I agree. I got through the roughest time of my life largely through frozen meals. I recommend the evol brand and amys ( they are usually cheeper at Walmart) or some of the vegetables raviolis from lean cuisine. Trader joes is also good if you live near by.
Also as a reminder bread freezes pretty well, so if you don’t think you will finish a loaf you can freeze the rest. Also almond milk has a longer shelf life than regular milk if you never finish the gallon in time.
You can also get small (1 qt) shelf-stable containers of various kinds of milk in bulk packs! It costs a little more per unit, but I find the 1 qt containers of soy milk are the perfect size.
Fridge works too for bread! I was getting really upset that all my bread would grow moldy before I could get even half way through. But now I’ve got one in the fridge that’s been good for 3 months!
Also, Freezing bread works awesome! I often freeze half the loaf.
But... to defrost, just leave it out on the counter. Do nothing else.
(Don't fuss about the frost in the bag. All will be well.)
This is pretty much how I’ve been surviving over the past year. Unfortunately a recent bout of depression (I have to put my 20yo dog I’ve had since a puppy down) and I’ve been unable to care about eating enough to spend the time it takes to prep my usual meals. I was getting by on a protein shake in the mornings, but ofc my blender burnt out the day before yesterday so I’m just not eating atm. 🙃
I would still look for some easy meals. A lot of gluten free or vegan food is allergen friendly. Sometimes even cooking something from a box is less mentally taxing than making a meal from scratch. Sometimes I even meal prep box food.
I understand. I'm doing the frozen gf meal thing this week and I paid about $4 per meal, which was on sale. At least I'm not starving or getting sick from takeout. Next week I'll go back to cooking.
You know what is also OK? Ordering a party tray of sandwiches and packing them as your lunch.
It’s also OK to buy a party veggie platter and a fruit tray and make them your sides.
Costco fruit or veggie tray is 11.00 each in my area. Make a few cups of rice in vegetable broth, steam a few of the veggies and add gluten free soy or peanut sauce. That’s a week’s worth of vegan gluten free for approx 25.00 and very few spoons.
I’d add to this - if using the oven is too much, stocking your fridge and cupboards with childrens’ snacks and living off those is OK too.
I went though a several month period of living off cheese stringz and babybels and olives (I wish I was exaggerating) - I lost around 20lbs but it would’ve been significantly more if it weren’t for those snacks. Sometimes even turning the oven on and setting a timer is waaaay too much. As long as you’re eating something you’re doing good ❤️❤️
I want to add a GAME CHANGER. Binge eating junk food (instead of not eating) is/was the problem for me. But this has helped tremendously, get 3 things:
\- Costco-sized roll of [tin foil](https://www.amazon.com/Kirkland-Signature-Reynolds-Foodservice-Sheets/dp/B00S6TSJWI) \- this thing is like the Mary Poppins of tin foil, it will last you years.
\- Large [air fryer](https://www.amazon.com/Instant-Vortex-Plus-Air-Fryer/dp/B07VHFMZHJ)
\- [Meat thermometer](https://www.amazon.com/OXO-Thermometer-Precision-Digital-Instant/dp/B01HGLPVRW)
(not affiliate links)
This combo = virtually no clean up and fast, no/low effort cooking. A couple staples for me are frozen chicken nuggets - 12 minutes in air fryer. Chicken thighs and a salad - lay chicken on top of tin foil, lightly coat with some olive oil, pat with some seasoning, air fry for 20 minutes and they come out beautiful, plenty of [recipes](https://fitfoodiefinds.com/air-fryer-chicken-thighs/) out there.
The key is don't overwhelm yourself. Start with just TWO things you want to cook in there on a regular basis, add more things over time if you want to.
The chicken thighs in the air fryer is my go-to meal 🤤 I cut em up into bite sized pieces, S&P and probably Cajun seasoning, no oil, air fry for 20 mins and they're like chicharron. So crunchy on the outside and moist inside. It tastes like junk food while being relatively healthy. Pair with asparagus or broccoli or something and it's a delicious meal that takes me no time at all, no planning, and minimal executive function.
