Balanced Meals When Time Is Tight

This guide is for the days when your fridge is almost empty, you don’t have a lot of time, or cooking feels impossible. When you have convenient foods available you can still eat balanced, without making everything from scratch. Pick a meal based on how much time and energy you have, and use the combinations below as a starting point and swap ingredients based on what you have.

Breakfast

• Greek Yogurt Breakfast Bowl - Greek yogurt cup + handful of granola or trail mix + optional berries.

• Protein Shake + Fruit - Pre-made protein shake or smoothie + apple or cup of berries. Orgain, OWYN, SlimFast, Boost, and Atkins all carry pre-made shakes with options providing at least 20 g of protein.

• Cottage Cheese + Fruit - Cottage cheese cup + fresh fruit or applesauce cup + optional nuts or seeds.

• Hard-Boiled Egg Breakfast Plate - Pre-cooked hard-boiled eggs + whole-grain toast or crackers + fruit.

• Peanut Butter Banana Toast - Whole-grain bread + peanut or almond butter + banana.

• Overnight Oats - Ready-made overnight oats + Greek yogurt or protein shake + berries.

• Breakfast Wrap - High-fiber tortilla + pre-cooked hard-boiled eggs + cheese + salsa.

• Cottage Cheese Toast - Whole-grain toast + cottage cheese + Everything seasoning + tomato slices or fruit.

• Microwave Egg & Avocado Toast - Pre-cooked or microwaveable egg + whole-grain toast + avocado + Everything seasoning.

• Frozen Waffles + Protein - Frozen whole-grain waffles + Greek yogurt or cottage cheese + berries + nut butter.

Lunch Options

• Tuna or Salmon Cracker Plate - Canned tuna or salmon pouch + whole-grain crackers + baby carrots or raw broccoli.

• Turkey & Cheese Roll-Ups - Deli turkey + cheese + high-fiber tortilla or whole-grain crackers + baby carrots or fruit.

• Cottage Cheese Lunch Bowl - Cottage cheese cup + fruit + whole-grain crackers + nuts or seeds.

• Hummus Snack Plate - Hummus cup + baby carrots + bell peppers + whole-grain crackers or pita + cheese stick or hard-boiled egg.

• Rotisserie Chicken Wrap - Pre-cooked rotisserie chicken + high-fiber tortilla + bagged salad or shredded lettuce + hummus, avocado, or guacamole.

• Deli Chicken Salad Plate - Pre-cooked chicken + whole-grain crackers + baby carrots + fruit + hummus.

• Tuna Salad Wrap - Tuna packet + high-fiber tortilla + hummus or avocado + bagged greens.

• Turkey Sandwich - Whole-grain or high-fiber bread + deli turkey + cheese + mustard + pre-cut vegetables or fruit.

• Chicken Sausage + Frozen Vegetables - Pre-cooked chicken sausage + frozen vegetables steamed in the bag. Microwave the sausage if desired + optional microwaveable rice or quinoa.

• Black Bean Cauliflower Rice Bowl - Canned black beans + bagged cauliflower rice you can microwave + salsa + guacamole cup.

• Microwave Rice & Tuna Bowl - Microwaveable brown or wild rice + tuna pouch + frozen vegetables + salsa or low-sodium soy sauce.

• Microwave Bean & Cheese Bowl - Canned black or pinto beans + microwaveable rice + shredded cheese + salsa + guacamole.

• Avocado Toast - Frozen or whole-grain bread + avocado + Everything seasoning + optional hard-boiled egg or turkey slices.

Snack

• Nut Butter + Whole-Wheat Bread - Nut butter packet + slice of whole-wheat bread.

• Trail Mix - Handful of trail mix.

• Roasted Chickpeas - Handful of roasted or air-fried chickpeas. If you have time, season with ranch or BBQ seasoning.

• String Cheese + Fruit + Nuts - Low-fat string cheese + fruit + nut of choice.

• Hummus or Guacamole + Vegetables - Hummus or guacamole cup + baby carrots + bell peppers + optional tortilla chips.

• Protein Bar - Protein bar with at least 10+ g of protein. Read the label.

