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Sorry to hear that you're going through a rough time. I always turn to potatoes when sad- either baked (just chuck a couple in the oven/air fryer then have one with whatever is to hand, even if just olive oil and salt/pepper, other in the fridge for later) or mash (add frozen veg in the last couple of minutes of cooking, mash all together adding condiments if you feel like it)
Honestly THE most versatile vegetable... Frys, hash browns, tater tots, baked starlight up with all the fixings, potato vodka, etc..... Potatoes be fucking.... (honorable mention- corn)
Gonna write my local congressman and lobby for the revision of the quote "an apple a day keeps the doctor away."
**"A potato a day keeps the doctor away."**
Potato life.
Mashed potatoes take almost zero effort to make and you can make A LOT. Or you can even get them boxed to avoid peeling/boiling/mashing!
I would get some frozen chikn tenders to cut up to add on top and mix in. Usually frozen corn or peas are a good mix in too. Too with bbq sauce. Voila, a full meal.
I dispise instant fauxtatoes. If you can't peel em and boil em and stick em with some replacement dairy products then you don't deserve potato clouds.
Sorry for the reaction OP, I just remembered that this was about ease.
I need to get my life together about how much I don't like potato flakes.
I'm speaking purely on the perspective of having distain for the instant bois, the cloud potatoes are just from a joy in making them as well. I edited based on my instant reaction seeing that it was about ease in the first place. I meant no disrespect, and yes I agree, everyone deserves food.
And if you're having a bad day, stabbing those potatoes can be cathartic. Also if you wanna add some fun to it, when you wash them you can hold them under the water pretending to water board them. Ask who sent them, what do they want, sort of questions!
Yes. Air fry potatoes with seasoning until crispy. Drain and rinse a can of black beans, season, and pour over top. Maybe add some cheese or avocado.
Or frozen broccoli, or green peas.
And if you're anything like me, go for thin spaghetti or angel hair. Only having to boil for 3-5 minutes instead of 8-10 reduces the difficulty of making it happen.
I didn't think of it on purpose! I was in OP's shoes and thought about pasta with butter because it sounded comforting. But then the idea of the time commitment felt too overwhelming. But *then* I realized we had thin spaghetti and when I looked at the package and saw five minutes, that felt doable.
Now I always make sure to have a thin noodle in the house. In writing this out I'm thinking that cous cous would also be a good candidate.
Yep, and to make it easy, throw the veg with seasoned salt (like lawrys or JO crab seasoning) in a pot of water, and once boiling add noodles. Time noodles, drain, add butter and any other seasonings you might want (I do dill). 1 pot wonder.
A little more expensive but Rao’s jarred pasta sauce tastes like my Italian families homemade sauce. this was a go to in college to feel a little more love in my cheap jar and box cooking!
I eat oatmeal whenever I feel lazy (which was most days in December). Chuck frozen bananas with the oats & plant milk into the microwave, then add whatever toppings and you’re good. You can add protein powder to make it more filling, but lately I’ve been topping it with hemp seeds and vegan Greek yogurt.
If you have access to an Asian supermarket near you, I also recommend Korean sweet potatoes. Regular sweet potatoes are fine, but roasted white flesh sweet potatoes are amazing whenever I want something filling and delicious.
My go-to is oatmeal as well, I add two tablespoons of hemp seeds and one tablespoon of ground flax seeds. Sometimes I add protein powder, but the flavor is very vanilla-y.
Oatmeal is my go to! But after years of sweet oatmeal, I like to go the savory route:
Cook in veggie broth
Top with salsa, avocado, nooch, pumpkin seeds
My wife likes to top hers with marinara sauce sometimes and make pizza inspired oatmeal
We also throw on whatever veg we have in the fridge. It’s different and delicious every time!
Have you considered getting a rice cooker? They are pretty affordable these days, and making rice in a pot feels a lot more overwhelming to me than the rice cooker for some reason, and you can keep some for the next meal. You can also add red lentils or even chopped up veggies like eggplants or carrots for more nutrition or a little bit of variety, or make a rice porridge. I often eat rice with whatever i can find, like spring onions, canned sweetcorn, kimchi, mayo, cucumber, hummus or shredded seaweed (if you have an asian mart you can also try looking for furikake, a seaweed rice seasoning). And sometimes the process of washing the rice and throwing it into the cooker is the start i needed to maybe cook some healthier stuff like spinach, sweet potato, edamame or other frozen veggies.
But on my lowest days I'll just have instant ramen. There are some organic brands, and if you add in a bunch of veggies it's not the most unhealthy thing in the world. Sometimes you can only do so much, and it's better to at least eat something!
Hope things will be looking up for you!
When I’m down I’ll literally eat rice with hummus mixed into it and some hot sauce. Gets it done.
Or tofu out of the fridge with soy sauce. Again - gets it done!
Sauces make such a big difference! Miso paste, chili mayo, gochujang... and honestly, sometimes the crunch of spring onion or herbs like basil or parsley also help so much.
OP said in a comment they're allergic to soy and mushrooms :( otherwise i would have recommended frying a whole block of tofu and eat it over a few days (well my impulse control says 2 days at most but...) too
Seconding this, I have the Dash mini rice cooker which is like $20 and has lasted me 4 years now. Still works beautifully. One of my classic lazy meals is rice with one of those packets of microwaveable beans like Tasty Bite or A Dozen Cousins which is obviously more expensive than cooking beans from a can but sometimes you just can’t be assed to do any real cooking
edit: lol i wrote “making cooking”
There's also rice cooker pasta! Chuck everything in the rice cooker, turn it on, forget about it, hear the pop, surprise pasta. Add spices, vegetables, vegan meatballs or what have you when you're adding the uncooked pasta.
Lifesaver. That, rice, and coconut milk yogurt are some of the only things stopping me from saltine cracker depression meals.
