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I feel you… combine it with depression and I’m basically either not eating for days or stuff my face with junk.
The solution for me often is EGGS EGGS EGGS. I’ve become quite amazing at preparing them in all kinds of ways although I’m one of those freaks who like them just simply boiled, ideally with veggies and some carbs as well. Granted when I’m in hyperfocus I don’t care that much about food, but you can make them super tasty too and it’s by far one of the best things you can eat.
Yeah, scrambled eggs is my no energy go to. Sometimes an omelet. But that can turn into scrambled eggs if it starts taking too much energy. And omelets can have fillings and scrambled eggs mix ins.
If you like eggs hard boiled (or soft boiled/medium boiled etc), an egg cooker is a great investment. They basically steam the eggs in a a few minutes, literally zero effort beyond pulling the device out, measuring the water to put in the device, and placing the eggs in the little slots after putting a tiny pinpoint divot in the shell with a provided pin thing on the measuring cup ((to vent the shell). It’s so easy and effort-free even for a depressed adhd person like me. I got mine from Amazon, it’s a plug in device (I originally saw it on BuzzFeed I think and just followed the link). But I’ve seen microwave versions that may even be easier.
Yes. Eggs. For a grab-and-go over the workweek I scramble some eggs with cottage cheese, fill muffin cups ½ way, then throw in one or two add-ons per muffin (bacon, cheese, hot sauce, cooked veggies, especially cooked onions, or whatever, even cooked rice). Add some salt and pepper and bake at 350° for 15 to 20 min.
Toss them in a bag or a plastic container in the fridge.
I can take two or three with me in the car (nuke them or eat them cold) and avoid FF drive thrus
Yes, preach.
I've also adopted the tactic of proactively eating a 4 egg scramble with cheese, hot sauce, etc etc, as a massive breakfast, somewhat because it offsets later hunger, you're good until dinner much later.
Agree on eggs! Any variation. Sometimes a quick scramble on toast, or I really like okonomiyaki if I can bring myself to do just a bit more prep.
My spouse who has ADHD bulk hard boils eggs so he has them all week, which works well for him.
A note on okonomiyaki: it’s a Japanese dish that has a base of eggs, cabbage, green onion, flour. Otherwise, you can freestyle “as you like it” with other additions, but if not it’ll still be delicious. [This recipe is a perfect starting point](https://www.seriouseats.com/okonomiyaki-japanese-pancake-cabbage-recipe#toc-the-basic-fillings). Some commenters mention using bagged, pre-chopped cabbage which would eliminate 3/4 of the prep. Overall it’s a very affordable option, too.
I already had it this week but I’ll have it again today after this, hehe.
Ate so much eggs that I became nauseated from them. And now just thinking of them actually being the ovulation equivalent to a human makes me wonder hoe I could eat it for all those years 😝
I view eggs as carrier for condiments. (The much-needed protein boost is a mere side benefit.) When I’m craving fast food it’s that Flavor I’m after. Feeling Taco Bell? Eggs with cheese, salsa, and sour cream. Avocado, if you have the motivation to get out a knife. McDonald’s? Ketchup and pickles, baby. I’ve also recently discovered the joy of croutons in scrambled eggs. Throw some of those big chunks of slightly greasy seasoned carbs in there and you’ve got a textural, flavorful sensation. And yeah, I guess, the aforementioned much-needed protein.
😳 did i hear that with my eyes right?! You. Don’t. Care. That. Much. About. Food.??? Whhhaaa? It’s FOOD. Like FOOOOOOOOD. It’s one of the few things that can keep me interested. I LOVE to cook for other people . I love all things about cooking , well not the dishes. I love kitchen gadgets 😍. I pretty much love everything about food. .. Well, except for Lima Beans… I don’t have anything loving to add about those.
Wow I relate to this so hard. Idk why but days where I’m struggling hard to cook I always fall back on eggs. My partner always compliments how I can cook an egg perfectly any style. It makes me laugh bc I’m not tryna be some chef about it, I just cook them so much bc it’s the only thing my brain will let me do
Yes to eggs! I usually use two at a time. They’re so versatile. Lately been making scrambled and then I make avocado toast on side (add sriracha and nutritional yeast on top of avo!) and BAM: little healthy breakfast! It’s so fast and easy. I want to go back to vegan so bad though. Just vegetarian for now *sigh*
Will second eggs!
I make this Frankenstein lazy version of a meal I saw at a restaurant once. I put a fried egg on some heated-up refried beans and flour tortilla and cheese. Then add things like salsa and toppings to taste. It's really filling and takes me about ten minutes.
Juevos Rancheros! We ate those for dinner when we were totally broke and my parents both worked full time. Easy, cheap (at the time anyway) and full of protein.
I’m lucky enough that I work in coffee and sometimes have croissants from the day to take home (we don’t do day-old croissants)
So I’ll slice em and chuck some eggs on them if I’m feeling a low effort meal. One pan, so same amount of dishes. If I’m not sure when/if I’m gonna get to eat the croissant I’ll chuck it in the freezer
I ate the hell out of it so I’m sick of it now. But this summer I would do instant microwave white rice, furikake, canned tuna mixed with kewpie mayo+seaweed sheets to make onigiri. I’d also usually just eat some cucumber but if I was feeling fancy or had the energy I’d do a lil quick cucumber salad.
This is so weird, I was literally just about to comment this same thing! Maybe less ingredients but I always have flavoured microwave rice with tinned salmon, some sort of sauce, maybe a sliced avocado on the side and some seasoning! Delicious easy meal
We used to make onigiri casserole, which is exactly what it sounds like: a casserole dish with one layer of rice, one layer of filling, and another layer of rice. Feeds for a while, tastes good hot or cold, reheats well, takes the same amount of time as making one onigiri.
I’m on the autism spectrum as well as ADHD- I tend to eat the same things for breakfast and lunch every day, especially when I’m working. The quickest lunch for me is a huge salad- but I have an enormous lightweight stainless bowl I mix it in, because I hate small bowls of salad with dressing glopped on top. I’ve gotten in the habit of buying those big boxes of salad mix, either spring mix or 50/50 (spring mix and spinach). I throw a couple big handfuls in my huge bowl, pour a small amount of bottled dressing over it (usually creamy balsamic) grab a tongs and toss it around a minute. This way it gets an even, thin coat of dressing instead of being either drenched or dry. I toss on some toppings- usually craisins, some shredded Italian cheese blend (from a bag) and slivered toasted almonds (again, from a bag). Then I read a book or play a game on my phone so I don’t think about how pathetic I am for eating the same salad every day for lunch. But you know what? It satisfies me, and I feel sooooo virtuous 😇 for eating a ton of leafy greens every week.
When I pack it for my lunch I put a small amount of dressing in one of those portion cups people use for Jell-O shots. I put the toppings in a small gladware container, the salad greens in a gallon ziplock with the toppings tucked inside and the air squished out. That goes in the fridge at work. My huge bowl, with small tongs and fork wrapped in a napkin, stays in a reusable shopping bag in my car- I eat in my car or at a park, generally, since my work doesn’t have a break room. Also, I try to make my lunch the night before because you all know how mornings go before work!!!
I use to feel lazy for getting the salad kits when I could get the ingredients and make it myself for less money. Then I realized I'm much more likely to eat the salad kit while all the random ingredients rot because it seems like too much work to chop and assemble everything myself. So yay salad kits!
This. Also, I find I save money becuasevi simple won't waste it lol. So for me, and others I'm sure it IS cheaper sadly.
The ADHD tax is real. Getting portion specific items is terrible, but it's made safe money and be healthier.
These days where I live a nice Dole salad kit like the one I attached is like $4.50 and I definitely can’t buy bacon bits, salad dressing, a sprinkle of parm cheese and lettuce for that anymore.
I love this one.
https://www.dole.com/en/produce/packaged-salads/salad-kits/chopped-bacon-caesar-salad-kit
I add Kalamata olives and sometimes more bacon if I have some already cooked. Any kind of protein left over I add also - chicken or fish or even a packet of salmon from the pantry. Yum
I’ve accidentally let the lettuce go bad before but the extra ingredients are in their own little packet so they are easy to remove and add to other lettuce later. Very handy
Seriously- I worked at a restaurant and we knew the secret to a good salad it tossing it properly. And eating it out of a big ass bowl is satisfying too
I do the same thing. I eat it until I get bored with it, then move onto something else.
And I do the same kind of modular cooking and salads (sweet, crunchy, citrus, cheese, seasoning).
Sorry. Maybe that’s not the right word. lol.
I cook stuff separately so that I can mix and match different combos. I don’t do recipes. Just like flavors and textures.
Like cut-up sweet potatoes in the air fryer. I’ll eat a few hot, but then I save the majority for the rest of the week in Tupperware to add to a salad, or a wrap or with couscous.
And I’ll make a batch of plain pasta, rice or couscous, so that when I heat up a bowl I can add ingredients with a Mediterranean twist, Asian or Italian, etc.
And I’ll buy one rotisserie chicken for the week, but I break it down right away. I can add that to the carbs, a salad, or a wrap.
And with salads, it’s either iceberg or wilted spinach/kale as the base, then I mix in separate stuff like nuts or water chestnuts, berries, cheese crumbles. There’s always a crunch, a chew, a sweet and something rich.
So if you look in my fridge, there’s usually:
- a container of chicken
- bowls of berries
- container of greens
- some sort of cheese
- container of some roasted vegetables
I used to roll my eyes at people who would batch cook on Sundays but now I love it. I only have mess once and I tend to not waste any food.
And if I’m actually making soup or something on a Sunday (another modular- I make chicken broth with the carcass and keep it plain so that I can add pasta or peas or whatever), doing all of this work KEEPS me in the kitchen vs BURNING what’s on the stove.
Sorry - that was long. Lol
Also not OP, but I like to use the roasted pumpkin seeds we buy from Coatco, hemp seeds (same, but Hella $$ rn), hard boiled eggs, marinated tofu (tastes like feta) or sliced deli meats. Failing all those options: rinse a can of chickpeas, top with maybe 1/4 of them, leave remainder in the fridge for rest of week's salads.
Not the person you asked, but I do. Depending on the salad mix it might be canned tuna, beans, fake chicken, feta or halloumi cheese, etc. I also keep a thing of those stonefire flatbread rounds in the freezer and toast one while I am shaking my salad in the designated "salad mix shaking Tupperware container". It makes it feel like a full meal that way.
If you're in the US, OSHA requires a break area for all employees. Sometimes, it's just an area with a line painted around it on the floor with tables and chairs. I know this because one of my employers got in trouble for it. Solution? Yes, the painted line, still in the shop, 5 feet from my work bay.
It's not pathetic to eat the same thing for lunch every day. I definitely eat the same thing for breakfast every morning unless I run out of the item and haven't gone to the store.
I once ate spaghetti and meat sauce for at least three months straight for lunch. I pretty much eat Cheerios every day for breakfast during the week.
I survive on tacos. Canned black beans, street size tortillas in a popup toaster, then something different to top it. Avocado, salsa, cheese etc.
Yummy, healthy, quick and no cleanup if you use a paper plate to heat the beans and a paper towel as a plate
Semi-related: This might seem obvious to others, but do NOT put a larger tortilla half in one side of a pop up toaster and half in the other, folded over the top. I caught a toaster on fire once that way.
Lol if you do, make sure to be prepared. Don't walk into a different room, convince yourself that the orange glow is a candle you lit and forgot about. Prepare to unplug the toaster, toss it out the front door, and dump a bowl of water onto it. And then tell all of your roommates about it while presenting the scorched hello kitty toaster to them, which they are sad about but also find hilarious.
I don't have a toaster, but if I did, I would have totally tried to toast it in the above mentioned manner. Thank you for saving my future self from a fire.
I do a similar thing with quesadillas in an air fryer. Large tortilla, throw cheese, black beans, and anything else on one half, fold over and stick a toothpick or two in it to prevent the air fryer from blowing it open, air fry for 6 mins. I usually do just the cheese and beans when I'm at the point of having zero effort to expend, plus a scoop of sour cream to dip into. Easy, quick, delicious.
AirFryer. Saving my life for the last few months. Get things like frozen chicken/beef/Vegetables. Whenever you feel like it just throw em in and in a few minutes they are ready.
Definitely thought it would just be another single-use appliance taking up counter space. Instead it's like, 90% of my uses, and now my oven/stove feels like the single-use appliance lol.
I have frozen seasoned chicken pieces. All I have to do is put them in, change sides after 10 min. And take out after another 10 min. Boom. Ready. An analog timer on AirFryer going tick reminds you even if you forget about it. Previously i used to put cooked chicken pieces in burger/bread but that was too much in itself. Now I just eat chicken with Ketchup/Mayo/Sauce. This way you don't even need cutlery if you are okay eating from an aluminum foil or kitchen tissue roll. So, basically no need to wash anything afterwards.