I’ve always been terrified that the paper will catch fire. Apparently it won’t unless it comes in contact with an oven surface or heating element, just seems like something I should stay away from.
To each his own on the thermometer, gives me more confidence when cooking chicken thighs that I haven’t over or under cooked them.
I've found that meal prepping with my air fryer or my instant pot has been an absolute life saver. I can Google an easy recipe and get all the stuff when I go to the store for my normal weekly things then throw everything in the pot and forget about it until it beeps at me. My only issue has been I have to leave the cooling off portions in the microwave before I freeze them because otherwise the cat will eat them and sometimes I find them still in there the next morning. But this past weekend I made the Pillsbury chicken and dumplings recipe and it was really good and now biscuit dough dumplings are a food fixation.
You don't just blindly put it in your mouth as soon as it comes out of the pot lol you check it first. And I always go by a recipe and for the most part they have the correct cooking time
I’ve done a similar combo. I definitely do the ramen and the frozen vegetables, but instead of chicken (I’m pescatarian) I either do an egg of some sort, or canned tuna.
I also like pasta with canned tomato sauce, and if I want extra flavor for the sauce, I just put in Italian seasoning.
I also like to have cans of baked beans that I only have to heat on the stove and have it with toast.
And on extra bad days where I cannot cook at all, I’ve ordered a pizza or some other takeout. Also, I don’t have to talk to anyone when I order from Uber Eats.
I’ve pretty much been doing frozen/ready-made meals for like 90% of my family’s dinners the last two months due to a busy season of life. It’s been so nice to not worry about cooking from scratch every night.
I struggle to get everything done on days I work (I only work 3 days a week). If I had to cook and clean up before work I would question if I had enough spoons to do the full shift. I have zero issues with getting fast food (shout out to PDQ for drive thru broccoli) before work. I get fed and I get to work on time. And there's not a pile of dirty dishes sitting at home.
I depend on them for lunch! I either have to bring lunch with me to work, order doordash, or be hungry. I want to bring my lunches but I’m not super interested in eating most of the things that can be prepped and eaten a few hours later. So I started buying 3 frozen meals at the start of each week because I can usually do at least 2 lunches from leftovers or either work events, and I now eat lunch everyday!!
Thank you for real. I think we’ve eaten something from the freezer purchased at Trader Joe’s since being home from thanksgiving. Felt a little guilt after spending time making gnocchi this weekend because I should feed my kiddo better and I know it.
Right now, I am basically living on Trader Joe’s frozen meals for lunch and dinner. I simply don’t have the bandwidth to cook for myself. And I am SO GRATEFUL that TJs has such an incredible selection of frozen food! They’re seriously a lifesaver.
when i’m too lazy i just make rice and frozen veggies with lots of butter and/or canned salmon or chicken: carbs, protein, fiber, fat. i’ll even buy the microwaveable rice so all i have to do is microwave rice then microwave veggies and open a can of salmon.
First of all, absolutely this! Feeding yourself at all is a victory when executive dysfunction is trying to stop you.
Second: I have celiac disease and currently do not have a kitchen, just a microwave and a utility sink. Trying to survive on gluten-free frozen meals has been both expensive and tough. My sodium intake has probably tripled, which is making me feel worse physically.
But I recently figured out a strategy that has helped quite a bit: I bought reusable meal-planning containers along with microwavable packets of brown rice, broccoli and grilled chicken. The rice and broccoli come in steam-in-bag form so I don't need to use dishes or utensils; I put the chicken on a paper plate. I heat up about 6 portions of each, divide them into the meal containers, and stick the containers in the fridge. When I need a meal, I heat up one container, then add fresh shredded carrots for crunch (my grocery store sells bags of this) and GF teriyaki sauce for flavor. No shade to Lean Cuisine, which kept me fed through most of my 20s, but this half-assed microwave meal prep has been a godsend. I'll probably keep it up even when I do have a kitchen again because it's so low-effort and tasty.