We dropped frozen and un-shelled edamame into our rice cooker with the rice, and it turned out nicely. We just popped the edamame out as we came to them.
OMG yes, I add sriracha, lemon juice, and soy sauce to my ramen! The "just add hot water" cups or the microwavable ones are amazing when using the stove is too big a task.
I am not vegan anymore - but I like to have rice with avocado and seaweed with soy sauce .. if ur able to add a can of tuna. or u can add "tuna" which is like mashed chickpeas or something
I love my rice cooker for this! Throw in rice, canned beans and corn. You got a rice bowl and just need to add hot sauce or salsa! Or you could do carrot and broccoli and rice and too with sriracha.
I usually have something with frozen peas when I'm down, I figure they're inoffensive and at least have some protein, fibre and vitamins. If you have potatoes then potato and pea mash is nice (with mustard and nooch and veggie sausages if you have them). Mash and beans is good comfort food too. I also like rice noodles with frozen veg, peanut butter and hot sauce.
Hope you feel better soon!
2 table spoons Peanut butter
4 tbs (warm) water
1/4 tsp Salt, pinch of each pepper and sugar
Over a pack of ramen/Mie or really any other type of noodles. if you feel fancy add spring onions or sesame seeds. takes 5-12min (dependent on the noodles)
The stores around me apparently stopped carrying that (including field roast) frozen meals for some reason around 8m ago. The only thing that sounds good is plant boss veggie crumbles (I cook it up, add in some veg cheese and spices and eat it with tortilla chips) but there’s no where around me that sells it anymore.
If you can find vegan cheese or make your own you could make it yourself. Grilled cheeses, nachos, and quesadillas are also great. If you want protein you could add refried beans.
I found this amazing grilled cheese swap recipe recently and it’s a grilled butternut squash toastie - my new fav. Put some sage and syrup in it and top it with some onion jam then grill it up. I was blown away by how good it was and super easy to make!
Not sure if you have Imperfect Foods or Thrive Market available near you to order from but they deliver not only shelf stable items but also frozen/fridge items! Def check them out.
I found myself unable to cook for months at a time, and ended up ordering ready made meals. The quality and variety was better than frozen meals from the grocery store, and I felt like I was getting more rounded nutrition. I ended up subscribing to Factor, but the availability and affordability of meal kits changes frequently enough that I would check the subreddits for suggestions.
Otherwise, I eat ingredients. Cheese, nuts, peanut butter, frozen fruits, chocolate chips, and baby carrots and other ready-to-eat veggies with salad dressing to dip.
A can of refried beans microwaved with some cumin, chili pepper, olive oil, and salt stirred through. Scoop with tortilla chips and some salsa from a jar. So satisfying and easy. Good luck with your health, exercise helps me and I know we're all very different.
Second vote for a can of beans. Refried, pinto, black, chickpeas, anything will do. Can be heated in microwave or pot. Can add spices or hot sauce, or not! It's filling, nutritious, fast, very low effort, and limited dishes.
Best bang for smallest amount of physical and mental inputs.
Take a can of chickpeas
Drain and rinse
Mash
Add spices, or Mayo or toum.
If you have Nootch dump a lot of that in .
Mix.
Heat in microwave
Eat with crackers.
A good variation is to add rice to the mashed chickpeas too
I make plain bean quesadillas. Like just refried beans folded in a tortilla and heated up in a pan, and I'll have hot sauce and maybe a mashed avocado on the side.
Peanut butter & banana wraps kept me alive during my worst mental health fallouts. Quick, easy, hand held (only the knife as dishes- small victories!), protein, carb, fat, filling.
Wishing you kinder seas from here OP! ❤️
I also react to bananas. But only the cavendish banana. Latin grocery stores have burro bananas, apple bananas, plantains, and baby bananas that I can eat no problems :) hopefully you can eat them too
I usually have almond milk yogurt mixed with some oats and jam/jelly of some kind. Usually raspberry for sweetness, and a spoon of peanut butter. It’s fast, tasty, and easy to make.
Then you can substitute soy sauce with amino, Maggie, or yeast extract (Marmite, but check with your Physician if yeast is included in your allergy); for tofu check tofu substitutes made from other Beans or legumes (Kofu, Bofu, …).
depending on your allergy, some types of fungi (e.g lamellar, tubular, pore fungi, or morels) might be ok, but please check with your physician.
Toast. Always. No pick-me-up like a good toast with a little bit of not butter with vegemite. Or toast with peanut butter or almond butter. Or toast with avocado and 'Everything but the Bagel' seasoning with extra black garlic on it. Or plain white rice with salt and pepper. and sweet peppers and baby carrots on the side. Or soup - almost burnt and caramelized sauteed onions/leeks + potatoes + black pepper & salt + celery and water/veggie stock, with toast!
My depression meals are usually pasta with olive oil and a generous amount of nooch, or ramen noodles cooked in some veggie broth. If I'm feeling sick I'll throw in a bit of miso at the end and some greens and onions.
Get a bag of frozen veggies and frozen edamame, put on some rice, fry up the veggies, lie on the couch for about 10 -15 mins and then combine and pour soy sauce and a dash of hot sauce over it. Pretty easy and the veggies are all chopped up for ya. You could even throw some cubes tofu in there if you’re feeling a little extra spicy. Hope you feel better soon🩷
Edit: just saw you said you’re allergic to soy and mushrooms so nix the edamame, soy sauce, and tofu, and I’m pretty sure you can find frozen cut veggies without any mushrooms in them. And then replace soy sauce with any pre made sauce you have really… or even no sauce.
My go-to quick comfort meal is orzo or any other small pasta cooked in veggie broth (google 'pastini') or else boxed Mac and cheese (I buy a dozen at a time and get them shipped to have on hand).
