Today I want to share with you some of my favorite easy, healthy, go-to meals that can be served for either lunch or dinner! Many of these meal ideas can be made with simple ingredients that I almost always have on hand.
Creamy Tomato Soup
This soup is SO easy to whip up, and it’s one of my all-time favorite soups! It’s a great Sunday afternoon meal because of how fast it can be prepared, but we love it any day of the week! Garnish it with cheese, croutons, and/or green onions, and serve with some homemade bread and/or a salad on the side.
Chili
While I enjoy a batch of chili that has been cooked all day as much as the next person, chili can be made on the fly! I dump a few cans of beans in a pot, season (with chopped onions, garlic powder, chili powder, paprika, pepper, and cumin), and heat. Grate some cheese on top and you have a meal! So good with cornbread (love this recipe, but a box mix works when you’re in a hurry).
Quesadillas
It doesn’t get much easier than whole-wheat tortillas + cheese! I almost always have both of these ingredients on hand, so this is also a great go-to meal. I serve it with black beans for protein, as well as toppings such as shredded lettuce/spinach, salsa/tomatoes, and sour cream.
Grilled Cheese
Again, so simple. Just melt your favorite cheese between two slices of bread, and serve with a side salad, soup, or fresh fruit & veggies.
Cheese Platter
This meal excites Tad more than (almost) any other! Arrange several types of cheese on a plate, then add crackers, fruit (grapes, apples, etc.), veggies, and pretty much anything else you enjoy snacking on (i.e., hummus, etc.). It’s like having snack for lunch, and it’s surprisingly still filling! It’s my sneaky little way of cleaning out the fridge. We enjoy this sometimes on Sunday nights.
Chef Salads
Simple and light… start with a bed of lettuce (we like romaine), then add spinach leaves and whatever other greens you like/have on hand (arugula, etc.). Top with whatever veggies you desire, then throw some protein on top. You can add meat (a great way to use up a leftover piece of chicken or beef) or beans (black beans, chickpeas, etc.). Top with your favorite dressing, cheese, and croutons!
Wraps
I love a good wrap at a restaurant, and they aren’t that hard to make at home! Toss shredded lettuce/spinach, cooked chicken, cheese, and dressing of choice in a bowl, then use to fill whole wheat tortillas. Be creative with your combinations (i.e., romaine + chicken + parmesan + Caesar dressing, or spinach + chicken + cheddar + chipotle sauce).
Chimichangas
I don’t deep-fry these, so they are not “traditional.” I just heat up some pinto beans and season them with cumin and chili powder. I spread some beans in a tortilla, top with cheddar cheese, fold up on all four sides, and then heat in a skillet until both sides of the tortilla are lightly browned. Yum!
Loaded Baked Potatoes
We have loaded baked potatoes pretty regularly for lunch. I “bake” the potatoes in the microwave because it is so much faster. We load them up with butter, sour cream, cheese, leftover meat, green onions, cooked broccoli, etc. Just use what you have on hand!
Scrambled Eggs
No recipe needed for this one either! We love to eat scrambled eggs for lunch or dinner (not just breakfast!). We often add cheese and spinach, and sometimes minced garlic. Serve with toast and juice.
Tostados
This is another great Mexican dish that we enjoy eating. They are frugal to make, quick, and tasty!
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What are your favorite easy, healthy, go-to meals for lunch or dinner?
Great ideas…meals don’t always need a ton of ingredients and steps to be yummy!
I think I need to add quesadillas to our menu- we are not eating any meat right now, so that would be a perfect meal!
Yum – that soup look fab!!