Trader Joe’s salmon or shrimp burgers and frozen sweet potato fries

Scrambled eggs, frozen potato pancakes and fruit

Quesadilla with refried beans from can and cheese

Caprese salad (sliced fresh mozzarella, tomato and avocado) pita and hommus on the side

Defrosted frozen cooked shrimp and cocktail sauce, salad or frozen veg and heat up frozen rolls

Frozen meatballs. Dump half a bag of meatballs in the Instant Pot, add a can of tomatoes and/or passata, and chopped peppers. Cook on HP for 6 mins. Serve with spaghetti. If you’re feeling really lazy, add a bit of Moroccan spicing (or whatever spice you like) and serve with couscous.

Mapo tofu is also very quick. Rice cooked in rice cooker.

Fried eggs or omelette and potato wedges/fries or baked potatoes (part cooked in microwave than 10 mins in air fryer).

Chicken Caesar salad made with rotisserie chicken. Serve with French bread and cheese, fruit etc.

Italian flag pasta. Green spaghetti/linguine served with tomato sauce (can of tomatoes cooked with a pinch of sugar, olive oil and a little chopped basil), topped with a spoonful of good quality cottage cheese. This sounds like it wouldn’t work, but it tastes great. Just stay away from low-fat cottage cheese. Kids love this dish.

Confetti pasta. Cooked pasta spirals with chopped ham, corn (canned is ok), ham, diced pepper, grated cheese etc. I use whatever I have in the fridge/cupboard.

Ground meat roll ups - saute ground meat (beef, turkey, whatever) with whatever flavor suits your fancy. I'm into Japanese BBQ sauce lately.

Top with store bought chopped slaw mix

Wrap it up in a tortilla. Add cilantro, thai basil, whatever, if you're feeling fancy.

Done.

Black bean tacos -

Mix black beans with a little olive oil, lime juice, honey (more honey for the picky eaters), salt/pepper/cumin.

Throw in a tortilla with store bought slaw/salad whatever mix and a little crumbled cheese. Add chopped up fruit (I use apples or mangos)

Healthy and easy and no cooking required.

I'm loving my air fryer for "I can't even..." nights. Frozen battered cod filets + frozen French fries = fish & chips in 15 minutes, totally hands off. Add a bagged salad and dinner is served.

Or grilled cheese on a baking sheet in the oven, no-fuss way to cook for the whole family at once. Add a tray of sliced veggies.

I'm also not opposed to setting out a whole block of cheese, some crackers, ham if we have any, carrot sticks, celery, and calling it a day.

My kids are 4 and 2. My go to is ground meat + fruit + vegetable. Ground meat cooks so quickly and frozen veggie makes it a meal. For the fruit I give apple, orange or pear and I keep fruit cups in the pantry for days we don’t have fresh.

Just cook the meat and add the frozen veggie toward the end.

Ground beef and peas
Ground chicken and corn
Ground turkey and carrots

If I have more time/energy I will do ground bison with sweet potato or ground lamb with white potato, but potatoes do take longer and require chopping.

Will add rice or pasta if time/energy permits.

So easy and does not require processed food either!

sautéed mixed costco frozen veggies while orgain chicken fingers are cooking in air frying. reheat white rice, combine, add whatever condiment on top. substitute chicken with costco frozen fish cod.

Amy’s low sodium soup - I think I usually use the lentil. Heat in a pot until almost simmering. Add frozen fish. Yes, frozen white fish fillets! Heat gently until you have poached the fish.

Frozen TJ’s “Japanese” fried rice. I add unsalted riced cauliflower, extra frozen or fresh vegetables, chopped kimchi, eggs, whatever I have around.

Instant ramen made with extra water and half the sodium packet. Add frozen vegetables, protein, serve with kimchi.


Basically… take a convenience food and bulk it up and add healthier items to it.