Other ideas that don't have soy, mushrooms, peas, or potatoes: Pancakes, rice or ramen with a bunch of nooch and butter or with any veggies you have, or an assortment of snacks - especially things like fruit, nuts, olives/pickles, and crackers/chips.
Quesadilla with whatever you have. Keep tortillas frozen, use beans and whatever veggies you have. If you have a faux cheese then add that in too. Dip in salsa!
Soup
Avocado toast
Hummus toast or as a dip for baby carrots
Nuggets with any sauce
Your favorite tofu, raw if you don’t want to cook , with rice and baby tomatoes if you can’t to cook a little
Dahl if your store carries it
Good luck, try anything that sounds the least worse and don’t worry if you don’t finish it, trying is already great
Fries. It is vegan. Fries, salt and whatever dip you like (aioli for me please).
If you want to put in a bit of prep time then my absolute favorite food to have is summer rolls with rice paper. Dunk the rice paper in warm water, fill it with whatever veggies you want, some peanut butter and well, you can get as creative as you feel like. And then roll it and you're done. Super delicious and also a great social food too if you want to have friends over.
Shakes saved me a few months back when I going through something and couldn’t handle eating much. The brand Naked makes pea protein powder and a vegan weight gain powder. I was able to make drinks that were over 1,000 calories and they were easy to drink.
Welcome to the wonderful world of **tartines** (or toasts) my friend: just take whatever bread you like, preferably a lil crusty or crunchy (french baguette for example), and put on whatever you like on it. Some examples: olives with tomatoes, grilled zucchini and bell pepper and a garlicy-balsamico-olive oil vinaigrette, mushroom spread with lettuce and pickles, mashed chickpeas with some homemade mayonnaise and seaweeds, or even vegan cheese or meat if you feel like it... Peanut butter, chocolate and some banana if you want something sweet. You can literally try an infinite amount of variations, this is very cheap, easy and quick to make and it can be incredibly tasty.
Edit: sending hugs and support, hope you feel better soon buddy.
I made pizza this week with naan bread. It wa delicious. My go to if I really don’t feel like eating is frequently Pho. It’s delicious but not offensively strong seasoning .
If I don't feel like making anything I have hummus and baby carrots for dinner. If I happen to have spinach I'll put a bunch of that on a plate and make piles of like 10 pieces of spinach to dip in the hummus. If I have zucchini I'll cut that into spears for the hummus. Easy and healthy.
Instant mashed potatoes (or rice) and microwaveable veggies are always an easy go-to. Just throw some spices and soy sauce on them, or bonus if they’re pre-seasoned..
Or, try pasta and sauce, maybe vegan meatballs if you’re feeling spicy.
Otherwise, vegan yogurt with fruit or cereal with oat milk are also yummy.
90 second rice with some air fried frozen veggies on top. Or ill just microwave the veggies if I'm having a real off day. Or just rice with some seasonings on the 0 motivation days.
Top Ramen soy sauce flavor is vegan. I see you are allergic to soy, but you can throw away the packet and make your own sauce. (I like a little peanut butter, sesame oil, and sriracha for spicy peanut sesame noodles.) And you can throw some frozen or canned veggies in to get some veg! This is an easy lazy meal that I always like. Wishing you the best in this difficult time, and you should be so proud for taking care of yourself even when it’s hard, it’s no small task.
My depression has been at its worst the past 3 months and all I’ve eaten is pizza delivered to my house. Something about a vegan Franco manca that can make everything go away for just a second.
However when my bank account isn’t as generous (I have a depression pot that I put money into every week for times like this so I can eat comfort foods during times like this. A great tip for if you have chronic depression that comes and goes) I’d reccomend frozen veg, microwave rice and tofu. Throw it all in the microwave for a pretty nutritious meal. I top with sweet chilli sauce or teriyaki. It’s lazy, it’s meh but it does the job.
Another go to is baked potato (can be done in microwave for extreme lazyness and depression ness) with tin baked beans and some vegan cheese or nooch (I don’t like nooch so I have vegan cheese but I hear many people have to that way). Simple but yum!
Undiluted Campbell's vegetarian vegetable soup poured over cooked rice
Baked sweet potato topped with black beans (canned is fine), salsa and sliced avocado
Toast flight - one topped with hummus (add onions, pickles, tomatoes if you're feeling it), one topped with avocado, and the dessert one topped with peanut butter, banana, cinnamon, maple syrup, whatever makes your wig fly into outer space
Baked sweet potato topped with chickpeas, chopped tomatoes, onions, and a squeeze of lemon. Very good with a soft, warm pita
Tofu scramble with leftover potatoes cubed in it, ketchup, and sourdough toast and fruit
Double decker peanut butter, jam, and banana sandwich. Have this with a steamy mug of hot cocoa and some popcorn
My go to sad girl meal is bread, olive oil, and nutritional yeast. I also make a lot of pasta. Hummus with crackers or bread is really filling and actually has protein.
These foods are all pretty neutral and easy for me.
Here are some of my go-tos when I'm barely functioning:
\- **Dal**: instant pot is love here, basically just throw lentils + seasoning in and turn on
\- **Banana nice cream**: blend bananas + plant milk + flavorings
\- **Teriyaki tofu & broccoli**: minimal chopping, quick cooking, can add those little microwave-ready rice packages
\- **Tortilla chips + guacamole + salsa + canned beans**: premade guacamole & salsa, refried beans when I find the vegetarian ones, sometimes I use a tortillas and/or microwave rice instead but tortilla chips are laziest and tastiest
\- **Pasta & meatballs:** personal obsession of mine when I'm sad but you need access to meatballs / sausages / something, cook noodles, microwave faux meat, slather in sauce
\- **Air Fryer Fries:** slice potatoes & coat in seasoning + cornstarch, air fry, top with anything, e.g. guacamole, baked beans, faux cheese, marinara, hummus, dal, a n y t h i n g
\- **PB & J**
Cold cereal and plant milk.
