When you’re busy, you don’t always have time to cook and eat a nutritious meal. Whether you feel forced to skip breakfast or there seems to be no time for cooking dinner on weeknights, you must find ways to keep yourself properly fed. While you can take supplements to ensure you’re getting enough nutrients, you still need to get most of your nutrients, including macronutrients, vitamins, and minerals, through regular food. As you age, doctors and medical professionals recommend eating regularly and nutritious foods to support your health. While you should always make time for your meals and aim to reduce the amount you eat out, you may not always have time to cook, and that’s okay. Here are a few quick meals for when you’re on the go.
Blueberry Almond Oatmeal
If you need a quick breakfast or boost in the afternoon, try overnight blueberry-almond oatmeal. All you need are a few simple ingredients: oatmeal, blueberry, almonds, and a glass jar. When you’re ready, just refrigerate the ingredients overnight and microwave them in the morning, or eat it cold. If you put your oatmeal in a jar, you can add a lid and throw it into your bag for a quick on-the-go breakfast.
Smoothies
Smoothies are the ultimate meal for when you’re on the go because you don’t need anything but a straw to drink them. If you love fruits and vegetables, you can quickly make your own smoothies at home and take them with you wherever you go. The best thing about smoothies is that they’re delicious any time of day, so whether you’re late for work and need a fast, nutritious meal or you’re too tired to make something before heading out to pick up the kids at soccer practice, a smoothie is a great pick me up.
Breakfast Burritos
They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so why are you skipping it so often? Breakfast burritos are fast, easy, and delicious. It only takes about twenty minutes to combine eggs, cheese, and vegetables to make your own breakfast burrito wrapped in a warmed tortilla, and you can add any ingredients you like.
Chicken Parmesan Wraps
If you love chicken parmesan, consider making it portable. Wrapping your chicken parm in a tortilla allows you to eat it anywhere and everywhere with less mess while giving you something warm to hold onto. Of course, you should grill the wrap once your chicken parmesan is close to the ends so it doesn’t open up on you while you’re eating it.
Ham and Cream Cheese Pinwheels
Love sandwiches but don’t have time to make something epic? Consider making your own ham and cream cheese pinwheels by rolling up your ingredients in a tortilla and letting them sit in the fridge overnight. When ready, you can cut them into small, bite-sized pieces.
Broccoli Cheddar Pockets
If you love broccoli and cheddar together, consider putting them in a warm tortilla pocket. To make a broccoli cheddar pocket, all you have to do is fill your pocket with broccoli, cheddar, and sour cream. You can season it with salt, pepper, garlic, and chives.
Eggs in a Mug
If you love eggs but don’t want to deal with all the dirty dishes, consider making your eggs in a mug instead. All you have to do is stir up an egg, add some cheese, meat, and veggies, then microwave your egg and mix it up.
Quinoa and Broccoli Cakes
Your quick meals don’t have to consist of unhealthy, processed foods you find at the grocery store. Instead, search for healthy ingredients like quinoa and broccoli cakes. All you have to do is combine the cooked quinoa and steamed broccoli with breadcrumbs, cheese, and an egg to form it all together into patties and fry them for a few minutes.
Waffle Turkey BLTs
Combine breakfast and lunch with a waffle turkey BLT using traditional frozen waffles. All you have to do is use the cooked waffles as bread and fill your sandwich with your favorite ingredients like meats, cheese, and vegetables. Since waffles can get soggy with wet ingredients, consider packing your vegetables separately and adding them right before you’re about to eat your sandwich.
Salad
Salads of all types of easy, quick meals for when you’re on the go. While you can’t hold your entire salad in your hand while you drive, type, or whatever else you’re doing, you can take a few minutes to eat your salad because making salads is fast. All you need are your favorite salad ingredients, like lettuce or spinach and other vegetables, meats, and dressing, to ensure you have something to eat wherever you go. Ensure you take the time to wash all your fruits and vegetables to keep them fresh and prevent food-borne illnesses.
Hummus
Alone, hummus is more of a snack than a meal, but you can spice up your hummus by adding meat and other vegetables. For example, you can add gyro meat or chicken and vegetables like tomatoes, celery, and cucumber, then dip your favorite pita chips in it for an easy yet delicious snack or meal. You can also serve your hummus with rice.
Quesadillas
There’s no easier meal than the quesadillas because they only take a few minutes to cook and can be eaten just about anywhere. All you need are tortillas and cheese. You can also add steak or chicken if you have any on hand. When you’re ready to make your quesadilla, just cook the tortilla with the cheese until fully melted and slightly crispy.
Chili
Chili takes time to cook, but if you make enough of it, you can freeze it and eat it throughout the week. All you need is your meat, which can be turkey, chicken, or beef, beans, tomato paste, and chili powder. You can make your chili however you like by adding additional spices or go for something more traditional. When your chili is done, you can pre-pack it in small, portable lunch containers so all you have to do is heat it up when you’re ready to eat.
Final Thoughts
Finding the right quick meals depends on your cooking style. Some people prefer to cook as fast as possible, while others want to put some time and effort into the foods they make themselves for quick lunches. If you’re looking for some meal inspiration, go to your local farmer’s market and see what’s in season. The key is to make your food quickly without compromising taste and nutrition.
Ashley Nielsen
Ashley Nielsen earned a B.S. degree in Business Administration Marketing at Point Loma Nazarene University. She is a freelance writer who loves to share knowledge about general business, marketing, lifestyle, wellness, and financial tips. During her free time, she enjoys being outside, staying active, reading a book, or diving deep into her favorite music.
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