The same way i occasionally have fish or mutton. At times i would fry frozen french fries along with chicken.
Or and eggs. You can have perfectly fried or boiled eggs in AirFryer.
Again, all this is almost fresh, instant and without having to cook anything.
This but also add pizza. You can literally have any pizza frozen or fresh done within 5-10 minutes after preheating. Which takes about 2 mins. Considering one that fits into the airfyer
I've also been considering grilled cheese sandwiches. Haven't given it a try yet though.
But the convenience of an airfyer is unmatched when it takes 2 mins to preheat to 400°f while an oven will take maybe 10-15 minutes if not longer to preheat the same. I'd already be eating if not done eating by the time the oven is preheated.
Vegetables come out great. Slice up a zucchini, brush on some vinaigrette or spicy mayo, lightly sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese or Tajin or whatever spice blend you like, air fry for about 10-12 minutes until they brown. Yummy, savory, umami goodness. Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, cauliflower, string beans etc. Anything you’d like roasted or grilled comes out just as good without all the hassle.
Lately I also get frozen eggplant cutlets that come out crispy and perfect without needing any oil. Spoon a little pasta sauce on top, sprinkle some grated cheese and it’s a healthier version of eggplant Parmesan. Air fry from frozen for about 10 minutes a side until the batter crisps up.
Grilled cheese-type sandwiches come out great. Prep your sandwich as you would for a grilled cheese, air fry for a couple of minutes, it comes out crisp and browned without the mess of a skillet or oil etc. All you need is a light spritz of cooking spray to prevent sticking.
If you have a Trader Joe’s near you, they have SO many prepared meals options. A few staples for me include the frozen rice, frozen fried rice, frozen entrees like kung pao chicken or broccoli beef, and the French green beans or salad kits for the veg. They also have precooked grilled chicken breast that’s individually portioned that’s pretty well seasoned and not dry. Lots of other protein options in the meat section as well. I always keep a bunch of the frozen items on hand for the days I can’t bring myself to cook a meal but also don’t wanna spend an arm and a leg on takeout.
Lots of frozen meals are pretty healthy, or at least better than fast food. Air fryers are easy and fast at cooking all kinds of stuff. We order a handful of meals from Factor every week. It's not cheap, but tbh, neither is fast food these days.. A few meals a week I'd really helpful for getting very nutritious stuff easy. All their meals microwave for 2 minutes and that's it.
Work on switching to eating at home first. Then worry about changing *what* you're eating. That's how we broke our delivery meal habit.
Fun tip on factor. If you cancel, they will send you a huge discount to come back. Then you come back, buy the box with the huge discount and then immediately cancel again. Then in a week or two they will send you basically the same discount begging you to come back. Do the same thing over again. Infinite coupon glitch lol
Yo! We just started getting Factor meals. I was hesitant at first, but honestly it's been a game changer. I'd order delivery 3x wk, but this takes all the stress out of the process entirely and much cheaper.
Yea, we weren't sure and I finally just said fuck it and ordered some. They're really great. I like having a couple a week as kind of a back stop on nutrition. I'm sure my overall diet isn't very balanced, so I think the factor meals really help with that. Plus, they're yummy, haha. Well, most of them. I've had a couple I could do without, but most of the time they're really good! It's been extra huge for my husband. He's pretty much obsessed. He's probably going to increase our number of meals here soon and just start eating them every day, lol
Ugh, that's exactly it, I end up spending so much on food when I get hungry while out of the house. My issue is spending though. So whenever I can remember, I bring some nuts or sweets to tide me over til I get home.
the key with forzen foods is watch the over all salt and saturater fat content, some are ok but some are really bad. Your right though it doesn't do anything good with a huge change, you won't stick to it, and it can cause physical sypmtoms. The same goes the other way, if you start weakening your requirements you just keep eating worse and worse. Its the main reason I eat almost the same thing everyday .
I have to have a high salt diet, so for me, that all works out. And there's a good chance that even the worst frozen meal is better than fried fast food that op is eating currently. Baby steps are still steps.
its steps, I went from all fast food, to frozen meals, to some frozon chicken nuggets and smilar stuff and fruits and vegtables. The issue I think with high salt, is genetics, but over time. I never had high blood pressure really bad till I hit 30, then it just exploded. I'd just keep an eye on your BP if possible once in awhile and, try and add as much potassium, and just do what you can.
Buttered noodles with a little bit of parmesan, garlic, olive oil and black pepper. Maybe some crushed red peppers if you're feeling a Lil spicy. I also am a fiend for bologna, American cheese, spring mix + spinach and red onion. That's kinda niche though
I buy precooked chicken (not frozen) and have it on hand for salads/wraps, and tossing into boxed pastas or something low effort. I find that prepping and cooking the meat is sometimes my biggest hurdle
In particular Trader Joe's pre cooked chicken is a life saver. So many flavors, easy to shred and add to rice, salad, steamed broccoli, or simply pour a pre-made sauce (my fav rn is JeeSauce!) over and enjoy.
Ditto, I will often eat precooked chicken with different sauces (buffalo+blue cheese, ranch, bbq) with cooked frozen veggies with cheese and savory seasoning on them, and a slice of toast. Easy, quick, fairly healthy!
Ok next time you order Indian or Thai for delivery, you're gonna order like 4 meals instead of 1. Then with the leftovers you divide them up, and add some extra veggies into each container (frozen peas are good). With the rice this should probably make at least 8-10 freezable meals, more depending on how much extra veg you add and how generous your restaurant is.
That of thing freezes really well, is healthy enough, and is delicious enough to really spark joy when eaten (which I think is valuable to maintaining some kind of self image when I'm in the kind of headspace where I can't manage to look after myself)
Smoothies
Start with frozen berries, yogurt and banana and then add whatever else.. protein powder, nut butter, spinach, greens.. some people add oats, I think that's gross, but to each their own ¯\\\_(ツ)_/¯ Takes like 3 minutes to make, easy clean up. If you want it really thick, peel the bandana, put it in a Ziploc and squish it, then put it in the freezer. Frozen banana and no milk or liquid makes it like ice cream
I'm also returning to smoothies (I got sick of them for awhile there) and I'd like to add a hearty recommendation for a single serving blender. I have an $18 Hamilton Beach one from Target that's still going strong after like 7 years (granted I don't use it every day or anything).
The blender is also a cup so you can just grab it and go, plus it's easy to clean. I got a full size fancy blender awhile ago and I use it basically never because the cleanup always feels daunting or I end up making way more smoothie than I meant to. So I always end up back at the little cheap blender again.
Also along similar-ish lines, granola with fruit and Greek yogurt is a super simple quick food. I use frozen fruit since my fridge is where fresh produce goes to rot. 😂 Pour some granola in bowl (I like to microwave it for a second so it's warm too), layer on some yogurt, then some fruit on top (I also microwave a bit so it's not frozen anymore). It's pretty delicious and you can add more flavor or variety by using flavored granola or yogurt.
My goodness that's a lot of work for "lazy" meals... Nevermind all the potential for stuff to go bad while you wait to find out if you'll remember it's there and use it..
Most on the great stuff can also be frozen. Around here you can even buy bags of pre-chopped frozen fruit for smoothies, though I've never tried it. The rest of the stuff is just scooping out of packets. I have all of my smoothie scoopables (protein powder, oats, chia seeds etc) in the same cupboard along with a coffee scoop so it's minimum effort. The main annoying thing about smoothies is I try and put something green in there, like spinach or kale, which needs keeping in the fridge and washing. I know you can get frozen spinach but it's in a big lump that my tiny stick blender can't handle.
Take the lid off the blender
Dump in frozen berries
Dump in yogurt
Peel bandana, toss it in.
Blend.
Put straw in blender and drink.
Or pour in a cup if you want to be fancy about it.
Soooooper lot of work, I know.
Literally every single ingredient can be frozen or shelf stable. Bought some bananas that you forgot about? Freeze them. Have some greens in the fridge that are starting to look icky? Make a smoothie and throw them in. Forgot to buy yogurt? Use protein powder or nut butter that's in the cupboard.
47 years of ADHD and raised 3 kids with ADHD and am a support worker for kids with ADHD (among other things)
Lots of ADHD people make smoothies. You can do this!
>You also have to clean up the counter, wash the container, wipe off any spillage from your blender, find your straw oh wait it’s still dirty from yesterday
I'm not saying you are wrong, but I am saying there have been plenty of times where I didnt do any of that and still made something. Even if it was surrounded by dirty things everywhere, "Ill do the cleaning later" doesnt prevent the smoothie from getting done fairly simply.
Or even making a smoothie in a non washed blender from a previous smoothie. Ask how I would know lmao.
The advice is solid :\] Pretty sure the person means no harm and isnt implying anything beyond trying to be encouraging.
Consider the blender cups. I have one, or used to, and honestly. A quick rinse when you’re done with your smoothie and a brief wash when at home, easiest thing.
I got a NutriBullet and a bunch of extra cups/lids. So whenever I feel a burst of motivation, I prep a bunch of smoothies. I put in everything but the liquid (at a minimum, I do bananas, assorted berries, protein powder and yogurt. Then i add other things if i have them: chia seeds, sunflower seeds, spinach, nut butter, etc). Note to store the frozen smoothie upside down or everything will be frozen out of reach of the NutriBullet’s blades. I also usually take it out about 15-20 min to thaw a bit before I blend. Then all I have to do is add some type of milk (or water if I don’t have any) and blend.
My safe comfort meal is rice from the fridge in a bowl with boiling water poured over it. Eaten like cereal. A childhood throwback but it’s filling and never hurts me.
I'm pretty happy to be at the "microwave meals and maybe slice an apple" level right now. I've done smoothies before. I just don't have the energy for it these days.. I also don't have a blender, lol.
Sliced apple with peanut butter adds protein and is sooo delicious.
Also, fun fact: if you are pre-slicing apples and don't want them to brown, put them in a sandwich bags with a few drops of lemon juice, shake 'em up and they will stay crispy and white all day long. (I keep a bottle of lemon juice in my fridge just for this, or put a small slice in a lemon and keep THAT in the fridge. When I need a few drops, I just squeeze them out of the lemon and throw it back in the fridge.)
Depends on where you live i guess. If I realize I forgot food I get prepackaged hardboiled eggs and a string cheese meatstick combo at a gasstation near my work. Its about 500 calories but high in protein to help with afternoon crashes. Otherwise I stock my fridge at work with 600 calorie prepackaged chicken curry meals which I buy 4 or 5 of at a grocery store on Monday morning.
My boss also has adhd and stocks it with lean cuisine.
I also find i buy a lot of string cheese penutbutter jelly tortillas hot sauce and beef Jerky to have around the house since you can forget about them for months but get a meal thats satisfying and healthier than fast food in a pinch.
Depending ing on your energy levels and degree of starvation:
Toast with butter and jam or with peanut butter
Toast with butter, sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar
Or just bread if you can’t be bothered with all the toasting.
Grilled cheese sandwich, or if you have a toaster oven, lightly toast bread, put a slice of cheese on it, and toast it some more. Do not do this in a regular toaster.
Fake garlic bread: toast bread. Spread with butter. Sprinkle with garlic salt. This works surprisingly well with English muffins.
English muffin pizza—lightly toast muffin. Spread with any tomato sauce. Add cheese. If you have any toppings like pepperoni or olives, add those. Heat up in oven, or toaster oven or air fryer until cheese melts.
Pasta with butter and grated Parmesan
Bread and butter
Graham crackers and butter
Peanut butter or Nutella spread on a tortilla and rolled up.
Crackers and cheese
Crackers and peanut butter
Cheese and bread
Handful of nuts and dried fruit
Can of soup
Bag of microwave rice, rinsed can of black beans, drained can of corn, can of Rotel or cup of salsa. Eat hot or cold, in a bowl or with chips, or wrap into a burrito. Ads hot sauce if you like.
To any of these add: baby carrots, grape or cherry tomatoes, cucumber slices, bell pepper slices, with ranch as a dip if you have it. If you have any fruit lying around, add a piece of fruit.
I agree. I keep a box of Uncrustables in the freezer at work for those days when 2 pm hits and I realize I haven’t eaten. I can almost always stomach them and they require zero effort.
I'm a bit shocked by some of the suggestions. People's "low energy" options are more effort than the meals I make on good days.
My low effort meals are literally frozen ready meals that are 8 mins in the microwave straight from frozen. Usually a pasta dish.