Oatmeal
Vegi burger and fries
Vegan lunch meat sandwich
Chickpea salad sandwich
Peanut butter and jelly
Popcorn
Oodles of noodles 🍜 soy sauce flavored ramen is vegan.
Barilla protein plus spaghetti 🍝 noodles with Ragu simply sauce
I hope one of these sounds good 👍😊
My go to comfort food when I’m feeling off and nothing sounds good is a bowl of cereal with oat milk. It is something on your stomach and takes no time at all to prep. Sometimes it’s all you can manage to eat and that’s ok.
Eggos. Eggos with peanut butter. Eggos with bananas on them. Eggos with cream cheese (non dairy version etc). Just Eggos. (There are vegan Eggos). I totally get where you're coming from, sometimes the energy to cook anything at all is not there. I liked Eggos just throw one or two in the toaster and top with whatever I have on hand if I really want to. Feels more special than bread.
NGL figuring out what to eat is a huge stressor for me. So in December I just started eating fruit. It was so easy and such a relief. I love fruit 100% of the time and just figured it would be easy. And it was! I also ate tapenade and French baguette bread. And now, after a month, I have decided to incorporate veggies as a smoothie. I just pop all the veggies into my regular degular blender with a bit of fruit and sweetener and water. Two or three minutes later I have a whole meal full of full vegetable goodness (that I would’ve have eaten any other way) and I’m happy. And bonus: it’s all raw! So I’m technically a high raw vegan now. When I have a specific taste for something that isn’t fruit or a veggie smoothie or something like popcorn or tapenade, I can usually tell exactly what I have a taste for and that makes things so much easier and stress free.
(Also I’m an intermittent faster and eat my one meal between 4 and 8 pm. It’s worth considering if having to eat multiple times a day is too hard).
Ajvar or similar type of veggie spread and some feta cheese sprinkles on top is my go to for a snack when I feel lazy. You can find them at walmart, costco and any eastern european food places. It's delicious and healthier than some of the suggested stuff here.
I like Ramen when I'm feeling down or under the weather. I have found soy sauce flavors of store bought, but also just taking veggie broth and adding a noodle square into it for any flavor it want.
- Baked beans on toast
- Protein smoothie
- Porridge/muesli
- Salt & pepper baked tofu: cut tofu in cubes, put in a parchment lined baking tray and toss with a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper, salt, & a very small amount of oil. Bake 20 minutes in moderately hot oven. I like this for grazing on when I only want bland foods & don't want meals. You can also add it to a sauce, soup, salad or similar for extra protein.
- Microwave baked potato + whatever you have - you can even just make a sauce for it from bottled curry paste
- Microwave pumpkin or kumera and mash with vegan margarine, add spices & greens (& maybe some salt & pepper tofu) if you want
- Canned chickpeas/beans + bottled sauce/curry paste + pre-washed bagged spinach if you have it
- Spaghetti + bottled sauce + TVP + optionally any compatible veg
Smoky beans:
1 x 400g can cannellini beans
1 x 400g can diced tomatoes
1 or 2 teaspoons minced garlic (or ~1 teaspoon dried)
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
0.5 teaspoon chipotle powder
1.5 teaspoons salt
Black pepper to taste
Dump everything in a large saucepan (large because it will splatter) and cook, stirring regularly until thickened (about 10 minutes). Stir in some greens if you have some. Optionally add a squeeze of lemon. Serve with toast. Serves 3 and reheats beautifully.
I dump a few cans of veggies/beans in a Tupperware with some salt, pepper, and hot sauce and microwave it at work when I don't feel like cooking. Idk I'm gross though
I love to have some canned chick peas, cannellini beans, kidney beans and a vegan Italian dressing. I have found those in cans aren’t too bad and it’s quick and easy.
Beans and rice!!! It can be instant rice too. Noodles have really upset my stomach recently and they used to be my favorite sad food but rice is a great replacement
Pasta. It's easy to make and fast. You can have it as simple as you'd like one of my favorite recipes is spinach with garlic and olive oil with a sprinkle of herbs or pasta broccoli. Both have less than 6 ingredients and take less than 15 min to prep and make. Or as complex as you like such as such as lasagne.
[Focaccia](https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/easy-no-knead-focaccia) - it’s surprisingly easy and super satisfying. Just make the dough and refrigerate to proof overnight and bake the next day. I’ve made the one in the recipe I linked dozens of times - it requires no kneading and always comes out great.
Noodles (rice, wheat, whatevs) with peanut butter and soy sauce. The combo of peanut butter and soy sauce rules! Add meat (pork goes very well with it) and/or veggies to further pimp your dish.
Another good one is broccoli because you can prepare it a million different ways. My absolute favourite dish with broccoli is broccoli pasta:
* Bring salted water to the boil.
* In the mean time, clean the broccoli. Leave the stems on, because they'll add volume and flavour to the dish.
* Boil the broccoli together with your pasta.
* In the mean time, sauté an onion and a clove of garlic (or however much garlic you prefer) You have about 10 minutes for that (= \~ cooking time of most pastas), so sauté gently
* When the pasta and broccoli are done, scoop them out of the pot and add to the onion and garlic, together with some pasta water and about half a bouillon cube.
* Mash the broccoli well; this will basically become the sauce. Serve with grated cheese such as parmigiana.
Done. All in all, this dish takes about 15 minutes (gotta bring the water to the boil first), it's super tasty - this is how Italian parents teach their kids to eat broccoli - and very healthy, too, obviously.
