m hoping this sticks with them for their whole lives.

I’ve made a small list of ways to make fast meals that are better than take out. You don’t have to over complicate it at all. You can do small little switches to your routine and it’ll be so easy. Here is the list that I’ve compiled:

1. Smoothies.

They are my number one go-to for a quick nutritious addition to any meal. Children and adults love smoothies! Smoothies make it really easy to hide vegetables and add nutrition. If I am having a quick meal of frozen chicken nuggets, I can make a smoothie packed with protein and vegetables. The kids can’t even tell! I always add a bit of spinach to any smoothie I make. This also gives the kids a taste of vegetables so they want to eat them later. You can add soft carrots, spinach, garbanzo beans, pumpkin, kale, apples, peanut butter, etc… You can make any combination you want and with anything you have on hand! Just be careful you don’t add too much vegetables or tart additions because the smoothie won’t taste as good. You can also make the smoothies with almond milk for an extra protein boost!

For a simple smoothie, start with some fruit. I like frozen best. If you don’t have frozen, use ice cubes. You can freeze chopped bananas as well because they are a great smoothie base.

Next add some vegetables. Use anything you have on hand. Spinach, carrots, kale, or cauliflower or squash make good additions.

Now add a protein. My favorite is yogurt, cottage cheese, peanut butter or nut butter. Peanuts butter goes great with bananas and cocoa. Use your favorite combinations.

Last add your liquid. If you added a nice helping of yogurt, water is just fine. You can add any kind of milk or juice as well.

Top with whipped cream if you’d like and enjoy!

Smoothies are so versatile and amazing. They are terrific for on the go meals. My kids loved them before and after games. If you air fry some chicken nuggets to go with them, they are still getting nutrients and it’s guilt free!

Here are some basic measurements for you to go off of:

*2 to 3 parts fruit or vegetables (2 to 3 cups)
* 1 to 1 1/2 parts liquid (1 to 1 1/2 cups)
*1/2 part yogurt or another thickener (1/2 cup).

2. Taco wraps

Taco wraps are a really quick and easy meal that appeases any crowd. You can make these ahead and freeze them for an even faster meal.

Simply brown beef or turkey meat with taco seasoning, add some cheese, beans, or any addition you’d like. Add to a soft tortilla and fold over. That easy! If you freeze them, make sure you add them to a freezer bag so they don’t go bad. These are super quick and easy to throw in the microwave or air fryer on a busy night. They are packed with protein and sure to be a crowd pleaser.

3. Grilled cheese sandwiches with hummus.

This is an easy way to get extra protein to a very quick meal! You can make your own hummus or buy store-bought hummus. Simply spread it on the bread before you add the cheese. Butter both sides like usual and grill. You won’t notice a difference and you will have an instant extra protein packed meal! If you don’t mind adding vegetables and other things, you can do that as well. You can add spinach or chicken to the grill cheese and make it a more delicious sandwich. Couple this with some tomato soup or a smoothie and you’re good to go!

4. Bone broth.

Adding bone broth to your food is a great way to get the extra protein and added flavor to your meals. If you are on a time crunch and want to make butter noodles or spaghetti, simply add bone broth to the water before cooking the noodles! This adds the extra protein for picky eaters and also gives it some more flavor. You can also add the bone broth to your rice before cooking. So delicious! What a quick way to get nutrients in your food and feel guilt free.

5. Cauliflower!

Cauliflower has gotten both good and bad reviews during its Internet sensation. But the truth remains, you can do some cool things with cauliflower. You can make cauliflower into Mac & Cheese in the microwave! The kids get their veggies and dairy all at once.

Place pieces in a microwave-safe bowl, and add just enough water or broth to cover the bottom of the bowl, 2 to 3 tablespoons. Place a plate over the bowl and microwave for 3 to 4 minutes, depending on how much bite you like in your cauliflower, how large the pieces are, and how powerful your microwave is. Add cheese once done and enjoy! Salt or butter to taste.

