We’ve all been there: it’s 6:30. You got home late from work, it’s been 3 weeks since you bought groceries, and you have absolutely no idea what to make for supper. I admittedly suffer a similar issue probably once a week, or at least every other week. Assisted by my weirdly “creative” cooking mind, I can usually pull it off. Here are some things I try to remember when I need to make a good meal in a pinch:
Protein/FillING Food
I always keep chicken breast and ground turkey in the freezer, so those are an option any time. Otherwise, I look for a pack of hot dogs that I still haven’t used from the last family BBQ, crack open a few eggs, or find a can or two of beans. Frozen chicken bakes quickly, and hot dogs gain a level in society if sliced lengthwise and roasted.
Bulk/FillER food
I wrack my brain for what sort of food I can make a lot of in a short time that will help fill our stomachs. I keep embarrassingly large amounts of frozen broccoli and cauliflower in my freezer, and I love to roast them (or steam in the microwave—depends on time and your texture preference). Otherwise, some minute rice or quinoa works wonders as a base for a dish, and potatoes are easy to chop up and microwave (faster, softer) or roast (longer, crisper). If you want to go super-fast and not-so-healthy, there’s no shame in opening a couple packs of ramen noodles. Discard the seasoning and add your own flavors. Fake it ’til you make it!
Pull it all together
Add sauces, salsa (I love fresh pico de gallo!), and seasonings to create a “dish,” rather than a “pile.” Pour some green enchilada sauce over rice and ground turkey with taco seasoning. Add marinara from the can to quinoa with a whole chicken breast and sprinkle with parmesan for a pretend chicken parm. Pop open a jar of pesto and dump into ramen noodles with sautéed mushrooms for one of my favorite 5-minute meals. 
The nice thing is, you won’t go hungry as long as you find these basic things, and you can mix and match them at your discretion, so you use whatever you have on hand! SALADS and BOWLS are a game changer.
You can throw almost anything onto a bed of lettuce, rice, or tater tots and call it a meal.
…Honestly, now that I think about it, this is what I do several times a week. I’m not ashamed to admit it. My husband tells me I make “mash” all the time and he’s absolutely correct!
“Tonight we’re having Taco Tots!”
“I’m making Turkey Taco Bowls.”
“How do you like the Greek Salad?”
Give it a menu name, and no one will question you.
How about a few examples? I’ll share some of my favorite healthy (and maybe not so healthy) meals that I’ve thrown together loosely using this concept. I might even include some foods that I didn’t really use this method to make, but that I liked and therefore would like to share with you. Let’s just say I’m now going to aim for FOODSPIRATION. Enjoy!
SALADS
Super Summer Salad: This tangy salad exploded with flavor at lunchtime one day, and it was such a no-brainer! I chopped lettuce, several varieties of pickled things, and crisp cucumbers and carrots. Feta cheese, leftover shredded bbq chicken, and a homemade tahini/coconut amino dressing finished it off. MM! My favorite salad tip: chop, chop, chop! Personally, my husband and I love our salads pretty much MINCED. It’s easier to eat, requires less dressing, and you can get so many things in every bite!
Another random salad that was crazy but surprisingly delicious: I used up leftover quinoa and roasted peppers/onions/Brussels sprouts along with egg whites, chia seeds, sesame crackers, avocado, sauerkraut, goat cheese, and sesame ginger dressing. All of these on a bed of greens made for a delicious and filling meal.
MEXICAN FOOD
Vegetarian Mexican Stuffed Peppers: put quinoa, beans, salsa, mushrooms, corn, onions, and lime juice into some bright bell peppers. Bake, top with a little mozzarella [I like to use due to its lower fat content], and serve with desired add-ons, ie. pico de gallo, tortillas/chips, sour cream, guacamole, salsa, etc. We ate this with avocado and more lime. Great for meal prep, too!
Some meals I made when we did a Whole30 in August/September 2017: The first one, a quick and easy burrito bowl. Cauliflower rice, ground turkey taco meat, avocado, lettuce, and all the olives. Second, “tacos” with ground turkey taco meat/shredded chicken, avocado, olive, and hot sauce. I found these an easy meal to whip up with little to no effort. I do like to add a cucumber pico as well. *drool*
BREAKFAST
Without argument, breakfast is my favorite meal of the day, and I’ve learned that my favorite things to have are roasted vegetables and avocado. What a typical breakfast might look like for me: eggs, avocado, some sort of vegetable, and some ham, turkey, or a veggie burger. OR I love some toast with garlic hummus or avocado, tomato, alfalfa sprouts, and sriracha. I won’t lie; I have even served taco meat and even beans with our breakfast in place of a more breakfast-y option. Am I embarrassed? No. Am I weird? Possibly.
OTHER
Spinach Breakfast Sandwich: I am not including this under breakfast because I can’t recommend putting this into your body first thing in the morning. I believe I had this for lunch or supper, but either way, it was delicious. Eggs, cheese, spinach, more cheese, and avocado all piled into sourdough and grilled on the stove, resulting in something similar to spinach and artichoke dip on bread. You might not poop for a week. I will not claim responsibility.
MEAL PREP
It’s next to impossible for me to go grocery shopping without planning some meals, so I like to think of some meals to prep, whether it’s an egg bake mixed the night before or some quick-grab lunches in the fridge. When I know what I’ll be making, it’s undoubtedly much harder to miss any important ingredients I need to buy. On top of that,I’m less likely to impulsively buy things if I’m focused on my list.
Well… what started out as a general how-to-make-a-meal post has turned into a meal novel. I’m not worried. I regret nothing 😉 To make up for the random bunch of photos (rather than picturing each food and pairing them with their description), I’ll include a bonus video here of some great meal prep options. If you lack the motivation to come up with meal combinations, try checking out a step-by-step instructional video. These are super easy to find on YouTube and I draw inspiration from them all the time!
Happy cooking… and more importantly, happy EATING.
Until next time,
Just Me 
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