• Greek Yogurt + Fruit - Greek yogurt cup + berries or another fruit.

• Hard-Boiled Egg + Fruit - Hard-boiled egg + apple, orange, grapes, or berries.

• Tuna Packet + Crackers - Tuna pouch + whole-grain crackers.

• Edamame + Fruit - Ready-to-eat or microwaveable edamame + fruit.

• Apple + Nut Butter - Apple + peanut or almond butter packet.

• Cottage Cheese + Fruit - Cottage cheese cup + fruit or applesauce.

• Pre-Cut Vegetable Combinations - Pre-cut vegetables + hummus, tuna, turkey, cheese, or hard-boiled eggs.

• Microwaveable Grain Combinations - Microwaveable grains + canned beans, tuna or salmon, pre-cooked chicken, frozen vegetables, salsa, or guacamole.

• Frozen Vegetable Combinations - Frozen vegetables + chicken sausage, frozen veggie burgers, pre-cooked chicken, canned beans, or microwave rice.

Dinner Options

• Rotisserie Chicken Plate - Ready-made grocery store (or your favorite brand) Rotisserie chicken + pre-cut vegetables + microwaveable grain or whole-grain bread + hummus or guacamole.

• Turkey & Cheese Plate - Deli turkey + cheese + whole-grain crackers + baby carrots + fruit + hummus.

• Tuna & Avocado Plate - Tuna pouch + avocado + whole-grain crackers + pre-cut vegetables.

• Hummus & Chicken Wrap - Hummus + pre-cooked chicken + high-fiber tortilla + bagged greens + bell peppers.

• Cottage Cheese Dinner Bowl - Cottage cheese + cherry tomatoes + cucumber + avocado + whole-grain crackers or toast.

• Frozen Veggie Burger + Sweet Potato Fries - Frozen veggie burger + frozen sweet potato fries + optional frozen vegetables or salad.

• Frozen Stir-Fry Bowl - Frozen stir-fry vegetables + leftover or microwavable rice + soy sauce or teriyaki sauce + optional pre-cooked chicken, shrimp, tofu, or edamame.

• Protein-Packed Frozen Meal - Frozen meal with at least 20 g protein + mixed greens salad, frozen vegetables, or fruit.

• Microwave Chicken & Rice Bowl - Pre-cooked chicken + microwaveable rice + frozen vegetables + salsa or sauce.

• Microwaveable Lentil Bowl - Pre-cooked lentils + microwaveable rice or quinoa + frozen vegetables + hummus or avocado.

• Quesadilla - High-fiber tortilla + shredded cheese + canned black beans + salsa + guacamole.

• Pre-Cooked Chicken or Turkey Combinations - Pre-cooked chicken or turkey + microwaveable grains, frozen vegetables, bagged salad, whole-grain wraps, avocado, or salsa.

KEEP YOUR KITCHEN STOCKED

Keep one or two of these ideas in your pantry. These can last long in your kitchen, and come in handy when fresh groceries are low.

Shelf-Stable Foods

• Canned tuna

• Canned salmon

• Canned chicken

• Canned beans

• Canned chickpeas

• Peanut butter

• Oatmeal packets

• Cracker

• Nut butter

• Shelf-stable protein drinks

• Protein bars

• Instant oatmeal

• Microwave rice

• Microwave quinoa cups

• Whole-grain crackers

• Trail mix

• Applesauce cups

• Tuna or salmon pouches

Freezer Foods

• Frozen vegetables

• Frozen berries

• Frozen waffles

• Frozen bread

• Frozen veggie burgers

• Frozen sweet potato fries

• Frozen stir-fry vegetables

• Frozen meals

• Frozen edamame

Long-Fridge-Life Foods

• Greek yogurt

• Cottage cheese

• Eggs

• Pre-cooked chicken sausage

• String cheese

• Apples

• Oranges

• Plums

• Baby carrots

• Bell peppers

• Cabbage

Convenience Foods

• Pre-cut vegetables

• Bagged salad

• Rotisserie chicken

• Pre-cooked chicken

• Pre-cooked hard-boiled eggs

• Hummus cups

• Guacamole cups

• Deli turkey

• Deli chicken

• Microwaveable grains