For extra protein, you can use the bone broth to cook the cauliflower before adding cheese. Super quick and easy protein packed and veggie packed meal. There are so many recipes for cauliflower that you can even make them into quick buffalo wings in the air fryer! Also, by simply switching out pasta for cauliflower, you make a big switch in nutrients. And you don’t have to sacrifice any time to do it!

6. Use dried veggies as seasoning.

When my kids were little, I dried a lot of vegetables in the oven and then ground them up into a powder. I put them in an old cleaned out pepper shaker. The kids were allowed to season their own food. They loved seasoning their food with the multicolored powder. And they had no idea how much nutrients they were adding to their food! This easy trick adds plenty of vitamins to food without the argument or frustration.

7. Tortilla pizza.

You can simply make quick pizzas out of soft tortillas. You can use your own homemade sauce or store-bought sauce. Simply place in an oven or toaster oven after you’ve added sauce, cheese, and any other toppings you’d like. I have even folded mine over and cooked it on the George Foreman grill for a pizza quesadilla! The kids also like making their own little mini pizzas. You’ll have help making dinner and it will be quick, and the cleanup is minimal.

8. Lasagna.

You can pre-make lasagnas and put them in the freezer ahead of time. Did you know that you do not have to cook the noodles for the lasagna? Just layer your lasagna like usual and add a little bit of water before baking in the oven. This cuts down on an extra step and saves you time. When you pre-make them and freeze them, that’s even more time you save prepping meals during a busy week. And you can sneak in hummus on the noodles for extra protein or add bone broth instead of water to your noodles before baking. I have also snuck in some shredded carrots and bits of spinach to my lasagna before making as well. If you don’t have meat, that’s OK! A simple lasagna with just cheese, sauce and noodles is perfectly fine.

9. Baked potatoes.

Baked potatoes get a bad rap for not being as healthy. They are a lot better for you than fast food and greasy junk. I often stayed away from baked potatoes in my busy life because of how long they take to cook. For a super quick baked potato, just add them to your air fryer! Simply wash the potatoes off, poke holes in them, and put in the air fryer. It is so easy. If you would like, you can drizzle them with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt before baking. The skin gets crispy, and it tastes delicious! When the potatoes are done, you can add crumbled meat, cheese, butter, chives, or anything else to your potato. That’s it! Simple meal-super fast.

10. Feta cheese and tomatoes.

This is my all-time favorite meal! It was a huge hit on Tik Tok a few years ago. My kids and I absolutely love it! All you need is a block of feta cheese, drizzle with oil and your favorite seasonings, place cherry tomatoes around in a baking dish. I broil mine on low for 10 to 20 minutes. You just want the cheese to be soft and the tomatoes to be cooked well enough that they’ll mix. When it is done, just mix altogether and add to noodles. I love adding garlic and pesto sometimes. The garlic is a great addition during cold season! Lots of vitamins and minerals in garlic!

11. Rotisserie chicken.

Rotisserie chicken is so delicious. My local Walmart has them every day. They are incredibly cheap and so delicious. You can grab one on your way home and make some quick additions to go with it when you get home. So much cheaper and better for you than fast food.

Once you’re done with the chicken, you can save the leftovers for quick chicken wrap roll ups the next day.

Don’t throw the bones away! Put the whole thing in a big pot of water and simmer for 3-4 hours. You can even add it to a crockpot and cook on low all day. Add onions or leftover veggies scraps for more flavor. This is your healthy bone broth!! Strain the liquid into a bowl and freeze portions to add to noodles or meals. This broth is full of nutrients and vitamin packed! Onions and garlic are extremely important during cold season and this is an easy way to get the nutrients.

Cooking dinner doesn’t have to be time consuming. You can do it! Remember you are worth it. Love yourself today and rest. You deserve it.

Start striving instead of just surviving.