7 Meal Ideas for When You Have Nothing Prepared

Have you ever been hungry but realized you have nothing prepared?

No lunch in the fridge, no meal planned, and probably no desire to spend an hour in the kitchen.

It happens to everyone.

Luckily, there are plenty of ways to put together something simple and filling without spending much time cooking.

Here are 7 ideas to keep in mind for those days when you need to eat quickly.

1. Eggs, toast and fruit

Eggs are one of the easiest options when you want to put together a meal quickly.

Cook two or three eggs and have them with whole-grain toast and a piece of fruit.

You can also add some vegetables if you have any on hand.

Prep time: about 5 to 10 minutes.

Simple, quick and easy to adjust based on what you already have in the fridge.

2. Chicken, rice and vegetables

Have some cooked chicken, rice and a few vegetables?

You’ve got most of what you need.

Heat everything up together and add a sauce or dressing for some extra flavour.

If you use pre-cooked rice and frozen vegetables, your meal can be ready in just a few minutes.

Prep time: about 10 minutes.

It’s a simple combination that gives you protein, carbohydrates and vegetables.

3. Greek yogurt, fruit, oats and nuts

Yogurt on its own can be a good snack, but adding a few more foods can turn it into a more complete meal.

Add Greek yogurt, fruit, oats and nuts or seeds.

You can also add peanut butter or another nut butter.

Prep time: about 3 minutes.

It’s especially convenient in the morning, but it can also work when you need something quick at any time of day.

4. Leftovers from dinner

Sometimes, the best option is simply what you already have in the fridge.

Leftovers from a balanced dinner can become your lunch the next day with almost no preparation.

Leftover chicken, fish, meat, rice or vegetables can easily be reheated and combined into a meal.

And if you intentionally make a few extra portions at dinner, you can automatically have a meal ready for the next day.

Prep time: about 2 minutes.

5. Rice bowl with chickpeas and vegetables

Looking for a simple plant-based option?

Canned chickpeas can be really handy when you haven’t prepared anything.

Add them to cooked rice and vegetables, then season everything with dressing, lemon, olive oil or whatever spices you have on hand.

Prep time: about 5 minutes.

It’s a simple way to make a meat-free meal while combining plant-based protein, carbohydrates and vegetables.

And you don’t need to follow a plant-based diet to enjoy this kind of meal.

6. A quality ready-to-eat meal

You don’t always have to cook something yourself.

If you know you have a particularly busy day coming up, a ready-to-eat meal can be a good option.

The important thing is to look at what’s actually in it instead of choosing based only on how quickly you can eat it.

Ideally, a good option should provide enough calories and include a combination of protein, carbohydrates, fats, fibre, vitamins and minerals.

Quick doesn’t necessarily mean incomplete.

7. A meal replacement drink when you really don’t have time

And sometimes, even the options above just aren’t realistic.

You have to leave in a few minutes.

You’re between appointments.

You’re on the road.

Or you simply realize you didn’t plan anything at all.

That’s when a meal replacement drink can be especially convenient.

Unlike a simple snack or protein shake, a meal replacement drink is designed to provide a combination of nutrients that can help make up a meal.

Neo Food for days when time is tight

Neo Food takes about 30 seconds to prepare and provides 380 calories, 31 g of plant-based protein, 10 g of fibre and 27 vitamins and minerals per serving.

You can keep it at home, at work or take it with you when you know you have a busy day ahead.

Neo Food is also plant-based, but you don’t need to follow a plant-based diet to use it.

The idea isn’t to replace every meal with a drink.

It’s simply to have a complete, convenient meal option when preparing a traditional meal isn’t realistic.

The most important thing: have simple options ready

You don’t need a complicated recipe every time you get hungry.

Eggs with toast and fruit.

A chicken, rice and vegetable bowl.

Greek yogurt with fruit, oats and nuts.

Leftovers from dinner.

A chickpea, rice and vegetable bowl.

A ready-to-eat meal.

Or a meal replacement drink when you really don’t have time.

The goal is simply to have a few options you can turn to when your day doesn’t go as planned.

Because a quick meal can still be a real meal.

Need a meal ready in seconds?

With Neo Food, you can prepare a complete meal replacement drink in about 30 seconds and keep it on hand for those days when you simply don’t have time to cook.

Discover Neo Food →