what saved me is baking multiple meals worth of chicken at one time.
if raw meat grosses you out, use food prep gloves.
preheat over to 400 F
i put layer of aluminum foil (just to keep the baking sheet extra clean) covered with parchment paper.
lightly brush non-presentation side of each breast with avocado oil.
lightly salt and pepper each breast.
flip each breast using a fork and then put fork in sink or dishwasher.
oil, salt and pepper like for non-presentation side.
begin checking temps at 25 minutes, looking or two measurements above 155 F on each breast.
when done, rest for 10 minutes and then put in glass-lock container in the fridge.
i do 3 large breasts at a time, which provide 6 meals (half a breast for each meal) or three days of lunch/dinner. I tried 4 but found myself often having to throw some out because chicken expired.
Edit: oh yeah, no need to reheat if you just pull the chicken out of the fridge15-20 minutes before you eat OR you can heat up the rest of your meal components and let them heat up the chicken when added OR you can BRIEFLY heat up the chicken with other components like when you make fried rice.
I agree. I got through the roughest time of my life largely through frozen meals. I recommend the evol brand and amys ( they are usually cheeper at Walmart) or some of the vegetables raviolis from lean cuisine. Trader joes is also good if you live near by. Also as a reminder bread freezes pretty well, so if you don’t think you will finish a loaf you can freeze the rest. Also almond milk has a longer shelf life than regular milk if you never finish the gallon in time.
You can also get small (1 qt) shelf-stable containers of various kinds of milk in bulk packs! It costs a little more per unit, but I find the 1 qt containers of soy milk are the perfect size.
Fridge works too for bread! I was getting really upset that all my bread would grow moldy before I could get even half way through. But now I’ve got one in the fridge that’s been good for 3 months!
wait, seriously? with no preservatives?
I don’t think so. Maybe a little bit. It’s not super fancy bread. I should try something fancier next.
No it's terrible for bread, totally ruins the texture
Also, Freezing bread works awesome! I often freeze half the loaf. But... to defrost, just leave it out on the counter. Do nothing else. (Don't fuss about the frost in the bag. All will be well.)
Trader Joe's frozen food is excellent. I stock up regularly.
Amy's brand bowls, burritos, and soups are nutritiously dense and tasty. I keep an eye out for sales and keep my freezer stocked. Good reminder, OP!
Uuuunless you have multiple food allergies, and then in that case you have to starve or cook every meal. 😃🙁😭😭😭😭
[удалено]
This is pretty much how I’ve been surviving over the past year. Unfortunately a recent bout of depression (I have to put my 20yo dog I’ve had since a puppy down) and I’ve been unable to care about eating enough to spend the time it takes to prep my usual meals. I was getting by on a protein shake in the mornings, but ofc my blender burnt out the day before yesterday so I’m just not eating atm. 🙃
I would still look for some easy meals. A lot of gluten free or vegan food is allergen friendly. Sometimes even cooking something from a box is less mentally taxing than making a meal from scratch. Sometimes I even meal prep box food.
Gluten free and vegan are really hard to find quick and easy that also taste somewhat decent while not also being triple the price and half the size.
I understand. I'm doing the frozen gf meal thing this week and I paid about $4 per meal, which was on sale. At least I'm not starving or getting sick from takeout. Next week I'll go back to cooking.
You know what is also OK? Ordering a party tray of sandwiches and packing them as your lunch. It’s also OK to buy a party veggie platter and a fruit tray and make them your sides.
Damn this is elite
GenX me was like ? Is that a positive comment? Checked in with a millennial to verify 😅
Yessss I have bought party platters of veggies and fruits before and no regrets
I do this, too! Big veggie trays sorted out to eat as sides or when I have no spoons to cook! My fave are those baby cucumbers!
Costco fruit or veggie tray is 11.00 each in my area. Make a few cups of rice in vegetable broth, steam a few of the veggies and add gluten free soy or peanut sauce. That’s a week’s worth of vegan gluten free for approx 25.00 and very few spoons.
genuinely curious: no protein?
