8 Light & Easy Meals You Don't Have To Cook

Growing up, my mom cooked a meal every night. A full meal - meat, potatoes, vegetables, and some kind of dessert. That is what most women did. Even when she went back to teaching, she still cooked a hot meal for the family every night. Once in a while we would go out to eat, but that was a real treat.

I didn't like to cook when I was younger and I don't enjoy it now. I used to feel bad that my daughter didn't have a homemade meal every night. I'm not saying I never cooked, it just wasn't an everyday thing. And when I did cook, tt was always easy stuff. Other times, we would swing through a drive thru, order pizza, or go out to eat. Sometimes just the two of us and sometimes with friends.

I still enjoy eating out, even when I go by myself. It is so easy. I don't have to grocery shop, unload the groceries, prepare them, cook them, and do the dishes. I eat, pay and am done. And of course visit with friends when we go together. Meals are always more enjoyable with good conversations and laughs.

Unfortunately, eating out can get expensive and fattening! My favorite foods are Tex Mex (Mexican food with a Texas flare) and Italian. However, I am not a picky eater. I like most food and am always up for a hamburger, sandwich (at the deli), Chinese, or just about any other kind of food. I guess I'm a foodie. 😁

If you're like me and live in a big city, there are more restaurants than you can count! There is a restaurant with about any kind of food you can imagine within a mile or two radius of my home or office. Chinese, Italian, Mexican, Greek, Japanese, Italian, American, etc. and they're all good! It's convenient but also way too easy to grab a meal out.

I decided that I have to stop eating out. This decision came after I put on 10 pounds and looked at how much I was spending at restaurants. It was ridiculous! Shameful! I knew I had to make a change and the first place to start was to start eating more meals at home and bringing lunch to work. This is definitely not an easy change for me to make because I really enjoy eating out, but I knew I had to do it.

I'm sure I'm not alone in this area. I know there are other people who enjoy eating out as opposed to cooking. So I thought I would share a few simple things I eat at home that are easy to make, have little prep time, and very little cleanup. They are light and easy.

8 Light & Easy Meals You Don't Have to Cook

1. Salad. I'm sure you expected this to be on the list. I buy the bags of salad that come with dressing and whatever needs to be mixed in. I also buy the bags that have lettuce, radishes (usually very sparse), and purple cabbage. I cut up cucumber and tomato, add a little salad dressing to those. The clean up is super easy! You can mix the ingredients right in the bag, shake it, and transfer however much you want into your bowl. Saving the leftovers is a breeze to. Put a clip on the bag and throw it in the refrigerator for lunch or dinner the next day.

2. Smoothie. My idea of a smoothie won't align with everyone's because I make mine very simple. Of course. I use low fat vanilla yogurt (whatever brand is on sale), and throw in whatever berries I have and some banana. I throw it all in the blender and dinner is done! They are healthy, filling, and I think veru tasty. Be careful not to use too much banana because the flavor will overpower the berries. I love it and feel good knowing I've had a healthy meal.

3. Soup. Okay, so you do have to heat this up, but it is still a light and easy meal with very little cleanup. I'm not a big soup eater but now and then I'll eat it.

4. Fruit. I know fruit has sugar, but I figure it's okay because it's natural, not processed. I clean whatever berries I have, cut an orange in half and squeeze some of the juice over it, then let it sit in the refrigerator for about an hour. It's delicious! The orange really adds to the flavor! This makes a great breakfast or dessert as well and it's good for you!

5. Sandwich. Yes, sandwiches can be fattening, but they don't have to be. I started buying Sandwich Thins. They are thin slices of bread cut in a circle. Like a skinny bun. Put whatever you want on it and enjoy! I try to avoid lunch/deli meat because of the high sodium, but now and then I will buy some. This is a great way to eat leftover meat too. Once in a while I'll splurge on potato chips, but usually I'll have a sliced apple with it.

6. Bowl of Cereal. I'm not a big cereal eater but once in a while it tastes good. I'll buy a box of cereal and some milk and dinner is done. It tastes good and is super easy. I really don't have anything else to say about that. lol

7. Bagels or Toast. I love bagels, especially with a cream cheese spread. I also love toast, with just butter, butter and jelly or peanut butter. I am trying no to eat too much bread, so I try not to keep this stuff on hand, but now and then I'll treat myself. You can also scramble some eggs to have with or on your bagel or toast and it's still an easy meal.

8. Leftovers. This might not be the most appealing, but I know I waste money and food by not eating leftovers. Leftovers are an easy and quick lunch or dinner. Some things are actually better leftover - lasagna, meatloaf, goulash, etc. Plus, it's a great way to keep the refrigerator cleaned out!

You may be thinking none of the above are much of a dinner, and I guess they aren't in the traditional sense, but they are quick and easy with very little clean up. They're also light so I'm not eating a heavy meal before I go to bed. I have all of the above for dinner I enjoy them.

There is no shame in not wanting to cook or in eating an easy meal for dinner! I'd love to hear what easy no-cook dinner ideas do you have!

Until next time,

Melanie