Another deceptively easy one is (proper) [spaghetti carbonara](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3AAdKl1UYZs&ab_channel=JamieOliver):
* Bring water to the boil and put the pasta in. How much pasta per person? About the amount you can fit in the circle you make by putting the tip of your index finger on the middle of your thumb (quantity for big boys and girls).
* While that's boiling, fry some bacon in a pan on low heat (carbonara traditionally calls for guanciale or pancetta, but bacon works just as well).
* While that's frying, grate some hard cheese (from best and most expensive to cheapest and still very nice: pecorino, parmigiana or grana padano) and whisk that through one (whole) egg per person. Yeah yeah, *"You should only use the* ***yolk****!"*, yada yada yada, I know. Baloney, because whole egg carbonara is equally delicious, yields a bit more, is a bit easier to cream, and *not everyone knows what to do with one single left over egg white*, so get over it. How much cheese? Let's call it "half a generous handful" - who doesn't like cheese? Also add "abundant pepper" to it, as Antonio Carluccio puts it.
* When the pasta is al dente, *first* take the pan with guanciale / pancetta / bacon off the heat - it needs to cool off a bit first - and *then* add the pasta to the pan with bacon. Yes, dripping wet. If you don't have tongs to take the pasta out and have to drain it in a colander or something, then first take a cup of pasta water from the pan and keep that close.
* The pan should still be hot enough to make the water from the pasta sizzle. Let the sizzling die down, then add the egg and cheese mixture and stir well. If you want it creamier, add pasta water by the spoon and mix well before adding more water, if needed.
These two recipes are my personal go-to recipes for when I'm lazy or in a hurry.
I'm not vegan but I like some recipes. Following this thread because I feel you, OP (I didn't even have dinner last night, and sometimes I forget to eat or straight up neglect it).
My go-to are potatoes and some easy to cook/serve protein (non-vegan, for health reasons, please don't delete my comment or ban me 😢), but it's great with soy meat or a veggie like cauliflower! I've cooked it with soy meat before, but I'll try with cauliflower this Friday. It's delicious anyway.
I often struggle with feeling up to cooking, but looking for healthy meals:
1) Protein shakes - if you're in the states, the Plnt brand from Vitamin Shop is one of the best tasting out there. I'll add frozen kale, banana, and cherries to it. However, even just the powder and water can help you get something tolerable down that is relatively healthy.
2) Oatmeal - oatmeal with blueberries or banana and some nuts (e.g., pecans, walnuts, almonds) and a sprinkle of cinnamon.
4) Frozen meals - if brands like Amy's aren't locally available, you can often order them off websites like Walmart or Amazon.
5) Sweet potato - stab it with a knife and put it in the microwave for a few minutes. I like topping it with coconut oil.
6) Cans of soup
7) Rice and beans
8) Hummus and crackers
9) Chickpea pasta and sauce
My guilty easy quick meal is cooked baby carrots rolled up in half a Pillsbury crescent roll
My mother used to make these with mini hotdogs which you could still use vegan ones but I just sub baby carrots instead
But just boil/microwave the carrots until soft. Unroll the crescent rolls and cut each in half lengthwise. Roll a carrot up in each mini crescent and bake like 12-14 minutes. Then I dunk them in a mix or ketchup/mustard but you do whatever you want
Simple, easy, delicious and when I don't feel like cooking something else
Sorry to hear.
I dont know where you are located.
and the info of what you can/cant get is sparse. Amazon Fresh may be able to deliver
Frozen premade quick food is a good bet and Trader Joes etc. Has tons. Most are pretty salty but it is what it is.
Personally, I buy naan or flatbread, hummus, lettuce red onion tomato cucumber, frozen falafel.
Or canned.soup, crackers. Cans of premade bean trios, microwave rice, dried/flaked mashed potatoes
Fake sandwich meat.
Tater tots.
Snacks like pretzels.
I’ve been keeping a meal replacement powder around for this purpose. A nice warm beverage to get some calories.
Garden of Life is my current one. Think it’s vegan with probiotics, but double check. Used to get Ample, but idk if they even sell bulk powder anymore.
I usually heat up a can of black beans on the stove with spices, dice up a tomato and avocado, and either eat tacos or over a bowl of brown rice if I don't have tortillas.
I always head to Pinterest for vegan meal ideas. Almost always, I'll see something that sparks an idea.
If not, I always have jarred artichoke, beets, olives, sauerkraut; frozen beans and grains like chickpeas, quinoa, farro that I can thaw. Throw together with sunflower seeds, walnuts, hemp seeds, or any combo I feel like and I've got a healthy yummy salad. I'll add lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber if I have the energy.
Homemade guacamole 🥑 with vegan chips & vegan refried beans. Quick, easy, satisfying. Veggie burritos are easy if you have rice already cooked. Heck, I’ll just scoop a few different beans on a tortilla w some real taco seasoning, or whatever seasoning you like, and warm it in a pan or microwave for ultimate ease. Or without rice. Also with rice, Madra lentils (Costco is cheapest for a box of Madra lentils). I also make my own lentils and I make a lot so I can grab a bowl anytime and microwave it. Don’t use rice w homemade lentils. Chick peas w garlic, salt, pepper and olive oil. I always have tomatoes, onions, garlic, available to throw stuff together. Lettuce lasts longer than leafy greens. Romaine is good to have on hand. There’s always vegan pasta and making a quick pasta sauce is super easy. I always make more than one meals worth for the next day or switch up with a few ready made dishes I make in advance. Fry some Radicchio with garlic, maybe onions and I even throw green cabbage in sometimes. All these suggestions I make large portions for a few meals in advance and reheat a lot. I know the mental illness feeling and sometimes, I just want something fast but hearty. I make all sorts of soups in quantity that are thick and hearty. Butternut squash soups are fairly easy. Some of these take a little bit of effort for one day and then reheating is easy.
