Lazy Dinner Ideas When You Don’t Feel Like Doing Anything

Are you tired of eating cheese off the block, peanut butter from the jar, or a simple ham and cheese sandwich? There are days when you are exhausted and have no desire to prepare a restaurant-worthy dinner. You prefer to save time and avoid overly complicated recipes.

Here, you can find lazy dinner ideas that don’t require you to take out meat in advance to thaw, prep a ton of ingredients, or run to the store to get more products. They take a few minutes, contain some nutrients, and feel like a substantial meal.

Let’s broaden your repertoire!

What Are Some Lazy Dinner Ideas?

The lazy dinner ideas we selected are simple, delicious, and convenient. They require a little bit of work and very few dishes to wash. You can use the same concept for each meal and add ingredients you have at hand. Your kitchen should remain presentable when dinner is over. 

Before jumping in, we want to point out that everyone has their own nutritional needs. Protein is an essential macronutrient because it is necessary for muscle growth, tissue repair, structural support, and other bodily functions. Your body requires carbohydrates for energy, and healthy fats are crucial for hormone production and many different functions.

Frozen vegetables work well with whatever leftover meat or other protein source you have. You don’t need to chop or peel them. Most are picked and frozen at peak ripeness, so they don’t lose nutrients. Here is a list of some simple lazy dinner ideas you must try.

Grilled Cheese on Garlic Toast

This molten cheese with a golden crust is one of the best lazy dinner ideas for one. You can make the grilled cheese as fancy or as simple as you want. But, to add more flavor, take a piece of bread, butter it up, and sprinkle some garlic powder and dried herbs, then toast on each side. 

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Avocado Toast With Egg on Top

The creamy and savory taste of the avocado paired with the protein-packed eggs creates a wholesome meal. Avocado provides healthy fats, fiber, potassium, and folate. (1)

Take a thick slice of bread, and toast it with some butter until it turns brown on both sides, but is still chewy on the inside. Mash an avocado, add salt and pepper, or any flavor you enjoy, like lemon juice. Finish up with poached, hard-boiled, scrambled or sunny-side-up eggs. 

Are you looking to adjust your nutrition with boiled eggs? It takes a great deal of planning to start a new eating regimen.

Read more: 14 Day Boiled Egg Diet: Will It Yield Any Long-Term Results?

Beans With Hot Dog

This meal is a household classic that can’t be easier. It is a complex carb-rich meal with lots of fiber and protein. You can use it both as a side dish or a main course.

• Cut the hot dogs into slices and cook them over medium heat. 
• Add Northern common beans, ketchup, mustard, molasses, salt, and brown sugar. 
• You can chop up some bacon and let it simmer while the beans cook.

Fried Eggs With Bell Peppers

This dish outshines a simple scrambled egg with its distinctive flavor. Bell peppers have high nutritional value and bioactive compounds. They have antioxidant properties, which may benefit overall health. (2)

It is one of the best lazy dinner ideas for two since it adds color to your dish. You can use any seasoning, like garlic powder, red pepper flakes, herbs, etc. 

Slice the peppers and remove the pulp. Coat the frying pan with extra virgin olive oil, place the slices of bell peppers, and blanch them for around 3-4 minutes. Break eggs into each pepper, and cook to taste.

Buttered Noodles

You can make a delicious, quick, inexpensive dish with pasta, butter, cheese, salt and pepper.

• The key is to cook the pasta al dente (tender but firm and chewy when you bite into it)
• Save a splash of pasta water.
• Butter the pan on low flame and add the splash of pasta water.
• Add the pasta to the pan, coat it evenly, and finish by adding cheese. 

Tacos With Leftover Meats and Veggies

What’s not to like about a taco? It has all the ingredients of a substantial meal, and you can use it to fit everyone’s taste. 

Get some tortillas, rotisserie chicken, salsa, and vegetables, and have dinner in 10 minutes. 

You can use whatever you have in the fridge. 

That includes beef, pork, fish, lettuce, spinach, mushrooms, avocados, bell peppers, you name it. You can add it to your lazy dinner ideas healthy grocery list. 

Cauliflower Florets With Buffalo Sauce

These caramelized cauliflowers are irresistible. They are lighter than chicken wings, but just as crispy and delicious. 