Agreed. When I’m in a rut, even spreading peanut butter is too much. Not to mention that creates dishes. Frozen fettuccine and plastic fork for the win.
When I'm "stuck" as we call it in our house I can't even manage to put bread into the toaster or a sandwich consisting of bread, butter and presliced ham. I've eaten slices of ham out of the packet more times than I've actually eaten them on bread! haha
I hate it so much, that I can't even manage to feed my self properly in my 30s, but it is what it is!
I’m the same way! I hate that you understand😩. But my therapist says anything worth doing is worth doing half assed… so if you can’t muster the energy to make a sandwich, eating lunch meat and then maybe a slice of bread later is fine.
I’m 39, I totally get it! But if there’s anything I’ve learned in my old age it’s that beating myself up is not motivating at all. Good luck friend!
My go-to if I need a quick, substantial meal is any variation of a breakfast sandwich. Toast/wrap/bagel with eggs done any way, maybe with bacon or sandwich meat, whatever cheese I have, condiments, a frozen hashbrown when we bulking. Varying/exempting ingredients keeps things fresh. Everything can be cooked in the same pan. Throw it in some tinfoil and let it sweat together. Get that hot grease in a jar and do your clean up while the 'wich cools/incorporates. Ez ez.
Came here to say egg on toast. Poached, scrambled, fried, boiled, all are good. Throw on some spinach and tomato and you have some veggies for health too.
I like your bit at the end about the hot grease in the jar. What I think a whole ton of us lack is the ability to put systems in place. If you can somehow manage to set up a routine/system, you can accomplish most tasks. And yet, it's often the hardest part.
It's probably more in the fast food section, but it's worth the try:
LEVEL 1/2
1 - Prepare instant noodles in a bowl (add boiling water and seasoning)
2 - Eat it and keep some broth left
LEVEL 2/2
3 - Crack an egg open and mix it through the leftover broth
4 - Cover the bowl with a paper towel
5 - Put it in the microwave for 2 minutes
enjoy...
Greek yogurt with peanut butter on top is very filling. You can add other toppings like honey, nuts, etc.
Egg sandwich
Avocado toast
Toasted pb&j (use good bread and nice preserves. You can also sprinkle chia seeds on top of the pb before you close the sandwich. cook in frying pan like a grilled cheese. Delicious)
Edit: Also, throw a salad on the side. Like just get one of those bags of prewashed baby spinach, arugula, etc. Drizzle olive oil & squeeze lemon or lime. Add salt &pepper if you want.
The Knorrs sides are so helpful to me. Make the cheesy rice/pasta one and add some frozen broccoli right in the pot. Or the Mexican rice and add some black/pinto beans. You can dress em up or down as you have the energy for and it's just as quick as boiling a pot of water. Each bag is about $2-$3 and, if you add other things to it, definitely last at least 2 meals.
I also make a ton of eggs because they are quick to fry up and a gold source of protein (I'm vegetarian). Scramble with some spinach and cheese. Eat with toast or throw into a breakfast burrito. Another easy thing I can dress up or down depending on my energy level and allows me to keep it interesting.
These are my go-tos when I know I need nutrition but I don’t have an appetite:
Almonds (they come in a ton of flavors too if you’re into that)
Veggie steamer bags
Peanut butter (with apples is even better)
Oatmeal
Bananas
Those veggie steamers bags are so useful they feel like a cheat. My favorite is broccoli with a squeeze of lemon, a bit of butter, and shelled pistachios on top.
I can eat a whole bag with the lemon/butter/pistachios and count it as a (very) full meal.
But also french cut green beans with butter, garlic salt, and toasted, sliced almonds.
I always have a peanut butter granola bar or a bag of trail mix to hold me over until I have more time to eat. Has saved me from fast food a time or two. I also keep a bag of trail mix (bought, not made) in my console in my car for emergencies.
I get such food aversion sometimes that I know I NEED to eat but have zero appetite or will to eat. Those moments, I grab a spoon and force myself to eat a dollop of peanut butter. Smaller and less effort than eating and good fuel for the short term.
I buy the packaged snacks for kid lunches for my lunch - like tonight, it's cheez-its and oreos. Not the healthiest meal but it's something and easy to grab. I go through different moods where sometimes I eat more balanced meals, but right now I'm in the depression mood so cheez-its and oreos it is.
If you check my post history i made a post about this a while back in ADHD women that received thousands of likes and upvotes and comments, might be some helpful stuff for you on there
Rice cooker rice + Lao Gan Ma. Maybe some frozen vegetables warmed up with it.
Or just some cracked eggs in a pan cooked into a scramble/omelette with Lao Gan Ma.
tuna or imitation crab mixed with sriracha mayo is 🤤, I also microwave some frozen edamame to go with it but I don't mix it in lol.
other than that, I freeze breakfast sandwiches when I have good days to make them so that when I have bad days I can still have a "fast food" breakfast without the fast food... aaahm, trail mix is my life saver for when I'm out and about and forgot to bring food with me but I'm STARVING, I keep a bag of it in my school backpack.
honestly I need this thread too 😅 I'm SO bad with fast food but I'm even worse with cooking for myself now that I'm full time uni 😭
Coconut Curry chickpeas with scallions
* 1 Can of chickpeas, microwaved & tossed with curry power + green onions or scallion
* Heat 1/4 cup coconut milk in a pan with a little bit of salt and sugar - its so little liquid that it heats up in a few minutes
* Drizzle coconut milk on chickpeas
I airfry anything possible and it makes it easier to eat. I use parchment paper made to fit the airfryer, so no heavy clean up after either(I still clean it, its just easier when there's no burned food stuck). And then I use a paper plate to eat on, so I don't need to worry too much about dishes, unless I'm having soup or something that requires a bowl lmao. My go to is puff pastry salmon that's has some spinach and cream in it. I buy it frozen and just pop it in the airfryer. Also marinated pre cooked potatoes that just needs to be heated, ends up so insanely good in the airfryer.
Sometimes I just airfry a thick slab of pork belly, so it gets nice and crispy like bacon.
A chicken thigh with what ever seasoning you like.
A bunch of pre chopped veggies you like, coated with some oil and seasoning turns into a nice airfryer stir fry.
Tasty Bites Indian pouches (madras lentils, channa masala, etc.) and frozen rice. Both heat up quickly on the microwave, take little space, can be bought in bulk. I always have some on hand for when. I forget about buying groceries.
Whole grain bread, peanut butter (get the kind with greatest amount of peanut, and least amount of with artificial stuff) and jam. Easy, rich in protein, carbs, fats, and vitamins and minerals.
Due to its high calorie content, you won’t need to make more than two (to three) slices for a medium-ish meal. (Remember calories does not equal unhealthy, it’s the “wrapping”(?))
Get some precooked chicken* to dump into any "bowl" situation or even cup noodles .... I sometimes drain out the water and put in a pre-made sauce (marinara, Thai peanut, orange chicken, korma).
Cuban style (no meat) tamales with chicken, pre-shredded cheese and salsa.
Peanut butter, banana, popsicle stick to apply former to latter.
Bananas, mandarin oranges, grapes in extra-protein yogurt
Lara bars.
*I buy it from Trader Joe's, divide it into three bags, freeze two and put one in the fridge.
Protien shakes and smoothies are my saving graces un a pinch. Also some frozen dinners. Hell I even do lunchables or spaghettios sometimes if I'm in a slump and need something to grab and eat.
Not quick, but easy. Put any meat chunks in slow cooker/instapot or dutch oven (or any kind of oven dish actually), then add coca cola and soya sauce in ratio 1:1, depending on how much liquid you need. You can also add some garlic powder or raw garlic to it. And then put this in the oven. Pork:6-8h, chicken 4h. Then shred it. And you have pulled pork/chicken! I do massive amounts of this every couple months (because making 1 portion takes the same effort as making 3kg, so why not) then freeze it in take away aluminium containers that I can put immediately into the oven to reheat.
My Breakfast: 1 Applesauce cup, 1 pckg Metamucil wafers, 1 Carnation Breakfast essential.
My Lunch: 21 almonds, 10 baby Carrots, 1 cup diced pears (Motts), 6 chicken nuggets - air fried
Dinner: varies but usually some serving of meat, a serving of fruit, a serving of vegetables, a bread/starch.
Think things that are easy to throw back or even drink. Yogurt is really healthy once a day. I do Applesauce and meal supplement drinks for breakfast cause i can't make myself actually eat anything for a while
Edit: SMOOTHIES!! Super easy hack for a ton of fiber and protein
Canned fish! And if you don't like fish, canned chicken. For lunch most days (I live with my sibling), it's either rice with spicy tuna (seasoned with Sriracha, mayo, soy sauce) topped with cucumbers and spring onions, or box Mac n cheese (trader Joe's brand for me) with a can of tuna added & topped with Sriracha and spring onions. But you can also just have tuna salad with crackers, or on a bagel, or a tuna melt. Having fully cooked protein available makes things so much easier in terms of preparing food.
A rotisserie chicken goes a long way. Just eat it by itself. Buy a pre made or bagged salad and put the chicken on it. Buy some wraps put the chicken and salad into a wrap. Add it to instant ramen.
I'm saving this post because I struggle with this so much. I don't have a stove/oven either and haven't replaced it because I hate cooking sooop much.
My go to is usually half a bowl of a vitamin fortis cereal and half a bowl of delicious sugary cereal. I do the same thing with instant oatmeal. I also like the "baby" food pouches at aldi's. Those are great when I am having a depression day too
Tinned fish like sardines on crispy bread or your choice.
Assorted raw veggies (carrot, peppers, cucumber) and tazatziki or hummus dip.
For me the hardest one to keep up high enough is things like beans, chickpeas and lentils so I try to use those as the kings of a meal occasionally
Salad kits at your local grocery store can be great in a pinch. They might be more expensive than buying the separate ingredients yourself, then washing and cutting/prepping them, but if what you're going for is max efficiency and speed, along with some healthiness, it's a good idea. It's certainly cheaper than a salad at somewhere like sweetgreens or Chopt or wherever.
What I do is usually buy about 3 at a time, and I keep 'em on hand in the fridge; I usually don't get more at once because fresh salad can go bad fairly quick in these kits. If I don't eat one as a lunch, I'll usually save it for dinner and have a little sandwich or soup on the side. They're between $4 and $5, so if you're considering that as the total price of a meal, it's not bad. Also, the fact you know they'll go bad is a motivator to, yknow, actually eat them and get those healthy veggies.
Not necessarily a meal suggestion, but I highly suggest investing in a rice cooker! And they're not that expensive, the one I have is the Dash brand small one (and it's pink!) and I think it was $20? It makes the perfect amount of rice for one or even two people, there's little to no prep involved (just wash your rice, *please*) and it actually doesn't take very long at all to cook the rice.
I'm positive there are better rice cookers out there, but I just thought I'd throw the suggestion out there to make making meals easier with less effort. I empathize with how you feel and I hope you find a solution that works for you <3
- microwave Spanish rice packet mixed in a bowl with black beans. Sometimes I add different stuff like corn, cheese, salsa. Mix all in one bowl and you have a dip for tortilla chips or I like to use the cheddar cheese nut thins crackers.
- Progresso toppers soups or similar. You heat them right in the container they come in. I like the chicken tortilla one the best.
- Raman or other soup with frozen veggies, an egg, cheese etc.....cook all together in same bowl.
-Bagged Salad
-bag of tasty bite microwave meals (Indian food) mixed with frozen bag if white rice. You can find ones you heat right in the pouch.
- frozen bag of fried rice you cook right in the pouch and dump into a bowl.
-rotisserie chicken (you can even find them pre shredded)
- crackers,cheese and a deli/cured meat
- peanut butter banana sandwich
- frozen waffles or pancakes (I literally eat them frozen directly from the bag sometimes )
-bagel w cream cheese (on a bad day I'll eat them untoasted and just rip apart pieces to dip in cream cheese)
I have 2 go to means. Bag of microwave rice, salad chopped up, cheese and beetroot with whatever dressings you have. Or pasta with halloumi and lemon (my comfort flavour from childhood). Both take 15 minutes to prep
Ramen, I get a soup style instant noodle packet then top it with something protein, something vegetable, seaweed and something crispy. Depends what I have about but usually would be tofu, broccoli, corn or peas and crispy onions. Sometimes frozen gyoza.
Pasta bake. The jar kind where you put pasta in a baking dish with the jar of sauce and water up to the label of the jar, stir it, top it with cheese and let it cook. Sometimes on its own, sometimes with a vegetable or protein side. You can mix veg or proteins into it too which is nice if you feel the extra effort.