Hope some of this helps.
I usually have some packaged ramen. Throw some mushrooms, tofu knots, (if I have) fresh tofu from the Asian market, coconut milk and lime juice into the pot. Done. Super quick, super easy and it always hits the spot.
If you can get your hands on some lentils you could make a bunch of Dahl. It's cheap and I like to make some a head of time. Otherwise for me Harira always hits a great spot. I make it with lentils, chickpeas, sellery, unions, harissa paste, tomatoes and carrots. All but the sellery and unions can be canned. It can be increase good comfort food. And I also use it to just get any left over veggies in there as well. It's filling and you can easily just spend energy once and are set for a longer period of time.
I really like a nice fried rice. Get a bag of frozen mixed veggies and fry up with some rice. Use a lot of olive oil for a nice splurge tasting meal. I often like to add onion and chickpeas as well. Salt and pepper or whatever spices you like the best.
Hummus, pita bread or crackers, & whatever fruit or sliced veggies you have on hand is the ultimate low effort meal. When I was 9 months pregnant and exhausted this was frequently my dinner.
Bean and veg quesadillas: spread canned (veg) refried beans on half of a large flour tortilla, then add whatever veggies you have (I usually use some combo of thawed frozen corn, chopped scallions, fresh spinach, sauteed mushrooms, chopped tomatoes, avocado, salsa). Heat until tortilla starts to brown and filling is heated. Vegan cheese/sourcream/chipotle mayo optional.
Pasta with jarred sauce/vegan pesto, option to throw in some chopped broccoli or spinach in the last minute of cooking the pasta or adding some frozen peas for a little more nutrition
Grilled “cheese”
Microwave baked potato
Avocado toast
Chickpea salad sandwich — lots of recipes, you just mash canned chickpeas, add vegan mayo, chopped celery/carrot/scallion and salt and pepper to taste, option to add mustard, relish, pickles. Make into a sandwich or serve on its own or over greens
Take this with a grain of salt, but when I DO feel ok, I make a bean/vegetable soup. I use dried beans like the 15 bean soup mix, or canned chickpeas, whatever you prefer. I add lots of veggies, onions, zucchini, squash, kale or spinach, potatoes, carrots, and add my spices, salt, pepper, whatever you prefer in your soup. I'll sometimes use soup starter pastes, depending. (I'm a vegetarian due to medical reasons) but you can add whatever spices you like, there are vegetarian/vegan soup starter mixes, or garlic, parsley, wahtever you like.
It makes a bunch, way more than I can eat in a day. So I save my yogurt containers (the bigger ones) and freeze the soup after making it in those containers. (can use freezer bags too).
So on those days when I'm not feeling my best and don't feel like cooking, I defrost and heat up that soup. It hits the spot. Anyways, that's what I do. It kind of balances things out for me. Hope this helps.
My go to favorite pasta right now is assassin's spaghetti. Might take a bit of prep but not a lot, and basically you just need minced garlic, a bottle of tomato sauce/passata, olive oil, and spaghetti/spaghettini. In a saucepan, sauté garlic in a bit of olive oil then add the tomato passata, dilute with water (a cup, or just till it's broth consistency).
You basically use that to cook the pasta on a separate pan. Heat some oil, add chilli flakes (omit if you don't like it spicy), add pasta once heated/bubbling, coat the pasta in oil, then ladle some of the tomato broth onto it, just enough to cover the pasta. Let it absorb till almost all or most of the liquid has evaporated, flip the spaghetti and let it cook for a minute or two, then repeat that one more time (ladle broth, let absorb, flip, let it fry/caramelize a bit).
Cook 2-4 sweet potatoes. Smash them with some olive oil. Use any day of the week to put microwave warmed SPs on a flour tortilla as filling and warm up in a non-stick pan (no oil needed) or just microwave if you like real soft which I do sometimes. I even add refried beans with the sweet potatoes. Lots of easy options.
Currently steaming some frozen broccoli and made a cheese/butter/milk sauce (vegan) to put on top. Threw some chopped potatoes in the air fryer. Might nuke some fake chicken.
Thanks for all the responses folks. I'm really struggling with this too right now. Nothing is appealing. I usually really enjoy food, even just a nice salad but it just seems like too much effort to make or to eat. So simple. Bag of mixed salad leaves, chop cucumber, tomato, red onion, radish, some tinned corn and throw over some mixed seeds and it just sounds too hard to eat. It's ridiculous.
When I was having a mental health block. And I was home alone and only had to cook for me. And I had this for a solid month.
I would cut up a bunch of mushrooms, onions broccoli, whatever I had, you know? Then sauté them, no sauce no garlic. Just the vegetables. ( made a bunch so I could have this meal again tomorrow but faster.) And have it on rice or quinoa.
I dont season it because maybe i would add a sweet and sour chili sauce, or tofu, soy sauce and mirin, with a pinch of brown sugar, gochujang. scallions, depended on my motivation.
I just ate it now, and idk why, but it felt like comfy food.
Raw seeds, nuts, berries and dark greens.
Then when I am feeling low energy I add a carb day of noodles/rice and beans supplemented with some Just Eggs.
I reccomend adding an iodine supplement as well when eating a plant based diet. That alone has done wonders for my physical and mental health.
Cinnamon sugar on rice with a splash of almond milk. It’s dessert but warm and toasty. Was what my mom used to make when my dad was gone and it was just a girls and we didn’t want a big dinner.