• Cut the cauliflower into chunks
• Add a generous amount of olive oil
• Put them in the air fryer for a few minutes or until the surface develops a crispy exterior.
• Then, coat them in Buffalo sauce.

You can use homemade or store-bought sauce. Add more spice with garlic powder, salt, pepper, and red chili flakes. Serve with ranch on the side.

How to Cook When You Are Lazy?

To overcome laziness when cooking, follow these tips:

• Try different products or cuisines that excite you and reignite your passion for cooking. You can make it feel more like an adventure and less like a chore.
• Look for recipes that need under 30 minutes and require 5 to 6 ingredients. Complex meals can make you feel overwhelmed. 
• Master at least a couple of one-pot meals. This strategy can help you enjoy the process and reduce stress.
• Stock up on beans, pasta, rice, spreads, sauces, dried herbs, noodles, canned products, and soups. Keep rotisserie chicken, stock, salmon filets, sausages, and peas in the freezer. With these basic staples, you can always whip something up quickly. 
• Condiments can add flavor to a meal at the last minute. You should have ketchup, mayonnaise, mustard, hot sauces, and other products you prefer.
• When you have the motivation to cook for yourself, you can make a couple of extra batches and store them in the freezer. This way, you have fewer dishes to wash and more food to use on different occasions. 

What to Cook for Dinner When Lazy?

You can make easy dishes with minimal effort and eat them weekly. 

Roast or steam soft vegetables that take 10 to 20 minutes to cook:

• Asparagus
• Broccoli
• Green beans
• Mushrooms 

Denser vegetable options take 30 minutes or more:

• Carrots
• Beets
• Potatoes

Make a large batch of roasted vegetables, eat a serving, and portion the rest before you freeze them. On lazy days, you can reheat the leftovers and repurpose them. They go with almost anything — from eggs and quinoa to rice and meat. 

Add chickpeas or beans with cooked protein and steamed frozen vegetables, and you have lazy dinner ideas for family without the hassle. Mix and match these options every night for the best results.

Maximize the flavor with dips and toppings. 

Use condiments, spice mixes, soy sauce, garlic, salsa, tahini, or whatever you have at home. These ingredients transform any dish with little work.

When all else fails, go for simple items that you would have for breakfast. For example, you can make a toast, smoothie, scrambled eggs, or oatmeal. They are quick, comforting, and can satisfy the cravings.

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What to Cook With Barely Any Food?

As a home cook, it helps to have a creative mind. If you have nothing ready but different raw ingredients, you can easily toss a few together and make a salad or a full-course meal. 

When your pantry is almost empty, think about the basics. Rely on a few staple items that are easy to forget because they last longer and are not usually your first choice. These include canned beans, corn, rice, boxed meals, etc. 

You can mix and match whatever you have left to make a meal. 

For example, you can make white rice with canned beans or cheese and pasta with canned tomatoes and peas. These are great lazy dinner ideas for picky eaters. 

Just make sure to replenish your nutrient intake with other meals.

What Is the Quickest Healthiest Meal?

The quickest and healthiest meal is the one that balances the nutrient intake while reducing cooking time. The best lazy dinner ideas can include a combination of lean protein, vegetables, complex carbs, and healthy fats. A protein bowl is one such example.

Choose quick-cooking protein like:

• Canned tuna
• Rotisserie chicken
• Chicken sausage
• Turkey bacon
• Pre-cooked tofu
• Eggs

Use frozen or fresh vegetables. Then, stir-fry, steam, or microwave them. 

Pre-chopped salads and shredded vegetables can save you a lot of time. 

Use a whole grain base, like brown rice, quinoa, farro, or whole wheat pasta. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with seeds, or add some avocado or hummus for more flavor and healthy fats.

What Is the Unhealthiest Dinner?

There is an array of unhealthy foods from different cuisines. 

Nutritionists and Dieticians consider dinners with excessive salt, added sugars, unhealthy fats, and a lack of essential nutrients like fiber, vitamins, and minerals to have “empty” calories. 