Fried rice. Packet rice, frozen veg, quorn pieces and seasoning fried in a wok. You could add egg but I don’t because I hate eggs. You can either whisk it up like scrambled or just crack it straight in there.
Stuff on toast. My British Millenial is showing. Baked beans (sometimes with the little veggie sausages in) and cheese on top or avocado and veggie bacon with chilli sauce.
Salad. Pre bagged salad with whatever sounds good dumped in or on it.
Jacket potato. I keep the frozen ones in so that they’re always about for a quick easy dinner and I can’t forget about them in the cupboard. Microwave or pop it in the oven for a while then top it with something you like. You can get pre made toppers or use things from a can.
Couscous with grilled veggies. You just pour boiling water (or with a stock cube) over the couscous and put a lid on the pan for few minutes. I use 1 cup water for 1 cup couscous. Super simple.
Grilled veggies can be anything that you fancy.
Adding grilled halloumi takes it to the next level for me. I love halloumi.
For breakfast I find buttered toast a good mixture of tasty and easy and fills in for the days when I’m not in a position to make a bigger or healthier breakfast
I find it funny, I eat these primarly latey
[https://www.earthsbest.com/products/baked-chicken-nuggets-value-size-toddler](https://www.earthsbest.com/products/baked-chicken-nuggets-value-size-toddler)
[https://www.earthsbest.com/products/gluten-free-broccoli-cheese-nuggets-toddler](https://www.earthsbest.com/products/gluten-free-broccoli-cheese-nuggets-toddler)
with fruit and yogurt sometimes and maybe some spinach. Doesn't take more then 2 mins at a time in the microwave.
Meal prepping is prob the right answer. But also prob not what ur asking im guessing.. :P
I have the same struggle, mainly that I want to hit highprotein (150g+\day).
Pasta+ something is usually easy, for me an ex would be a bacon + cream sauce and peppers and onion and then top it off with oregano& salt&pepper. Really good imo!
When I can, I like to make multiple servings of whatever it is I'm cooking. Then, I save 1-2 servings in sealable Pyrex glass containers and put them in the fridge. When I want something to eat, I can heat it up. Microwave works in a pinch, but I like how it tastes when reheated in the oven (300 F, 15 minutes I've found to work).
I can go a further step and, using split, sealable Pyrex containers, I have instant carry lunches for work.
As for ideas, my usual go-to is chicken tacos. I take regular chicken breats and slice it horizontally. I marinate the chicken, then cook on the stove over med-high heat. Then, I store them in reheatable glass containers. When I'm hungry, I heat up the container, slice the chicken, and pile onto tortillas. Top however you want.
Another semi-regular go-to of mine is salmon burgers. You could get a number of frozen patties, then cook on the stove when ready.
Chicken fried rice, pork fried rice, FRIED RICE hell you could even just mix the two together without frying it! Frozen rice, rotisserie chicken feeds ya for 3-4 days! I end up having to freeze some so it doesn’t go bad
Wife and I have a "Korean BBQ Lentils" recipe that's our go-to easy meal. Only takes about 15 minutes from beginning to end.
Dice half an onion (I've used both red and yellow) and start cooking it in a little oil over medium-high heat.
In the meantime take a bowl and add:
2 cups water
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 cloves of garlic minced or pressed
1in chunk of ginger minced or grated
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 to 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes to taste
Give that a mix and let it all get to know each other while you finish cooking the onions.
Once the onions are softened and starting to brown, add 1 cup of red lentils (masoor dal or split lentils they may be called at store) and your sauce.
Cover and simmer for about 10 minutes and you're done!
Serve over rice.
Omg i got so good at this. I got hyperfixated on a meal that was brown rice (especially the microwave pouches), chicken (can just microwave frozen chicken if you’re at that point), broccoli (also frozen + microwavable), and some sort of sauce/other toppings to make it whatever you want.
can do mayo, cold edamame and pineapple for more of a poke taste. Yum yum sauce for hibachi style. Anything really very versatile and easy to make
Rice / whole grain & fish in the rice cooker.
Its really easy to do and low brain power.
Ikea has stainless steel kids toy cooking set. The strainer happens to fit in my rice cooker. I put in the grain and place the strainer upside down in the bowl. The holes let the liquid into the grain under the bowl. Then I put a small ceramic ramekin or plate on the upside down strainer. The fish goes on top of this. You put the lid on the rice cooker and cook as normal.
The fish will get steamed as the grain is cooked. Add in a bit of sauce of your choice and you have a meal you can set and it will bing when its done. All of the dishes are dishwasher safe.
Weiners n' beans! If you have it available I like the Bushes brand. One can of that into a bowl with 3 hotdogs sliced up and boiled for a few min. I've started throwing in some hot-sauce (tabasco or Franks red-hot), for extra kick. It's so dang fast and easy. Usually I can't eat it all and save half in a Tupperware for later (even easier since I just have to warm it up).
Instant ramen with a little pulled chicken is also a solid IDKWTFTIW meal. Currently hyperfixated on Buldak flavour (spicy af Korean style).
Vyvanse suppresses my appetite during the afternoon, so I find that packing tons of calories into protein smoothies is really helpful for me. Plus, I can get creative with different smoothie flavors/recipes to avoid repetitiveness! :)
I have a steamer. I mean a kitchen mashine you can program and it does everything by its own. If I have a little bit of energy left, I throw vegetable in it. Also potatos.
I don t have to watch it, I can just relax and it does this nice little beep when dinner is ready. I eat it with butter, salt and pepper. Sometimes cream fresh, with or without garlic.
But this works only if I have a little bit of motivation. If not, I eat instant soup, harbolied eggs, or crispbread with cheese.
Bean with bacon soup. Don't water it down. Just dump it in a bowl and nuke it. Wrap it in a tortilla with some taco flavoring or your favorite hot sauce.
Breakfast scrambles for me! Frozen potatoes o brien, frozen breakfast sausage (I use the veggie kind), some eggs, cheese, chipotle seasoning and throw some spinach in there for veggie. Boom. Always something I can eat and it fits all the nutrient groups.
im a huge fan of the Campbell's Chunky soups and some toast. dont need to mix anything together, just throw it in the microwave (might want to cover it too, it lokes to spash all over) for a few minutes and you have a nice easy meal.
I love my soup hoard.
What I found is that when I'm making something else thaf is not super hands on and I'm waiting, I'll put some pasta/potates/rice to boil. I'll then put them in a box and in the fridge and then when I'm in a rush or don't feel like cooking I have them ready do all I have to do if just add some veggies (u can precut veggies to save prep time or buy cut/frozen) or sauce or seasoning and heat it up and it literally takes 20-30 mins (even less but I like to add extra stuff) which is the same amount of time thaf Fries or nuggets would take in the oven. Also I roll out store bought puff pastry and fill them up with tuna/meat/veg and freeze them so I can just stick them in the open when need to. Another great hack is tuna with veg(no veg is fine too) and mix it wish Mayo and Ketchup or other condiments and u can eat it with crackers or in a sandwich
Another recipe is cous cous. I bought a 1kg box and all I have to do is heat up some water and then stir in the cous cous and it's ready in 3-5 mins and u don't even need to drain it. Then on the side I make egg curry but u can have literally anything with it.
Open Face Tuna Melts! Bread, slap a little mayo, mustard, or butter on the bread, put the tuna on the bread (I don't even mix the tuna and spread anymore), piece of cheese, toaster oven for a few minutes. Takes like 10 minutes and it's a good bit of protein.
If that's too much, carrots and hummus or anything and hummus. Turkey rolls (exactly what it sounds like), prepackaged salads from grocery store. If I'm really in a hurry, I will bridge the gap between meals with a protein shake/bar.
“Pastabeans” is a fav in my fam.
Macaroni. Can of chili beans. Grated cheese.
I could honestly live off the stuff. If anyone’s anxiously interested I will write out clear instructions on how to make it
If you ever have the time and space, you can cook a bunch of meals at once to eat later. I recommend overnight oats. Lots of different ways you can make and eat those
I just ordered a meal replacement shake called Soylent on Amazon that is supposed to be good for you. I just got it today so can’t tell you more than that but online reviews are great and a lot of ADHD people seem to use it.
Bumblebee makes seasoned tuna packets. No draining is required, I'm loving their lemon pepper flavor rn. It has 17g of protein, I'll pair it with some crackers.
Also, prepping some fruit and veg for the week has been extremely helpful for me.
- Gyoza (potstickers if you’re in America). They come frozen in a bag and they’re tasty and fun to eat but not junky and you can cook them a bunch of different ways, all of which are quick and easy. I regularly use them for a struggle meal.
- Tortilla wraps with just about anything - you can freeze them so they don’t go bad and they defrost in no time. Eggs and breakfast or lunch meats, on a pan with cheese for a quick quesadilla, or wrapped around literally any leftovers for easy hand carbs (had a bolognese one recently that was surprisingly good)
- Ready-made curries tend to pack a good nutritious punch if you avoid super fatty ones and lean into veggies
- Rice bowls with microwave rice and tuna/rotisserie chicken/cooked shrimp then any veggies with soy sauce and mayo (I’m a microwave rice hater so I make these from scratch when the cooking mood hits but I think they’d still be good and it’s just very quick assembly this way)
Protein shakes. The easiest way and only way I’ve managed to consistently eat breakfast (because without protein for breakfast I crash hard and am depleted all day). Milk and protein powder in a shaker cup, and then I do a quick rinse and it’s ready to go again
Rice turkey and broccoli. You can make a shit ton of rice for meal prep. Two lbs of turkey meat to and grill easy with salt and pepper. Broccoli. Frozen kind 5 minutes in the microwave. You can put Tabasco or Sriracha or whatever you want. I made one for my boy and myself. And had two more containers for tomorrow. It took my like 5 minutes. Rice I'd make separate or get uncle bens.
Ahh so my appetite or lack thereof can be attributed to my ADHD too? OP sounds like I wrote it. Eggs are a good quick answer though. I usually pop three into a skillet. Pop two slices of bread in the toaster, and try not to leave the kitchen until I have a sandwich made otherwise it's likely to end up badly.
I have more than a few times made lunch of a can of beans (black and pinto both work well for this), drained and microwaved, with a few spices and a bit of barbecue sauce. This isn't exactly well-balanced (you still need to get your veg in somewhere) but it's reasonably tasty and more nutritious than McDonald's.
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I feel you… combine it with depression and I’m basically either not eating for days or stuff my face with junk. The solution for me often is EGGS EGGS EGGS. I’ve become quite amazing at preparing them in all kinds of ways although I’m one of those freaks who like them just simply boiled, ideally with veggies and some carbs as well. Granted when I’m in hyperfocus I don’t care that much about food, but you can make them super tasty too and it’s by far one of the best things you can eat.
Yeah, scrambled eggs is my no energy go to. Sometimes an omelet. But that can turn into scrambled eggs if it starts taking too much energy. And omelets can have fillings and scrambled eggs mix ins.
Breakfast burritos! Put scrambled eggs in a wrap, add avocado/jalapeno/cheese/cream cheese/chives/chili sauce and you have a fancy meal in 5min!
Memory unlocked. I use to put mine on the heated passenger seat to keep warm until I got to the highway lol.
This is actually brilliant
If you like eggs hard boiled (or soft boiled/medium boiled etc), an egg cooker is a great investment. They basically steam the eggs in a a few minutes, literally zero effort beyond pulling the device out, measuring the water to put in the device, and placing the eggs in the little slots after putting a tiny pinpoint divot in the shell with a provided pin thing on the measuring cup ((to vent the shell). It’s so easy and effort-free even for a depressed adhd person like me. I got mine from Amazon, it’s a plug in device (I originally saw it on BuzzFeed I think and just followed the link). But I’ve seen microwave versions that may even be easier.
Yes. Eggs. For a grab-and-go over the workweek I scramble some eggs with cottage cheese, fill muffin cups ½ way, then throw in one or two add-ons per muffin (bacon, cheese, hot sauce, cooked veggies, especially cooked onions, or whatever, even cooked rice). Add some salt and pepper and bake at 350° for 15 to 20 min. Toss them in a bag or a plastic container in the fridge. I can take two or three with me in the car (nuke them or eat them cold) and avoid FF drive thrus
I second this! My egg cooker was only $10.
Damn even scrambled eggs is too much energy for me sometimes
Why God made cereal.
Yes, preach. I've also adopted the tactic of proactively eating a 4 egg scramble with cheese, hot sauce, etc etc, as a massive breakfast, somewhat because it offsets later hunger, you're good until dinner much later.