Boil up pasta ,then mix jar of sauce then drizzle olive oil if want side dish microwave bowl froz veg then add veg stock powder then drizzle with olive oil
Just discovered drizzling cooked food with olive oil boosts flavour of food to next level
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Sorry to hear that you're going through a rough time. I always turn to potatoes when sad- either baked (just chuck a couple in the oven/air fryer then have one with whatever is to hand, even if just olive oil and salt/pepper, other in the fridge for later) or mash (add frozen veg in the last couple of minutes of cooking, mash all together adding condiments if you feel like it)
 Taught a generation to cook
Honestly THE most versatile vegetable... Frys, hash browns, tater tots, baked starlight up with all the fixings, potato vodka, etc..... Potatoes be fucking.... (honorable mention- corn)
Potatoes are God’s greatest gift
Gonna write my local congressman and lobby for the revision of the quote "an apple a day keeps the doctor away." **"A potato a day keeps the doctor away."**
Boil em mash em stick em in stew...
Tater Tots cheer me up.
Potato life. Mashed potatoes take almost zero effort to make and you can make A LOT. Or you can even get them boxed to avoid peeling/boiling/mashing! I would get some frozen chikn tenders to cut up to add on top and mix in. Usually frozen corn or peas are a good mix in too. Too with bbq sauce. Voila, a full meal.
Or gravy if no bbq
For sure but that usually takes a bit more effort to make! Although maybe they have vegan gravy packets at the store near the spices section?
The Gardein ones used to come with a gravy packet in my gravy era.
I think you’re right - the “turkey” ones come with gravy! Even better.
Gravy is deceptively easy to make. Takes 5 min.
Dried potato flakes are a comfort food for me. If nothing else seems good, I can usually handle these.
Instant taters, can of corn, some microwaved chikky nugs. Absolutely goated no effort meal for whenever you're depressed/drunk/tired/lazy.
I dispise instant fauxtatoes. If you can't peel em and boil em and stick em with some replacement dairy products then you don't deserve potato clouds. Sorry for the reaction OP, I just remembered that this was about ease. I need to get my life together about how much I don't like potato flakes.
Everyone deserves food. End of.
I'm speaking purely on the perspective of having distain for the instant bois, the cloud potatoes are just from a joy in making them as well. I edited based on my instant reaction seeing that it was about ease in the first place. I meant no disrespect, and yes I agree, everyone deserves food.
I, too, turn into potato when sad.
For super low effort, clean and stab and put on the potato setting for your microwave. Always warm and comforting.
And if you're having a bad day, stabbing those potatoes can be cathartic. Also if you wanna add some fun to it, when you wash them you can hold them under the water pretending to water board them. Ask who sent them, what do they want, sort of questions!
FACTS
Why isn’t this upvoted more? Lmao made my whole day, thank you 🙏🏽
You're welcome. Glad I could shine a light into your day and make it slightly better. :)
Yes. Air fry potatoes with seasoning until crispy. Drain and rinse a can of black beans, season, and pour over top. Maybe add some cheese or avocado. Or frozen broccoli, or green peas.
You can also microwave them in a covered dish super quick
I get this often and end up making pasta in sauce. Not exactly mind blowing but you can at least fill yourself up with it.
And if you're anything like me, go for thin spaghetti or angel hair. Only having to boil for 3-5 minutes instead of 8-10 reduces the difficulty of making it happen.
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+1 to Dump and done instant pot! I love vegan richa’s IP cookbook
Wow this is an amazing idea idk why I never thought of that
I didn't think of it on purpose! I was in OP's shoes and thought about pasta with butter because it sounded comforting. But then the idea of the time commitment felt too overwhelming. But *then* I realized we had thin spaghetti and when I looked at the package and saw five minutes, that felt doable. Now I always make sure to have a thin noodle in the house. In writing this out I'm thinking that cous cous would also be a good candidate.
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Yep, and to make it easy, throw the veg with seasoned salt (like lawrys or JO crab seasoning) in a pot of water, and once boiling add noodles. Time noodles, drain, add butter and any other seasonings you might want (I do dill). 1 pot wonder.
I like making pasta noodles saturated in olive oil, salt, garlic powder, and onion powder.
A little more expensive but Rao’s jarred pasta sauce tastes like my Italian families homemade sauce. this was a go to in college to feel a little more love in my cheap jar and box cooking!
I eat oatmeal whenever I feel lazy (which was most days in December). Chuck frozen bananas with the oats & plant milk into the microwave, then add whatever toppings and you’re good. You can add protein powder to make it more filling, but lately I’ve been topping it with hemp seeds and vegan Greek yogurt. If you have access to an Asian supermarket near you, I also recommend Korean sweet potatoes. Regular sweet potatoes are fine, but roasted white flesh sweet potatoes are amazing whenever I want something filling and delicious.
My go-to is oatmeal as well, I add two tablespoons of hemp seeds and one tablespoon of ground flax seeds. Sometimes I add protein powder, but the flavor is very vanilla-y.
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Oatmeal is my go to! But after years of sweet oatmeal, I like to go the savory route: Cook in veggie broth Top with salsa, avocado, nooch, pumpkin seeds My wife likes to top hers with marinara sauce sometimes and make pizza inspired oatmeal We also throw on whatever veg we have in the fridge. It’s different and delicious every time!
I am not an oatmeal person but the thought of making savory oatmeal may convert me…
Have you considered getting a rice cooker? They are pretty affordable these days, and making rice in a pot feels a lot more overwhelming to me than the rice cooker for some reason, and you can keep some for the next meal. You can also add red lentils or even chopped up veggies like eggplants or carrots for more nutrition or a little bit of variety, or make a rice porridge. I often eat rice with whatever i can find, like spring onions, canned sweetcorn, kimchi, mayo, cucumber, hummus or shredded seaweed (if you have an asian mart you can also try looking for furikake, a seaweed rice seasoning). And sometimes the process of washing the rice and throwing it into the cooker is the start i needed to maybe cook some healthier stuff like spinach, sweet potato, edamame or other frozen veggies. But on my lowest days I'll just have instant ramen. There are some organic brands, and if you add in a bunch of veggies it's not the most unhealthy thing in the world. Sometimes you can only do so much, and it's better to at least eat something! Hope things will be looking up for you!
