Cooking can feel overwhelming when you’re low on motivation. Feeling tired, especially after a long-day, can make even the thought of preparing a meal seem daunting. Additionally, the expectation that cooking must involve intricate recipes can deter you from even starting. Lack of meal inspiration or not knowing what to cook can also contribute to the reluctance. Read on for methods to make cooking more do-able even on days when you feel tired and don’t want to cook.
- Buy foods that reduce meal prep time and effort
When you are struggling with feeling tired and have low motivation to cook, keeping low-effort, nutritious ingredients on hand can be the key to minimizing how big the task of cooking feels without sacrificing nutrition. Below are some ideas of food items to stock up on to help you throw together quick healthy meals that require barely any preparation.
Frozen Vegetables
Frozen veggies are a game-changer when it comes to reducing prep time. Many come in steamable bags, allowing you to cook them right in the microwave—no stovetop required. Even the frozen veggies that can’t be cooked in the microwave can simply just be added to one-pan or one-pot meals without the need for any rinsing or chopping. Plus, unlike fresh vegetables, frozen ones don’t spoil quickly, so there’s no rush or pressure to use them up before they go bad.
Quick Proteins
Pre-cooked chicken (fresh or frozen), cooked and peeled frozen shrimp, tofu, and pre-cooked chicken sausages or burgers can save you loads of time instead of preparing a protein from scratch. You can even find some of these options pre-marinated as well. These quick protein options are ready to go—just do a quick chop and warm them up with the rest of your meal!
Salad Kits
Salad kits are great because they do all the work of preparing a nourishing veggie addition to your meal that still serves up delicious, fresh flavors. All you have to do is toss the salad kit contents in a bowl and enjoy. You can even throw a quick protein on top along with your choice of canned beans to make it a complete meal!
Precooked Rice or Minute Rice
Minute rice or pre-cooked rice in microwavable pouches are convenient options compared to cooking rice from scratch. It’s ready in just a couple of minutes and pairs well with a variety of dishes. Serve on the side or mix into your meal. You can even find other pre-cooked grains sometimes such as quinoa.
Canned Beans/Lentils
Canned beans and lentils are ready to use—simply drain, rinse, and add them to soups, salads, grain bowls, or pasta for a quick boost of protein and fiber.
Premade Sauces
To add flavor quickly, pre-made sauces are a great option, including pasta sauces, Asian sauces (teriyaki, sweet chili, sriracha, etc.), and dressings. Try to look for low-sodium versions of these sauces, or use a smaller amount if that’s not possible in order to keep the sodium levels of your meals under control. You can always add dried herbs and spices to supplement flavors from sauces as well if you are feeling up to it.
- Keep It Simple: Low Maintenance Meal Ideas
When it comes to what you are going to cook, keep it simple. You don’t need to whip up something elaborate that uses a ton of different ingredients in order to make something nourishing and delicious. Opt for one-pan or one-pot meals where everything gets dumped in one spot, making for minimal preparation and clean up. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
Stir fry
frozen stir fry veggies + quick protein + pre-cooked rice + teriyaki sauce
Grain Bowl
precooked rice/quinoa + quick protein + steam-in-bag frozen veggie + dressing or Asian sauce
Salad Kit Meal
salad kit + quick protein + canned beans
One-Pot Soup
frozen mixed veggies + carton of broth + canned lentils + quick protein + pre-cooked rice
- Batch Cooking
When you do find yourself able to cook something that can be made in a big batch, do so and either freeze the remaining portions for days when you don’t want to cook or leave the leftovers in the fridge for repeat meals in the same week.
- Don’t Take Convenience Foods Off The Table
It’s okay to eat convenience foods occasionally, especially for instances when you are extra busy or low energy and not wanting to cook a meal from scratch. Instead of holding yourself to an all-or-nothing mindset when it comes to cooking, see what you can add to boost the nutrition of a convenience meal, such as adding broccoli and chopped tofu when cooking microwave ramen. By allowing yourself to eat occasional convenience meals, you will prevent cooking burnout from the unsustainable goal to cook from scratch every time you eat a meal at home.
We all need to eat, but some days feel much harder than others when it comes to cooking. Following the tips in this blog can make cooking on low energy and motivation more attainable while staying realistic. These methods aim to reduce the amount of preparation and clean-up during cooking, yet you’ll still be able to enjoy healthy, nutritious meals.
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This article was written by Alyssa Coscino, nutrition intern. Fact checked by Allison Tallman RD.