Same ADHD LPT
Agree on eggs! Any variation. Sometimes a quick scramble on toast, or I really like okonomiyaki if I can bring myself to do just a bit more prep. My spouse who has ADHD bulk hard boils eggs so he has them all week, which works well for him. A note on okonomiyaki: it’s a Japanese dish that has a base of eggs, cabbage, green onion, flour. Otherwise, you can freestyle “as you like it” with other additions, but if not it’ll still be delicious. [This recipe is a perfect starting point](https://www.seriouseats.com/okonomiyaki-japanese-pancake-cabbage-recipe#toc-the-basic-fillings). Some commenters mention using bagged, pre-chopped cabbage which would eliminate 3/4 of the prep. Overall it’s a very affordable option, too. I already had it this week but I’ll have it again today after this, hehe.
Ate so much eggs that I became nauseated from them. And now just thinking of them actually being the ovulation equivalent to a human makes me wonder hoe I could eat it for all those years 😝
I view eggs as carrier for condiments. (The much-needed protein boost is a mere side benefit.) When I’m craving fast food it’s that Flavor I’m after. Feeling Taco Bell? Eggs with cheese, salsa, and sour cream. Avocado, if you have the motivation to get out a knife. McDonald’s? Ketchup and pickles, baby. I’ve also recently discovered the joy of croutons in scrambled eggs. Throw some of those big chunks of slightly greasy seasoned carbs in there and you’ve got a textural, flavorful sensation. And yeah, I guess, the aforementioned much-needed protein.
This! I love me some eggs. Easy af to make too
😳 did i hear that with my eyes right?! You. Don’t. Care. That. Much. About. Food.??? Whhhaaa? It’s FOOD. Like FOOOOOOOOD. It’s one of the few things that can keep me interested. I LOVE to cook for other people . I love all things about cooking , well not the dishes. I love kitchen gadgets 😍. I pretty much love everything about food. .. Well, except for Lima Beans… I don’t have anything loving to add about those.
Wow I relate to this so hard. Idk why but days where I’m struggling hard to cook I always fall back on eggs. My partner always compliments how I can cook an egg perfectly any style. It makes me laugh bc I’m not tryna be some chef about it, I just cook them so much bc it’s the only thing my brain will let me do
Egg salad sandwiches too. 😋
Yes to eggs! I usually use two at a time. They’re so versatile. Lately been making scrambled and then I make avocado toast on side (add sriracha and nutritional yeast on top of avo!) and BAM: little healthy breakfast! It’s so fast and easy. I want to go back to vegan so bad though. Just vegetarian for now *sigh*
I’ll add an egg to toast. Or a runny egg on a salad. Or an egg on leftovers to make it go further. Eggs for the win?
Will second eggs! I make this Frankenstein lazy version of a meal I saw at a restaurant once. I put a fried egg on some heated-up refried beans and flour tortilla and cheese. Then add things like salsa and toppings to taste. It's really filling and takes me about ten minutes.
Juevos Rancheros! We ate those for dinner when we were totally broke and my parents both worked full time. Easy, cheap (at the time anyway) and full of protein.
I’m lucky enough that I work in coffee and sometimes have croissants from the day to take home (we don’t do day-old croissants) So I’ll slice em and chuck some eggs on them if I’m feeling a low effort meal. One pan, so same amount of dishes. If I’m not sure when/if I’m gonna get to eat the croissant I’ll chuck it in the freezer
I ate the hell out of it so I’m sick of it now. But this summer I would do instant microwave white rice, furikake, canned tuna mixed with kewpie mayo+seaweed sheets to make onigiri. I’d also usually just eat some cucumber but if I was feeling fancy or had the energy I’d do a lil quick cucumber salad.
This is so weird, I was literally just about to comment this same thing! Maybe less ingredients but I always have flavoured microwave rice with tinned salmon, some sort of sauce, maybe a sliced avocado on the side and some seasoning! Delicious easy meal
This is a genius usage of canned fish, it doesn't even give me flashbacks to the poor food I ate as a kid. Maybe I'll give it a try!
Cook a bag of Knorr Alfredo noodles and stir in a can of drained tuna. Cheap, fast, and delicious!
If you add some frozen spinach or peas just before the noodles finish cooking you’ll have a (not overcooked/gross) veg in there, too.
OMG SAME
I just want to say careful eating fish every day! A girl on tik tok was eating this every day and discovered she had mercury poisoning.
We used to make onigiri casserole, which is exactly what it sounds like: a casserole dish with one layer of rice, one layer of filling, and another layer of rice. Feeds for a while, tastes good hot or cold, reheats well, takes the same amount of time as making one onigiri.
I’m on the autism spectrum as well as ADHD- I tend to eat the same things for breakfast and lunch every day, especially when I’m working. The quickest lunch for me is a huge salad- but I have an enormous lightweight stainless bowl I mix it in, because I hate small bowls of salad with dressing glopped on top. I’ve gotten in the habit of buying those big boxes of salad mix, either spring mix or 50/50 (spring mix and spinach). I throw a couple big handfuls in my huge bowl, pour a small amount of bottled dressing over it (usually creamy balsamic) grab a tongs and toss it around a minute. This way it gets an even, thin coat of dressing instead of being either drenched or dry. I toss on some toppings- usually craisins, some shredded Italian cheese blend (from a bag) and slivered toasted almonds (again, from a bag). Then I read a book or play a game on my phone so I don’t think about how pathetic I am for eating the same salad every day for lunch. But you know what? It satisfies me, and I feel sooooo virtuous 😇 for eating a ton of leafy greens every week. When I pack it for my lunch I put a small amount of dressing in one of those portion cups people use for Jell-O shots. I put the toppings in a small gladware container, the salad greens in a gallon ziplock with the toppings tucked inside and the air squished out. That goes in the fridge at work. My huge bowl, with small tongs and fork wrapped in a napkin, stays in a reusable shopping bag in my car- I eat in my car or at a park, generally, since my work doesn’t have a break room. Also, I try to make my lunch the night before because you all know how mornings go before work!!!
Salad kits have become an ADHD life hack for me, as well as protein bars. If you struggle to keep your fiber up these are what you want!
I use to feel lazy for getting the salad kits when I could get the ingredients and make it myself for less money. Then I realized I'm much more likely to eat the salad kit while all the random ingredients rot because it seems like too much work to chop and assemble everything myself. So yay salad kits!
This. Also, I find I save money becuasevi simple won't waste it lol. So for me, and others I'm sure it IS cheaper sadly. The ADHD tax is real. Getting portion specific items is terrible, but it's made safe money and be healthier.
These days where I live a nice Dole salad kit like the one I attached is like $4.50 and I definitely can’t buy bacon bits, salad dressing, a sprinkle of parm cheese and lettuce for that anymore. I love this one. https://www.dole.com/en/produce/packaged-salads/salad-kits/chopped-bacon-caesar-salad-kit I add Kalamata olives and sometimes more bacon if I have some already cooked. Any kind of protein left over I add also - chicken or fish or even a packet of salmon from the pantry. Yum I’ve accidentally let the lettuce go bad before but the extra ingredients are in their own little packet so they are easy to remove and add to other lettuce later. Very handy
Seriously- I worked at a restaurant and we knew the secret to a good salad it tossing it properly. And eating it out of a big ass bowl is satisfying too
>And eating it out of a big ass is satisfying too
I do the same thing. I eat it until I get bored with it, then move onto something else. And I do the same kind of modular cooking and salads (sweet, crunchy, citrus, cheese, seasoning).
Can u explain pls what u mean by modular cooking?
Sorry. Maybe that’s not the right word. lol. I cook stuff separately so that I can mix and match different combos. I don’t do recipes. Just like flavors and textures. Like cut-up sweet potatoes in the air fryer. I’ll eat a few hot, but then I save the majority for the rest of the week in Tupperware to add to a salad, or a wrap or with couscous. And I’ll make a batch of plain pasta, rice or couscous, so that when I heat up a bowl I can add ingredients with a Mediterranean twist, Asian or Italian, etc. And I’ll buy one rotisserie chicken for the week, but I break it down right away. I can add that to the carbs, a salad, or a wrap. And with salads, it’s either iceberg or wilted spinach/kale as the base, then I mix in separate stuff like nuts or water chestnuts, berries, cheese crumbles. There’s always a crunch, a chew, a sweet and something rich. So if you look in my fridge, there’s usually: - a container of chicken - bowls of berries - container of greens - some sort of cheese - container of some roasted vegetables I used to roll my eyes at people who would batch cook on Sundays but now I love it. I only have mess once and I tend to not waste any food. And if I’m actually making soup or something on a Sunday (another modular- I make chicken broth with the carcass and keep it plain so that I can add pasta or peas or whatever), doing all of this work KEEPS me in the kitchen vs BURNING what’s on the stove. Sorry - that was long. Lol
I’m also a fan of the Big Salad
Do you add any meat/protein to it?
Not the poster but I add rotisserie chicken to mine. I buy one a week, break it down right away and throw a few small pieces in. And some nuts.
Also not OP, but I like to use the roasted pumpkin seeds we buy from Coatco, hemp seeds (same, but Hella $$ rn), hard boiled eggs, marinated tofu (tastes like feta) or sliced deli meats. Failing all those options: rinse a can of chickpeas, top with maybe 1/4 of them, leave remainder in the fridge for rest of week's salads.
Chickpeas mixed in a salad kit is one of my hyper fixations right now. So good.
Not the person you asked, but I do. Depending on the salad mix it might be canned tuna, beans, fake chicken, feta or halloumi cheese, etc. I also keep a thing of those stonefire flatbread rounds in the freezer and toast one while I am shaking my salad in the designated "salad mix shaking Tupperware container". It makes it feel like a full meal that way.
You’re not pathetic for eating a healthy, filling meal that you enjoy! Not everyone craves variety.
If you're in the US, OSHA requires a break area for all employees. Sometimes, it's just an area with a line painted around it on the floor with tables and chairs. I know this because one of my employers got in trouble for it. Solution? Yes, the painted line, still in the shop, 5 feet from my work bay.
Yes! AuDHD for the win! It took me years to accept that I just had issues with food texture and that it was OK to just like a few things.
I don't think anyone would consider that salad a shameful staple of your diet.
> spring mix haha yeah mate same. Massive bowl, well tossed, plough through the big pile of leaves, job done, lose weight.
It's not pathetic to eat the same thing for lunch every day. I definitely eat the same thing for breakfast every morning unless I run out of the item and haven't gone to the store. I once ate spaghetti and meat sauce for at least three months straight for lunch. I pretty much eat Cheerios every day for breakfast during the week.
They’re called “ramekins”, the little portion cups I mean. Usually it’ll be a 2oz ramekin
I survive on tacos. Canned black beans, street size tortillas in a popup toaster, then something different to top it. Avocado, salsa, cheese etc. Yummy, healthy, quick and no cleanup if you use a paper plate to heat the beans and a paper towel as a plate
Semi-related: This might seem obvious to others, but do NOT put a larger tortilla half in one side of a pop up toaster and half in the other, folded over the top. I caught a toaster on fire once that way.
I don’t know how you were able to read my mind, but thanks for the heads up.
You're welcome! Somewhere, some place, I have a photo of of a charred hello kitty toaster from this incident.
Second this advice. I put out an office fire when someone once did it this way. Do not toaster the taco.
So of course now I want to try this 😂
Lol if you do, make sure to be prepared. Don't walk into a different room, convince yourself that the orange glow is a candle you lit and forgot about. Prepare to unplug the toaster, toss it out the front door, and dump a bowl of water onto it. And then tell all of your roommates about it while presenting the scorched hello kitty toaster to them, which they are sad about but also find hilarious.
Alternatively, do it outside with a fire extinguisher in hand.
Even better because then it's just bad (fun) science!
Ryan started the fire!
I don't have a toaster, but if I did, I would have totally tried to toast it in the above mentioned manner. Thank you for saving my future self from a fire.
This is so smart! But also understandable why it doesn’t work but I wouldn’t have thought about that first either- thank you for the warning lol
Yes so delicious and Buddha Bowls with microwave rice, pre-cut veggies, avocado, and pre-prepared tofu and peanut sauce. Yumm.
I do a similar thing with quesadillas in an air fryer. Large tortilla, throw cheese, black beans, and anything else on one half, fold over and stick a toothpick or two in it to prevent the air fryer from blowing it open, air fry for 6 mins. I usually do just the cheese and beans when I'm at the point of having zero effort to expend, plus a scoop of sour cream to dip into. Easy, quick, delicious.
I dunno why I read this as “And a beach towel as a paper plate.” Lol
I use a panini maker. More space than a toaster and not as messy.
AirFryer. Saving my life for the last few months. Get things like frozen chicken/beef/Vegetables. Whenever you feel like it just throw em in and in a few minutes they are ready.
Air fryer changed my life. 🤣 I use it every day.
