Sometimes during the week I do get lazy, crazy and disorganised. Life can be like that sometimes, wouldn’t you agree?
But when it comes to food and feeling good, I’ve learnt that it’s better to stay on track rather than heading for the fast food chain and regreting it later. There are loads of things you can grab from the grocery store to whip up fast healthy meals in 5 to 10 minutes flat. So I thought I’d make a list for you and also provide a few ideas on how you might throw them together into delicious meals.
Proteins
Every meal should include a source of healthy protein.
- Grab a BBQ/rotisserie chicken
- 2 minute steaks
- Ground chicken or pork mince
- Chicken strips
- Tinned fish such as tuna, salmon, mackarel and sardines
- Eggs
- From the deli you could grab some roast beef slices, some ham or ready cooked shrimp/prawns
- Tinned chickpeas, lentils and beans – if you eat them. Rinse first before using and check the ingredients so you buy the ones without sugar and extra additives.
Deli Section
The deli section has a wide variety of deliciousness available.
- Fetta cheese and other cheesy delights if you’re a dairy eater
- Roast eggplant
- Roast capsicum
- Olives of many kinds
- And the meats/prawns mentioned above
Steer clear of the ready made pastas and salads, they are full of sugar and things you don’t really need. Think about the food and how close it is to it’s natural form.
Veggies
One of the fastest things you can grab from the grocery store is packaged leafy salads or stir fry mixes. No chopping required just throw in a bowl or the pan with some protein and your meal is done.
- Packet coleslaw
- Ready to bake veggies
- Packet stir fry veggies
- Asian leafy mix
- Baby spinach
- Rocket
- Veggie mix
- Pre-packaged salads – some of these are okay if you don’t use the dressing that comes with it
Of course you can also simply buy some lettuce, tomato, cucmber and avocado or any other variety of veggie to make a quick salad. But the pre-packaged ones are great for super lazy or crazy days 
And if you’re always short on preparation time, then choosing frozen pre-packaged veggies is perfectly fine. They come in different varieties too.
In The Fridge
- Smoked salmon slices
- Dips – I love making my own dips but it does take time so dips such as tzatziki, avocado, pesto, hummus, pumpkin can add fast flavour and interest to your dish. Always read the labels because many of them are packed with crap. Although they may seem healthy they really aren’t. The first time you look at them it will take you time to work out the brands and flavours you consider worthy of eating. But once you have that down you can just grab and go.
- Cheese – fetta, cheddar, cottage cheese
Putting Some Fast Healthy Meals Together
1. Take your roast chicken and throw it on a plate with a packet salad and some slices of avocado, cottage cheese or some dip
2. Baby spinach leaves mixed with olives, roast eggplant, roast capsicum and slices of roast beef from the deli
3. Fry up your chicken strips with prepackaged Asian veggies for a fast 10 minute meal
4. Grab a lettuce, some tomato and a tin of salmon to make a super fast salmon salad
5. A handful of prepackaged veggies thrown in a pan with some eggs to make a quick scramble
6. Throw a couple of tins of tuna in with a prepackaged coleslaw and mix in some tzaziki dip
7. Asian leafy mix with prawns/shrimp, some fetta and avocado dip
8. Roast eggplant and capsicum wrapped in smoked salmon slices
9. Chickpeas, rocket, baby spinach and some cherry tomatoes
10. Meditteranean Tuna salad - lettuce, tuna, olives, fetta.
There’s 10 simple ideas for meals you could throw together in less than 10 minutes using items you purchased at the grocery store. There are no doubt countless other combinations you could try. Next time you’re stuck in a rut during the week grab some of these items instead of going past the fast food chain. You’ll thank yourself for it
If you missed my run down of 10 minute meals, you can read that here.
Do you have any fast grabable meal ideas to share?
Leave a Reply