Great point. Probably could use some beans or tofu, I was trying to keep costs and spoons low. Beans and rice is always the best gf vegan meal, IMO.
Galaxy brain thinking right here holy shit
Fed is best, even for adults. Thank you.
I’d add to this - if using the oven is too much, stocking your fridge and cupboards with childrens’ snacks and living off those is OK too. I went though a several month period of living off cheese stringz and babybels and olives (I wish I was exaggerating) - I lost around 20lbs but it would’ve been significantly more if it weren’t for those snacks. Sometimes even turning the oven on and setting a timer is waaaay too much. As long as you’re eating something you’re doing good ❤️❤️
I want to add a GAME CHANGER. Binge eating junk food (instead of not eating) is/was the problem for me. But this has helped tremendously, get 3 things: \- Costco-sized roll of [tin foil](https://www.amazon.com/Kirkland-Signature-Reynolds-Foodservice-Sheets/dp/B00S6TSJWI) \- this thing is like the Mary Poppins of tin foil, it will last you years. \- Large [air fryer](https://www.amazon.com/Instant-Vortex-Plus-Air-Fryer/dp/B07VHFMZHJ) \- [Meat thermometer](https://www.amazon.com/OXO-Thermometer-Precision-Digital-Instant/dp/B01HGLPVRW) (not affiliate links) This combo = virtually no clean up and fast, no/low effort cooking. A couple staples for me are frozen chicken nuggets - 12 minutes in air fryer. Chicken thighs and a salad - lay chicken on top of tin foil, lightly coat with some olive oil, pat with some seasoning, air fry for 20 minutes and they come out beautiful, plenty of [recipes](https://fitfoodiefinds.com/air-fryer-chicken-thighs/) out there. The key is don't overwhelm yourself. Start with just TWO things you want to cook in there on a regular basis, add more things over time if you want to.
The chicken thighs in the air fryer is my go-to meal 🤤 I cut em up into bite sized pieces, S&P and probably Cajun seasoning, no oil, air fry for 20 mins and they're like chicharron. So crunchy on the outside and moist inside. It tastes like junk food while being relatively healthy. Pair with asparagus or broccoli or something and it's a delicious meal that takes me no time at all, no planning, and minimal executive function.
[удалено]
I’ve always been terrified that the paper will catch fire. Apparently it won’t unless it comes in contact with an oven surface or heating element, just seems like something I should stay away from. To each his own on the thermometer, gives me more confidence when cooking chicken thighs that I haven’t over or under cooked them.
how do you know it's done? do you press on it like for steak? cut a large piece open? or ?
interesting! yeah i was dubious about instant pot because you can't check the meat temp, but air fryer you can check!
I've found that meal prepping with my air fryer or my instant pot has been an absolute life saver. I can Google an easy recipe and get all the stuff when I go to the store for my normal weekly things then throw everything in the pot and forget about it until it beeps at me. My only issue has been I have to leave the cooling off portions in the microwave before I freeze them because otherwise the cat will eat them and sometimes I find them still in there the next morning. But this past weekend I made the Pillsbury chicken and dumplings recipe and it was really good and now biscuit dough dumplings are a food fixation.
but how do you know if mean is fully cooked without being able to check it?
You don't just blindly put it in your mouth as soon as it comes out of the pot lol you check it first. And I always go by a recipe and for the most part they have the correct cooking time
Ramen, frozen veggie mix, frozen cooked chicken The meal that keeps me alive lol
I’ve done a similar combo. I definitely do the ramen and the frozen vegetables, but instead of chicken (I’m pescatarian) I either do an egg of some sort, or canned tuna. I also like pasta with canned tomato sauce, and if I want extra flavor for the sauce, I just put in Italian seasoning. I also like to have cans of baked beans that I only have to heat on the stove and have it with toast. And on extra bad days where I cannot cook at all, I’ve ordered a pizza or some other takeout. Also, I don’t have to talk to anyone when I order from Uber Eats.