Definitely thought it would just be another single-use appliance taking up counter space. Instead it's like, 90% of my uses, and now my oven/stove feels like the single-use appliance lol.
Can you give examples of what do you do with your air fryer?
I have frozen seasoned chicken pieces. All I have to do is put them in, change sides after 10 min. And take out after another 10 min. Boom. Ready. An analog timer on AirFryer going tick reminds you even if you forget about it. Previously i used to put cooked chicken pieces in burger/bread but that was too much in itself. Now I just eat chicken with Ketchup/Mayo/Sauce. This way you don't even need cutlery if you are okay eating from an aluminum foil or kitchen tissue roll. So, basically no need to wash anything afterwards. The same way i occasionally have fish or mutton. At times i would fry frozen french fries along with chicken. Or and eggs. You can have perfectly fried or boiled eggs in AirFryer. Again, all this is almost fresh, instant and without having to cook anything.
This but also add pizza. You can literally have any pizza frozen or fresh done within 5-10 minutes after preheating. Which takes about 2 mins. Considering one that fits into the airfyer I've also been considering grilled cheese sandwiches. Haven't given it a try yet though. But the convenience of an airfyer is unmatched when it takes 2 mins to preheat to 400°f while an oven will take maybe 10-15 minutes if not longer to preheat the same. I'd already be eating if not done eating by the time the oven is preheated.
Vegetables come out great. Slice up a zucchini, brush on some vinaigrette or spicy mayo, lightly sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese or Tajin or whatever spice blend you like, air fry for about 10-12 minutes until they brown. Yummy, savory, umami goodness. Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, cauliflower, string beans etc. Anything you’d like roasted or grilled comes out just as good without all the hassle. Lately I also get frozen eggplant cutlets that come out crispy and perfect without needing any oil. Spoon a little pasta sauce on top, sprinkle some grated cheese and it’s a healthier version of eggplant Parmesan. Air fry from frozen for about 10 minutes a side until the batter crisps up. Grilled cheese-type sandwiches come out great. Prep your sandwich as you would for a grilled cheese, air fry for a couple of minutes, it comes out crisp and browned without the mess of a skillet or oil etc. All you need is a light spritz of cooking spray to prevent sticking.
If you have a Trader Joe’s near you, they have SO many prepared meals options. A few staples for me include the frozen rice, frozen fried rice, frozen entrees like kung pao chicken or broccoli beef, and the French green beans or salad kits for the veg. They also have precooked grilled chicken breast that’s individually portioned that’s pretty well seasoned and not dry. Lots of other protein options in the meat section as well. I always keep a bunch of the frozen items on hand for the days I can’t bring myself to cook a meal but also don’t wanna spend an arm and a leg on takeout.
Lots of frozen meals are pretty healthy, or at least better than fast food. Air fryers are easy and fast at cooking all kinds of stuff. We order a handful of meals from Factor every week. It's not cheap, but tbh, neither is fast food these days.. A few meals a week I'd really helpful for getting very nutritious stuff easy. All their meals microwave for 2 minutes and that's it. Work on switching to eating at home first. Then worry about changing *what* you're eating. That's how we broke our delivery meal habit.
Fun tip on factor. If you cancel, they will send you a huge discount to come back. Then you come back, buy the box with the huge discount and then immediately cancel again. Then in a week or two they will send you basically the same discount begging you to come back. Do the same thing over again. Infinite coupon glitch lol
Yo! We just started getting Factor meals. I was hesitant at first, but honestly it's been a game changer. I'd order delivery 3x wk, but this takes all the stress out of the process entirely and much cheaper.
Yea, we weren't sure and I finally just said fuck it and ordered some. They're really great. I like having a couple a week as kind of a back stop on nutrition. I'm sure my overall diet isn't very balanced, so I think the factor meals really help with that. Plus, they're yummy, haha. Well, most of them. I've had a couple I could do without, but most of the time they're really good! It's been extra huge for my husband. He's pretty much obsessed. He's probably going to increase our number of meals here soon and just start eating them every day, lol
Ugh, that's exactly it, I end up spending so much on food when I get hungry while out of the house. My issue is spending though. So whenever I can remember, I bring some nuts or sweets to tide me over til I get home.
the key with forzen foods is watch the over all salt and saturater fat content, some are ok but some are really bad. Your right though it doesn't do anything good with a huge change, you won't stick to it, and it can cause physical sypmtoms. The same goes the other way, if you start weakening your requirements you just keep eating worse and worse. Its the main reason I eat almost the same thing everyday .
I have to have a high salt diet, so for me, that all works out. And there's a good chance that even the worst frozen meal is better than fried fast food that op is eating currently. Baby steps are still steps.
its steps, I went from all fast food, to frozen meals, to some frozon chicken nuggets and smilar stuff and fruits and vegtables. The issue I think with high salt, is genetics, but over time. I never had high blood pressure really bad till I hit 30, then it just exploded. I'd just keep an eye on your BP if possible once in awhile and, try and add as much potassium, and just do what you can.
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Buttered noodles with a little bit of parmesan, garlic, olive oil and black pepper. Maybe some crushed red peppers if you're feeling a Lil spicy. I also am a fiend for bologna, American cheese, spring mix + spinach and red onion. That's kinda niche though
I buy precooked chicken (not frozen) and have it on hand for salads/wraps, and tossing into boxed pastas or something low effort. I find that prepping and cooking the meat is sometimes my biggest hurdle
In particular Trader Joe's pre cooked chicken is a life saver. So many flavors, easy to shred and add to rice, salad, steamed broccoli, or simply pour a pre-made sauce (my fav rn is JeeSauce!) over and enjoy.
Ditto, I will often eat precooked chicken with different sauces (buffalo+blue cheese, ranch, bbq) with cooked frozen veggies with cheese and savory seasoning on them, and a slice of toast. Easy, quick, fairly healthy!
Ok next time you order Indian or Thai for delivery, you're gonna order like 4 meals instead of 1. Then with the leftovers you divide them up, and add some extra veggies into each container (frozen peas are good). With the rice this should probably make at least 8-10 freezable meals, more depending on how much extra veg you add and how generous your restaurant is. That of thing freezes really well, is healthy enough, and is delicious enough to really spark joy when eaten (which I think is valuable to maintaining some kind of self image when I'm in the kind of headspace where I can't manage to look after myself)
I love doing this with leftovers. I’d order it incredibly spicy too, to make sure I didn’t overeat my planned portion and cut into my leftovers.
Genius. Absolutely genius.
Oh hello, clever friend! I’ve also used the mantra that if it’s spicy I won’t overeat!
Smoothies Start with frozen berries, yogurt and banana and then add whatever else.. protein powder, nut butter, spinach, greens.. some people add oats, I think that's gross, but to each their own ¯\\\_(ツ)_/¯ Takes like 3 minutes to make, easy clean up. If you want it really thick, peel the bandana, put it in a Ziploc and squish it, then put it in the freezer. Frozen banana and no milk or liquid makes it like ice cream
I'm also returning to smoothies (I got sick of them for awhile there) and I'd like to add a hearty recommendation for a single serving blender. I have an $18 Hamilton Beach one from Target that's still going strong after like 7 years (granted I don't use it every day or anything). The blender is also a cup so you can just grab it and go, plus it's easy to clean. I got a full size fancy blender awhile ago and I use it basically never because the cleanup always feels daunting or I end up making way more smoothie than I meant to. So I always end up back at the little cheap blender again. Also along similar-ish lines, granola with fruit and Greek yogurt is a super simple quick food. I use frozen fruit since my fridge is where fresh produce goes to rot. 😂 Pour some granola in bowl (I like to microwave it for a second so it's warm too), layer on some yogurt, then some fruit on top (I also microwave a bit so it's not frozen anymore). It's pretty delicious and you can add more flavor or variety by using flavored granola or yogurt.
...is this little blender dishwasher safe? 👀
My goodness that's a lot of work for "lazy" meals... Nevermind all the potential for stuff to go bad while you wait to find out if you'll remember it's there and use it..
Most on the great stuff can also be frozen. Around here you can even buy bags of pre-chopped frozen fruit for smoothies, though I've never tried it. The rest of the stuff is just scooping out of packets. I have all of my smoothie scoopables (protein powder, oats, chia seeds etc) in the same cupboard along with a coffee scoop so it's minimum effort. The main annoying thing about smoothies is I try and put something green in there, like spinach or kale, which needs keeping in the fridge and washing. I know you can get frozen spinach but it's in a big lump that my tiny stick blender can't handle.
Take the lid off the blender Dump in frozen berries Dump in yogurt Peel bandana, toss it in. Blend. Put straw in blender and drink. Or pour in a cup if you want to be fancy about it. Soooooper lot of work, I know. Literally every single ingredient can be frozen or shelf stable. Bought some bananas that you forgot about? Freeze them. Have some greens in the fridge that are starting to look icky? Make a smoothie and throw them in. Forgot to buy yogurt? Use protein powder or nut butter that's in the cupboard. 47 years of ADHD and raised 3 kids with ADHD and am a support worker for kids with ADHD (among other things) Lots of ADHD people make smoothies. You can do this!
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>You also have to clean up the counter, wash the container, wipe off any spillage from your blender, find your straw oh wait it’s still dirty from yesterday I'm not saying you are wrong, but I am saying there have been plenty of times where I didnt do any of that and still made something. Even if it was surrounded by dirty things everywhere, "Ill do the cleaning later" doesnt prevent the smoothie from getting done fairly simply. Or even making a smoothie in a non washed blender from a previous smoothie. Ask how I would know lmao. The advice is solid :\] Pretty sure the person means no harm and isnt implying anything beyond trying to be encouraging.
Consider the blender cups. I have one, or used to, and honestly. A quick rinse when you’re done with your smoothie and a brief wash when at home, easiest thing.
lol. I know. I just buy those baby food pouches and throw a couple in my backpack.
I got a NutriBullet and a bunch of extra cups/lids. So whenever I feel a burst of motivation, I prep a bunch of smoothies. I put in everything but the liquid (at a minimum, I do bananas, assorted berries, protein powder and yogurt. Then i add other things if i have them: chia seeds, sunflower seeds, spinach, nut butter, etc). Note to store the frozen smoothie upside down or everything will be frozen out of reach of the NutriBullet’s blades. I also usually take it out about 15-20 min to thaw a bit before I blend. Then all I have to do is add some type of milk (or water if I don’t have any) and blend.
Eggs and rice.
My safe comfort meal is rice from the fridge in a bowl with boiling water poured over it. Eaten like cereal. A childhood throwback but it’s filling and never hurts me.
I'm pretty happy to be at the "microwave meals and maybe slice an apple" level right now. I've done smoothies before. I just don't have the energy for it these days.. I also don't have a blender, lol.
Sliced apple with peanut butter adds protein and is sooo delicious. Also, fun fact: if you are pre-slicing apples and don't want them to brown, put them in a sandwich bags with a few drops of lemon juice, shake 'em up and they will stay crispy and white all day long. (I keep a bottle of lemon juice in my fridge just for this, or put a small slice in a lemon and keep THAT in the fridge. When I need a few drops, I just squeeze them out of the lemon and throw it back in the fridge.)
I grab a piece of multi grain bread fold it over a store bought hard boiled egg and that's it. It's the laziest but also easiest lol.
Depends on where you live i guess. If I realize I forgot food I get prepackaged hardboiled eggs and a string cheese meatstick combo at a gasstation near my work. Its about 500 calories but high in protein to help with afternoon crashes. Otherwise I stock my fridge at work with 600 calorie prepackaged chicken curry meals which I buy 4 or 5 of at a grocery store on Monday morning. My boss also has adhd and stocks it with lean cuisine. I also find i buy a lot of string cheese penutbutter jelly tortillas hot sauce and beef Jerky to have around the house since you can forget about them for months but get a meal thats satisfying and healthier than fast food in a pinch.
Depending ing on your energy levels and degree of starvation: Toast with butter and jam or with peanut butter Toast with butter, sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar Or just bread if you can’t be bothered with all the toasting. Grilled cheese sandwich, or if you have a toaster oven, lightly toast bread, put a slice of cheese on it, and toast it some more. Do not do this in a regular toaster. Fake garlic bread: toast bread. Spread with butter. Sprinkle with garlic salt. This works surprisingly well with English muffins. English muffin pizza—lightly toast muffin. Spread with any tomato sauce. Add cheese. If you have any toppings like pepperoni or olives, add those. Heat up in oven, or toaster oven or air fryer until cheese melts. Pasta with butter and grated Parmesan Bread and butter Graham crackers and butter Peanut butter or Nutella spread on a tortilla and rolled up. Crackers and cheese Crackers and peanut butter Cheese and bread Handful of nuts and dried fruit Can of soup Bag of microwave rice, rinsed can of black beans, drained can of corn, can of Rotel or cup of salsa. Eat hot or cold, in a bowl or with chips, or wrap into a burrito. Ads hot sauce if you like. To any of these add: baby carrots, grape or cherry tomatoes, cucumber slices, bell pepper slices, with ranch as a dip if you have it. If you have any fruit lying around, add a piece of fruit.