These can include:

• Unhealthy fats — Dinners high in saturated and trans fats can contribute to hypertension, obesity, heart problems, and type 2 diabetes risk. Limit foods like deep-fried foods, fatty cuts of meat, or dishes loaded with butter or cream. (3)
• Highly processed meals — Include shelf-stable prepared meals, industrial processed baked goods, shelf-stable packaged snacks, and sugary breakfast cereals. These foods are typically high in sodium, added sugars, calories, and unhealthy fats. Diets high in these types of foods can contribute to weight gain and increased diabetes risk over time (4)
• Meals with excess salt — Takeout pizza, frozen dinners, or ultra-processed snacks contain a lot of salt. Excessive consumption can lead to water retention and high blood pressure. (5)
• Foods with low nutritional value — A meal with little to no fruits, vegetables, or lean protein is not ideal. It can offer calories but insufficient vitamins or minerals to support various bodily functions. It’s okay to eat the foods you like but think about what you can add to them to increase the nutritional value of the meal as a whole. How can you add protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals, or healthy fats to make it a well-balanced and nutritious meal?

Read more: 15-Day Diet Meal Plan To Put Weight Loss In Motion

Is It Ok to Avoid Dinner?

Some people intentionally skip meals to try to lose weight. It reduces the overall calorie intake. This diet restriction is a common tactic people use in intermittent fasting. However, it is essential to get all your nutrients from other meals. Otherwise, you may develop an unhealthy eating pattern.

Skipping meals, even intentionally, like intermittent fasting, is only for some. Skipping dinner can hurt your muscle growth, digestive system, and overall mental health. You may go to bed hungry, making you feel moody and tired. It can be challenging to concentrate and stay positive. It may increase the risk of binge eating. (6)

Instead, choose balanced dinners with veggies, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats. You can get all the calories and maintain a healthy body weight. The more satisfying and filling the meal, the easier it is to avoid food cravings.

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Bonus: Which Food Removes Laziness?

Low-calorie, nutrient-dense foods can help your body stay energetic without overeating. Many people kick start their day with a cup of coffee. Although it can stimulate the mind, you still need nutritious food for sustained energy.

If you are feeling tired, try these foods to get more energy:

• Yogurt
• Nuts
• Bananas
• Berries
• Oatmeal
• Brown rice
• Beans
• Lentils
• Dates
• Salmon
• Avocado
• Sweet potatoes

Try to include some of these ingredients in your dinners. Your lazy dinner ideas should contain various macro and micronutrients that support metabolic processes and fuel the body. 

Frequently Asked Questions

• What to eat for dinner is not healthy?

If you want an indulgent or less healthy dinner option, you can enjoy mac and cheese, pizza with extra toppings, cheesy pasta like fettuccine alfredo, or fried fish. 

For balance and nutrition, consider what you can add to provide the nutrients that might be missing, such as lean protein or fiber. For example, you can throw spinach, bell peppers, and mushrooms onto a pizza or pasta. If you need some protein, toss in some canned beans or shredded chicken, depending on what you have on hand.

• What to cook when nothing sounds good?

Find plain foods that are easy to start with. You can eat carrots, plain pasta, grapes, apples, or crackers. Every lazy girl meal plan or meal plan for lazy guys can benefit from some comfort foods like grilled cheese, eggs and tomato, smoothies, or chicken soup.

• What foods to quit?

Ultra-processed foods, such as prepared meals, baked goods, packaged snacks, and sugary cereals, are high in sodium, added sugars, calories, and unhealthy fats. 

Sugary beverages, alcohol, and processed meats can also pose health risks. Limiting or avoiding these foods can be beneficial for overall health.

• Which food removes stress?

Foods can’t completely remove stress, but they might boost serotonin levels. Foods high in tryptophan may help you de-stress. 

These may include eggs, poultry, fish, tofu, yogurt, spinach, oats, bananas, peanuts, seeds, etc. On the other hand, sometimes just eating something comforting or enjoyable can give you a feel-good boost – it doesn’t have to be a high tryptophan food, just something you like.

Summary

The easiest way to get over the laziness is to start cooking something simple and build from there. Use the leftover ingredients in your kitchen and experiment with the dishes. You can create versatile and easy meals, which are great on a tight budget.