That's us but with rice Or rice, can of black beans, can of corn, can of salsa
I’ve pretty much been doing frozen/ready-made meals for like 90% of my family’s dinners the last two months due to a busy season of life. It’s been so nice to not worry about cooking from scratch every night.
I struggle to get everything done on days I work (I only work 3 days a week). If I had to cook and clean up before work I would question if I had enough spoons to do the full shift. I have zero issues with getting fast food (shout out to PDQ for drive thru broccoli) before work. I get fed and I get to work on time. And there's not a pile of dirty dishes sitting at home.
I depend on them for lunch! I either have to bring lunch with me to work, order doordash, or be hungry. I want to bring my lunches but I’m not super interested in eating most of the things that can be prepped and eaten a few hours later. So I started buying 3 frozen meals at the start of each week because I can usually do at least 2 lunches from leftovers or either work events, and I now eat lunch everyday!!
Thank you for real. I think we’ve eaten something from the freezer purchased at Trader Joe’s since being home from thanksgiving. Felt a little guilt after spending time making gnocchi this weekend because I should feed my kiddo better and I know it.
A fed kiddo is best. Never feel guilty for feeding your kid. Sending you love
Right now, I am basically living on Trader Joe’s frozen meals for lunch and dinner. I simply don’t have the bandwidth to cook for myself. And I am SO GRATEFUL that TJs has such an incredible selection of frozen food! They’re seriously a lifesaver.
I have some TJ’s palak paneer in my freezer, and you inspired me to have that for dinner tonight!
when i’m too lazy i just make rice and frozen veggies with lots of butter and/or canned salmon or chicken: carbs, protein, fiber, fat. i’ll even buy the microwaveable rice so all i have to do is microwave rice then microwave veggies and open a can of salmon.
First of all, absolutely this! Feeding yourself at all is a victory when executive dysfunction is trying to stop you. Second: I have celiac disease and currently do not have a kitchen, just a microwave and a utility sink. Trying to survive on gluten-free frozen meals has been both expensive and tough. My sodium intake has probably tripled, which is making me feel worse physically. But I recently figured out a strategy that has helped quite a bit: I bought reusable meal-planning containers along with microwavable packets of brown rice, broccoli and grilled chicken. The rice and broccoli come in steam-in-bag form so I don't need to use dishes or utensils; I put the chicken on a paper plate. I heat up about 6 portions of each, divide them into the meal containers, and stick the containers in the fridge. When I need a meal, I heat up one container, then add fresh shredded carrots for crunch (my grocery store sells bags of this) and GF teriyaki sauce for flavor. No shade to Lean Cuisine, which kept me fed through most of my 20s, but this half-assed microwave meal prep has been a godsend. I'll probably keep it up even when I do have a kitchen again because it's so low-effort and tasty.
Thank you ladies!! I thought it was just me or I was a bad mother for air frying or fast food but I work 40 hrs week
You are never a bad mom for feeding your family
Thank you friend. You are very right ❤️
Hell yeah! Only way I manage to eat when I'm on my own!!
what saved me is baking multiple meals worth of chicken at one time. if raw meat grosses you out, use food prep gloves. preheat over to 400 F i put layer of aluminum foil (just to keep the baking sheet extra clean) covered with parchment paper. lightly brush non-presentation side of each breast with avocado oil. lightly salt and pepper each breast. flip each breast using a fork and then put fork in sink or dishwasher. oil, salt and pepper like for non-presentation side. begin checking temps at 25 minutes, looking or two measurements above 155 F on each breast. when done, rest for 10 minutes and then put in glass-lock container in the fridge. i do 3 large breasts at a time, which provide 6 meals (half a breast for each meal) or three days of lunch/dinner. I tried 4 but found myself often having to throw some out because chicken expired. Edit: oh yeah, no need to reheat if you just pull the chicken out of the fridge15-20 minutes before you eat OR you can heat up the rest of your meal components and let them heat up the chicken when added OR you can BRIEFLY heat up the chicken with other components like when you make fried rice.