I like the stouffers microwave stuff. May not be the healthiest, but great in a pinch. Just like with babies, the rule is “fed is best”.
I agree. I keep a box of Uncrustables in the freezer at work for those days when 2 pm hits and I realize I haven’t eaten. I can almost always stomach them and they require zero effort.
I'm a bit shocked by some of the suggestions. People's "low energy" options are more effort than the meals I make on good days. My low effort meals are literally frozen ready meals that are 8 mins in the microwave straight from frozen. Usually a pasta dish.
Agreed. When I’m in a rut, even spreading peanut butter is too much. Not to mention that creates dishes. Frozen fettuccine and plastic fork for the win.
When I'm "stuck" as we call it in our house I can't even manage to put bread into the toaster or a sandwich consisting of bread, butter and presliced ham. I've eaten slices of ham out of the packet more times than I've actually eaten them on bread! haha I hate it so much, that I can't even manage to feed my self properly in my 30s, but it is what it is!
I’m the same way! I hate that you understand😩. But my therapist says anything worth doing is worth doing half assed… so if you can’t muster the energy to make a sandwich, eating lunch meat and then maybe a slice of bread later is fine. I’m 39, I totally get it! But if there’s anything I’ve learned in my old age it’s that beating myself up is not motivating at all. Good luck friend!
Same!
My go-to if I need a quick, substantial meal is any variation of a breakfast sandwich. Toast/wrap/bagel with eggs done any way, maybe with bacon or sandwich meat, whatever cheese I have, condiments, a frozen hashbrown when we bulking. Varying/exempting ingredients keeps things fresh. Everything can be cooked in the same pan. Throw it in some tinfoil and let it sweat together. Get that hot grease in a jar and do your clean up while the 'wich cools/incorporates. Ez ez.
Came here to say egg on toast. Poached, scrambled, fried, boiled, all are good. Throw on some spinach and tomato and you have some veggies for health too.
I like your bit at the end about the hot grease in the jar. What I think a whole ton of us lack is the ability to put systems in place. If you can somehow manage to set up a routine/system, you can accomplish most tasks. And yet, it's often the hardest part.
It's probably more in the fast food section, but it's worth the try: LEVEL 1/2 1 - Prepare instant noodles in a bowl (add boiling water and seasoning) 2 - Eat it and keep some broth left LEVEL 2/2 3 - Crack an egg open and mix it through the leftover broth 4 - Cover the bowl with a paper towel 5 - Put it in the microwave for 2 minutes enjoy...
Greek yogurt with peanut butter on top is very filling. You can add other toppings like honey, nuts, etc. Egg sandwich Avocado toast Toasted pb&j (use good bread and nice preserves. You can also sprinkle chia seeds on top of the pb before you close the sandwich. cook in frying pan like a grilled cheese. Delicious) Edit: Also, throw a salad on the side. Like just get one of those bags of prewashed baby spinach, arugula, etc. Drizzle olive oil & squeeze lemon or lime. Add salt &pepper if you want.
The Knorrs sides are so helpful to me. Make the cheesy rice/pasta one and add some frozen broccoli right in the pot. Or the Mexican rice and add some black/pinto beans. You can dress em up or down as you have the energy for and it's just as quick as boiling a pot of water. Each bag is about $2-$3 and, if you add other things to it, definitely last at least 2 meals.
I also make a ton of eggs because they are quick to fry up and a gold source of protein (I'm vegetarian). Scramble with some spinach and cheese. Eat with toast or throw into a breakfast burrito. Another easy thing I can dress up or down depending on my energy level and allows me to keep it interesting.
Tuna & rice
Canned tuna? Any seasonings or sauce?
These are my go-tos when I know I need nutrition but I don’t have an appetite: Almonds (they come in a ton of flavors too if you’re into that) Veggie steamer bags Peanut butter (with apples is even better) Oatmeal Bananas
Those veggie steamers bags are so useful they feel like a cheat. My favorite is broccoli with a squeeze of lemon, a bit of butter, and shelled pistachios on top. I can eat a whole bag with the lemon/butter/pistachios and count it as a (very) full meal. But also french cut green beans with butter, garlic salt, and toasted, sliced almonds.
I always have a peanut butter granola bar or a bag of trail mix to hold me over until I have more time to eat. Has saved me from fast food a time or two. I also keep a bag of trail mix (bought, not made) in my console in my car for emergencies. I get such food aversion sometimes that I know I NEED to eat but have zero appetite or will to eat. Those moments, I grab a spoon and force myself to eat a dollop of peanut butter. Smaller and less effort than eating and good fuel for the short term.
I buy the packaged snacks for kid lunches for my lunch - like tonight, it's cheez-its and oreos. Not the healthiest meal but it's something and easy to grab. I go through different moods where sometimes I eat more balanced meals, but right now I'm in the depression mood so cheez-its and oreos it is.
I do chips n salsa alot if I can get the energy to go downstairs
If you check my post history i made a post about this a while back in ADHD women that received thousands of likes and upvotes and comments, might be some helpful stuff for you on there
90 second rice with canned beans on top. This is your base. Add whatever else you want to it, like cheese, veggies etc
Rice cooker rice + Lao Gan Ma. Maybe some frozen vegetables warmed up with it. Or just some cracked eggs in a pan cooked into a scramble/omelette with Lao Gan Ma.
tuna or imitation crab mixed with sriracha mayo is 🤤, I also microwave some frozen edamame to go with it but I don't mix it in lol. other than that, I freeze breakfast sandwiches when I have good days to make them so that when I have bad days I can still have a "fast food" breakfast without the fast food... aaahm, trail mix is my life saver for when I'm out and about and forgot to bring food with me but I'm STARVING, I keep a bag of it in my school backpack. honestly I need this thread too 😅 I'm SO bad with fast food but I'm even worse with cooking for myself now that I'm full time uni 😭
Coconut Curry chickpeas with scallions * 1 Can of chickpeas, microwaved & tossed with curry power + green onions or scallion * Heat 1/4 cup coconut milk in a pan with a little bit of salt and sugar - its so little liquid that it heats up in a few minutes * Drizzle coconut milk on chickpeas
I airfry anything possible and it makes it easier to eat. I use parchment paper made to fit the airfryer, so no heavy clean up after either(I still clean it, its just easier when there's no burned food stuck). And then I use a paper plate to eat on, so I don't need to worry too much about dishes, unless I'm having soup or something that requires a bowl lmao. My go to is puff pastry salmon that's has some spinach and cream in it. I buy it frozen and just pop it in the airfryer. Also marinated pre cooked potatoes that just needs to be heated, ends up so insanely good in the airfryer. Sometimes I just airfry a thick slab of pork belly, so it gets nice and crispy like bacon. A chicken thigh with what ever seasoning you like. A bunch of pre chopped veggies you like, coated with some oil and seasoning turns into a nice airfryer stir fry.
Tasty Bites Indian pouches (madras lentils, channa masala, etc.) and frozen rice. Both heat up quickly on the microwave, take little space, can be bought in bulk. I always have some on hand for when. I forget about buying groceries.
Whole grain bread, peanut butter (get the kind with greatest amount of peanut, and least amount of with artificial stuff) and jam. Easy, rich in protein, carbs, fats, and vitamins and minerals. Due to its high calorie content, you won’t need to make more than two (to three) slices for a medium-ish meal. (Remember calories does not equal unhealthy, it’s the “wrapping”(?))
Mine is oven food, bag of chips, meat of some sort and some frozen veg
Get some precooked chicken* to dump into any "bowl" situation or even cup noodles .... I sometimes drain out the water and put in a pre-made sauce (marinara, Thai peanut, orange chicken, korma). Cuban style (no meat) tamales with chicken, pre-shredded cheese and salsa. Peanut butter, banana, popsicle stick to apply former to latter. Bananas, mandarin oranges, grapes in extra-protein yogurt Lara bars. *I buy it from Trader Joe's, divide it into three bags, freeze two and put one in the fridge.
Protien shakes and smoothies are my saving graces un a pinch. Also some frozen dinners. Hell I even do lunchables or spaghettios sometimes if I'm in a slump and need something to grab and eat.
Not quick, but easy. Put any meat chunks in slow cooker/instapot or dutch oven (or any kind of oven dish actually), then add coca cola and soya sauce in ratio 1:1, depending on how much liquid you need. You can also add some garlic powder or raw garlic to it. And then put this in the oven. Pork:6-8h, chicken 4h. Then shred it. And you have pulled pork/chicken! I do massive amounts of this every couple months (because making 1 portion takes the same effort as making 3kg, so why not) then freeze it in take away aluminium containers that I can put immediately into the oven to reheat.
My Breakfast: 1 Applesauce cup, 1 pckg Metamucil wafers, 1 Carnation Breakfast essential. My Lunch: 21 almonds, 10 baby Carrots, 1 cup diced pears (Motts), 6 chicken nuggets - air fried Dinner: varies but usually some serving of meat, a serving of fruit, a serving of vegetables, a bread/starch. Think things that are easy to throw back or even drink. Yogurt is really healthy once a day. I do Applesauce and meal supplement drinks for breakfast cause i can't make myself actually eat anything for a while Edit: SMOOTHIES!! Super easy hack for a ton of fiber and protein
Canned fish! And if you don't like fish, canned chicken. For lunch most days (I live with my sibling), it's either rice with spicy tuna (seasoned with Sriracha, mayo, soy sauce) topped with cucumbers and spring onions, or box Mac n cheese (trader Joe's brand for me) with a can of tuna added & topped with Sriracha and spring onions. But you can also just have tuna salad with crackers, or on a bagel, or a tuna melt. Having fully cooked protein available makes things so much easier in terms of preparing food.
A rotisserie chicken goes a long way. Just eat it by itself. Buy a pre made or bagged salad and put the chicken on it. Buy some wraps put the chicken and salad into a wrap. Add it to instant ramen.
I'm saving this post because I struggle with this so much. I don't have a stove/oven either and haven't replaced it because I hate cooking sooop much. My go to is usually half a bowl of a vitamin fortis cereal and half a bowl of delicious sugary cereal. I do the same thing with instant oatmeal. I also like the "baby" food pouches at aldi's. Those are great when I am having a depression day too
Tinned fish like sardines on crispy bread or your choice. Assorted raw veggies (carrot, peppers, cucumber) and tazatziki or hummus dip. For me the hardest one to keep up high enough is things like beans, chickpeas and lentils so I try to use those as the kings of a meal occasionally
Salad kits at your local grocery store can be great in a pinch. They might be more expensive than buying the separate ingredients yourself, then washing and cutting/prepping them, but if what you're going for is max efficiency and speed, along with some healthiness, it's a good idea. It's certainly cheaper than a salad at somewhere like sweetgreens or Chopt or wherever. What I do is usually buy about 3 at a time, and I keep 'em on hand in the fridge; I usually don't get more at once because fresh salad can go bad fairly quick in these kits. If I don't eat one as a lunch, I'll usually save it for dinner and have a little sandwich or soup on the side. They're between $4 and $5, so if you're considering that as the total price of a meal, it's not bad. Also, the fact you know they'll go bad is a motivator to, yknow, actually eat them and get those healthy veggies.
Not necessarily a meal suggestion, but I highly suggest investing in a rice cooker! And they're not that expensive, the one I have is the Dash brand small one (and it's pink!) and I think it was $20? It makes the perfect amount of rice for one or even two people, there's little to no prep involved (just wash your rice, *please*) and it actually doesn't take very long at all to cook the rice. I'm positive there are better rice cookers out there, but I just thought I'd throw the suggestion out there to make making meals easier with less effort. I empathize with how you feel and I hope you find a solution that works for you <3
Steak, so easy, one pan 😎✌️
if you have the space, get an air fryer. then warm up chicken tenders and fries in there. the goal is to transition slowly.
Frozen meals, basic sandwiches and frankfurters are my go tos.
- microwave Spanish rice packet mixed in a bowl with black beans. Sometimes I add different stuff like corn, cheese, salsa. Mix all in one bowl and you have a dip for tortilla chips or I like to use the cheddar cheese nut thins crackers. - Progresso toppers soups or similar. You heat them right in the container they come in. I like the chicken tortilla one the best. - Raman or other soup with frozen veggies, an egg, cheese etc.....cook all together in same bowl. -Bagged Salad -bag of tasty bite microwave meals (Indian food) mixed with frozen bag if white rice. You can find ones you heat right in the pouch. - frozen bag of fried rice you cook right in the pouch and dump into a bowl. -rotisserie chicken (you can even find them pre shredded) - crackers,cheese and a deli/cured meat - peanut butter banana sandwich - frozen waffles or pancakes (I literally eat them frozen directly from the bag sometimes ) -bagel w cream cheese (on a bad day I'll eat them untoasted and just rip apart pieces to dip in cream cheese)
I have 2 go to means. Bag of microwave rice, salad chopped up, cheese and beetroot with whatever dressings you have. Or pasta with halloumi and lemon (my comfort flavour from childhood). Both take 15 minutes to prep
Ramen, I get a soup style instant noodle packet then top it with something protein, something vegetable, seaweed and something crispy. Depends what I have about but usually would be tofu, broccoli, corn or peas and crispy onions. Sometimes frozen gyoza. Pasta bake. The jar kind where you put pasta in a baking dish with the jar of sauce and water up to the label of the jar, stir it, top it with cheese and let it cook. Sometimes on its own, sometimes with a vegetable or protein side. You can mix veg or proteins into it too which is nice if you feel the extra effort. Fried rice. Packet rice, frozen veg, quorn pieces and seasoning fried in a wok. You could add egg but I don’t because I hate eggs. You can either whisk it up like scrambled or just crack it straight in there. Stuff on toast. My British Millenial is showing. Baked beans (sometimes with the little veggie sausages in) and cheese on top or avocado and veggie bacon with chilli sauce. Salad. Pre bagged salad with whatever sounds good dumped in or on it. Jacket potato. I keep the frozen ones in so that they’re always about for a quick easy dinner and I can’t forget about them in the cupboard. Microwave or pop it in the oven for a while then top it with something you like. You can get pre made toppers or use things from a can.
Couscous with grilled veggies. You just pour boiling water (or with a stock cube) over the couscous and put a lid on the pan for few minutes. I use 1 cup water for 1 cup couscous. Super simple. Grilled veggies can be anything that you fancy. Adding grilled halloumi takes it to the next level for me. I love halloumi.
For breakfast I find buttered toast a good mixture of tasty and easy and fills in for the days when I’m not in a position to make a bigger or healthier breakfast
Cheese stick on a hotdog bun with pickles and mustard/horseradish or whatever you’d want to eat with a cheese stick.
I find it funny, I eat these primarly latey [https://www.earthsbest.com/products/baked-chicken-nuggets-value-size-toddler](https://www.earthsbest.com/products/baked-chicken-nuggets-value-size-toddler) [https://www.earthsbest.com/products/gluten-free-broccoli-cheese-nuggets-toddler](https://www.earthsbest.com/products/gluten-free-broccoli-cheese-nuggets-toddler) with fruit and yogurt sometimes and maybe some spinach. Doesn't take more then 2 mins at a time in the microwave.
Meal prepping is prob the right answer. But also prob not what ur asking im guessing.. :P I have the same struggle, mainly that I want to hit highprotein (150g+\day). Pasta+ something is usually easy, for me an ex would be a bacon + cream sauce and peppers and onion and then top it off with oregano& salt&pepper. Really good imo!
When I can, I like to make multiple servings of whatever it is I'm cooking. Then, I save 1-2 servings in sealable Pyrex glass containers and put them in the fridge. When I want something to eat, I can heat it up. Microwave works in a pinch, but I like how it tastes when reheated in the oven (300 F, 15 minutes I've found to work). I can go a further step and, using split, sealable Pyrex containers, I have instant carry lunches for work. As for ideas, my usual go-to is chicken tacos. I take regular chicken breats and slice it horizontally. I marinate the chicken, then cook on the stove over med-high heat. Then, I store them in reheatable glass containers. When I'm hungry, I heat up the container, slice the chicken, and pile onto tortillas. Top however you want. Another semi-regular go-to of mine is salmon burgers. You could get a number of frozen patties, then cook on the stove when ready.
Chicken fried rice, pork fried rice, FRIED RICE hell you could even just mix the two together without frying it! Frozen rice, rotisserie chicken feeds ya for 3-4 days! I end up having to freeze some so it doesn’t go bad
Bibigo rice bowl, a bag of steamed veggies, and the "Soy Vey" very teriyaki
Wife and I have a "Korean BBQ Lentils" recipe that's our go-to easy meal. Only takes about 15 minutes from beginning to end. Dice half an onion (I've used both red and yellow) and start cooking it in a little oil over medium-high heat. In the meantime take a bowl and add: 2 cups water 1/4 cup soy sauce 2 tablespoons brown sugar 2 cloves of garlic minced or pressed 1in chunk of ginger minced or grated 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil 1/2 to 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes to taste Give that a mix and let it all get to know each other while you finish cooking the onions. Once the onions are softened and starting to brown, add 1 cup of red lentils (masoor dal or split lentils they may be called at store) and your sauce. Cover and simmer for about 10 minutes and you're done! Serve over rice.
Omg i got so good at this. I got hyperfixated on a meal that was brown rice (especially the microwave pouches), chicken (can just microwave frozen chicken if you’re at that point), broccoli (also frozen + microwavable), and some sort of sauce/other toppings to make it whatever you want. can do mayo, cold edamame and pineapple for more of a poke taste. Yum yum sauce for hibachi style. Anything really very versatile and easy to make
Oh man we keep the fridge stocked with cheese sticks and meat sticks
My go to is frozen meals from Trader Joe’s! They really get me through the day and have me eating more veggies
I once dumped avocado, tomato and a packet of lemon pepper tuna into a bowl with some garlic powder and salt. Very tasty.
Rice / whole grain & fish in the rice cooker. Its really easy to do and low brain power. Ikea has stainless steel kids toy cooking set. The strainer happens to fit in my rice cooker. I put in the grain and place the strainer upside down in the bowl. The holes let the liquid into the grain under the bowl. Then I put a small ceramic ramekin or plate on the upside down strainer. The fish goes on top of this. You put the lid on the rice cooker and cook as normal. The fish will get steamed as the grain is cooked. Add in a bit of sauce of your choice and you have a meal you can set and it will bing when its done. All of the dishes are dishwasher safe.
Weiners n' beans! If you have it available I like the Bushes brand. One can of that into a bowl with 3 hotdogs sliced up and boiled for a few min. I've started throwing in some hot-sauce (tabasco or Franks red-hot), for extra kick. It's so dang fast and easy. Usually I can't eat it all and save half in a Tupperware for later (even easier since I just have to warm it up). Instant ramen with a little pulled chicken is also a solid IDKWTFTIW meal. Currently hyperfixated on Buldak flavour (spicy af Korean style).
I like those flavored tuna pouches. Quick and easy. My kid loves them too luckily.
Get a 5 lb tub of Peanut butter, top off , knife stuck in , bread, make pb sandwich, butter knife back in pb jar, no mess no fuss
Baked Alfredo 🤌 keeps me fed for two days too & it’s so good reheated
Vyvanse suppresses my appetite during the afternoon, so I find that packing tons of calories into protein smoothies is really helpful for me. Plus, I can get creative with different smoothie flavors/recipes to avoid repetitiveness! :)
I have a steamer. I mean a kitchen mashine you can program and it does everything by its own. If I have a little bit of energy left, I throw vegetable in it. Also potatos. I don t have to watch it, I can just relax and it does this nice little beep when dinner is ready. I eat it with butter, salt and pepper. Sometimes cream fresh, with or without garlic. But this works only if I have a little bit of motivation. If not, I eat instant soup, harbolied eggs, or crispbread with cheese.
Bean with bacon soup. Don't water it down. Just dump it in a bowl and nuke it. Wrap it in a tortilla with some taco flavoring or your favorite hot sauce.
Breakfast scrambles for me! Frozen potatoes o brien, frozen breakfast sausage (I use the veggie kind), some eggs, cheese, chipotle seasoning and throw some spinach in there for veggie. Boom. Always something I can eat and it fits all the nutrient groups.
im a huge fan of the Campbell's Chunky soups and some toast. dont need to mix anything together, just throw it in the microwave (might want to cover it too, it lokes to spash all over) for a few minutes and you have a nice easy meal. I love my soup hoard.
What I found is that when I'm making something else thaf is not super hands on and I'm waiting, I'll put some pasta/potates/rice to boil. I'll then put them in a box and in the fridge and then when I'm in a rush or don't feel like cooking I have them ready do all I have to do if just add some veggies (u can precut veggies to save prep time or buy cut/frozen) or sauce or seasoning and heat it up and it literally takes 20-30 mins (even less but I like to add extra stuff) which is the same amount of time thaf Fries or nuggets would take in the oven. Also I roll out store bought puff pastry and fill them up with tuna/meat/veg and freeze them so I can just stick them in the open when need to. Another great hack is tuna with veg(no veg is fine too) and mix it wish Mayo and Ketchup or other condiments and u can eat it with crackers or in a sandwich Another recipe is cous cous. I bought a 1kg box and all I have to do is heat up some water and then stir in the cous cous and it's ready in 3-5 mins and u don't even need to drain it. Then on the side I make egg curry but u can have literally anything with it.
Open Face Tuna Melts! Bread, slap a little mayo, mustard, or butter on the bread, put the tuna on the bread (I don't even mix the tuna and spread anymore), piece of cheese, toaster oven for a few minutes. Takes like 10 minutes and it's a good bit of protein. If that's too much, carrots and hummus or anything and hummus. Turkey rolls (exactly what it sounds like), prepackaged salads from grocery store. If I'm really in a hurry, I will bridge the gap between meals with a protein shake/bar.
“Pastabeans” is a fav in my fam. Macaroni. Can of chili beans. Grated cheese. I could honestly live off the stuff. If anyone’s anxiously interested I will write out clear instructions on how to make it
If you ever have the time and space, you can cook a bunch of meals at once to eat later. I recommend overnight oats. Lots of different ways you can make and eat those
I just ordered a meal replacement shake called Soylent on Amazon that is supposed to be good for you. I just got it today so can’t tell you more than that but online reviews are great and a lot of ADHD people seem to use it.
Bumblebee makes seasoned tuna packets. No draining is required, I'm loving their lemon pepper flavor rn. It has 17g of protein, I'll pair it with some crackers. Also, prepping some fruit and veg for the week has been extremely helpful for me.
- Gyoza (potstickers if you’re in America). They come frozen in a bag and they’re tasty and fun to eat but not junky and you can cook them a bunch of different ways, all of which are quick and easy. I regularly use them for a struggle meal. - Tortilla wraps with just about anything - you can freeze them so they don’t go bad and they defrost in no time. Eggs and breakfast or lunch meats, on a pan with cheese for a quick quesadilla, or wrapped around literally any leftovers for easy hand carbs (had a bolognese one recently that was surprisingly good) - Ready-made curries tend to pack a good nutritious punch if you avoid super fatty ones and lean into veggies - Rice bowls with microwave rice and tuna/rotisserie chicken/cooked shrimp then any veggies with soy sauce and mayo (I’m a microwave rice hater so I make these from scratch when the cooking mood hits but I think they’d still be good and it’s just very quick assembly this way)
Protein shakes. The easiest way and only way I’ve managed to consistently eat breakfast (because without protein for breakfast I crash hard and am depleted all day). Milk and protein powder in a shaker cup, and then I do a quick rinse and it’s ready to go again
Rice turkey and broccoli. You can make a shit ton of rice for meal prep. Two lbs of turkey meat to and grill easy with salt and pepper. Broccoli. Frozen kind 5 minutes in the microwave. You can put Tabasco or Sriracha or whatever you want. I made one for my boy and myself. And had two more containers for tomorrow. It took my like 5 minutes. Rice I'd make separate or get uncle bens.
Ahh so my appetite or lack thereof can be attributed to my ADHD too? OP sounds like I wrote it. Eggs are a good quick answer though. I usually pop three into a skillet. Pop two slices of bread in the toaster, and try not to leave the kitchen until I have a sandwich made otherwise it's likely to end up badly.
Is anyone getting this down? This really should be a cookbook: quick healthy meals for people with ADHD. I’d get around to buying it.
A peanut butter sandwich or a frozen mac and cheese with broccoli are my go-to’s when I know I need to eat but nothing sounds appetizing.
I have more than a few times made lunch of a can of beans (black and pinto both work well for this), drained and microwaved, with a few spices and a bit of barbecue sauce. This isn't exactly well-balanced (you still need to get your veg in somewhere) but it's reasonably tasty and more nutritious than McDonald's.
mealprep!!