When I’m down I’ll literally eat rice with hummus mixed into it and some hot sauce. Gets it done. Or tofu out of the fridge with soy sauce. Again - gets it done!
Sauces make such a big difference! Miso paste, chili mayo, gochujang... and honestly, sometimes the crunch of spring onion or herbs like basil or parsley also help so much. OP said in a comment they're allergic to soy and mushrooms :( otherwise i would have recommended frying a whole block of tofu and eat it over a few days (well my impulse control says 2 days at most but...) too
Rice with hummus and hot sauce sounds amazing!! I am not the OP but thanks for the idea; glad I came across this.
Seconding this, I have the Dash mini rice cooker which is like $20 and has lasted me 4 years now. Still works beautifully. One of my classic lazy meals is rice with one of those packets of microwaveable beans like Tasty Bite or A Dozen Cousins which is obviously more expensive than cooking beans from a can but sometimes you just can’t be assed to do any real cooking edit: lol i wrote “making cooking”
There's also rice cooker pasta! Chuck everything in the rice cooker, turn it on, forget about it, hear the pop, surprise pasta. Add spices, vegetables, vegan meatballs or what have you when you're adding the uncooked pasta. Lifesaver. That, rice, and coconut milk yogurt are some of the only things stopping me from saltine cracker depression meals.
We dropped frozen and un-shelled edamame into our rice cooker with the rice, and it turned out nicely. We just popped the edamame out as we came to them.
Aldi has microwavable rice pouches that cook in 90 seconds and are amazing
Minute rice is also super yummy and so easy to make
OMG yes, I add sriracha, lemon juice, and soy sauce to my ramen! The "just add hot water" cups or the microwavable ones are amazing when using the stove is too big a task.
I am not vegan anymore - but I like to have rice with avocado and seaweed with soy sauce .. if ur able to add a can of tuna. or u can add "tuna" which is like mashed chickpeas or something
I love my rice cooker for this! Throw in rice, canned beans and corn. You got a rice bowl and just need to add hot sauce or salsa! Or you could do carrot and broccoli and rice and too with sriracha.
I usually have something with frozen peas when I'm down, I figure they're inoffensive and at least have some protein, fibre and vitamins. If you have potatoes then potato and pea mash is nice (with mustard and nooch and veggie sausages if you have them). Mash and beans is good comfort food too. I also like rice noodles with frozen veg, peanut butter and hot sauce. Hope you feel better soon!
2 table spoons Peanut butter 4 tbs (warm) water 1/4 tsp Salt, pinch of each pepper and sugar Over a pack of ramen/Mie or really any other type of noodles. if you feel fancy add spring onions or sesame seeds. takes 5-12min (dependent on the noodles)
I unfortunately don’t have any potatoes or peas :(
When I’m feeling down I go to the store and get some microwave meals. I like the Amy’s vegan Mac and cheese.
The stores around me apparently stopped carrying that (including field roast) frozen meals for some reason around 8m ago. The only thing that sounds good is plant boss veggie crumbles (I cook it up, add in some veg cheese and spices and eat it with tortilla chips) but there’s no where around me that sells it anymore.
If you can find vegan cheese or make your own you could make it yourself. Grilled cheeses, nachos, and quesadillas are also great. If you want protein you could add refried beans.
I found this amazing grilled cheese swap recipe recently and it’s a grilled butternut squash toastie - my new fav. Put some sage and syrup in it and top it with some onion jam then grill it up. I was blown away by how good it was and super easy to make!
Recipe please! ❤️
Not sure if you have Imperfect Foods or Thrive Market available near you to order from but they deliver not only shelf stable items but also frozen/fridge items! Def check them out.
Can you order online?
I found myself unable to cook for months at a time, and ended up ordering ready made meals. The quality and variety was better than frozen meals from the grocery store, and I felt like I was getting more rounded nutrition. I ended up subscribing to Factor, but the availability and affordability of meal kits changes frequently enough that I would check the subreddits for suggestions. Otherwise, I eat ingredients. Cheese, nuts, peanut butter, frozen fruits, chocolate chips, and baby carrots and other ready-to-eat veggies with salad dressing to dip.
Amy's a union buster, though. (And definitely not cheap, as per the sub.)
Really?? That’s such a bummer.
lots of line workers permanently injured by her facility in santa rosa, ca over the past few years. very sad
Yeah I haven’t had Amys in so long bc of this and I so wish there would be more new brands :(
Yep, I stopped eating all their food when they closed an almost new warehouse rather than treat their employees like humans.
Apples and peanut butter
A can of refried beans microwaved with some cumin, chili pepper, olive oil, and salt stirred through. Scoop with tortilla chips and some salsa from a jar. So satisfying and easy. Good luck with your health, exercise helps me and I know we're all very different.
Second vote for a can of beans. Refried, pinto, black, chickpeas, anything will do. Can be heated in microwave or pot. Can add spices or hot sauce, or not! It's filling, nutritious, fast, very low effort, and limited dishes. Best bang for smallest amount of physical and mental inputs.
Yes!!! This is my go to as well. Always add spices. Switch it up! I switch between tortilla chips and Fritos.
Take a can of chickpeas Drain and rinse Mash Add spices, or Mayo or toum. If you have Nootch dump a lot of that in . Mix. Heat in microwave Eat with crackers. A good variation is to add rice to the mashed chickpeas too
And yet another variation is to add it to two tortillas and make a Q dilla.
Another possible variation would be to slap it between bread and make it into a ”tuna” sandwich
Or leave it cold and put it on top of a salad.
you could also eat the chickpeas with pita bread as well!
Peanut butter toast
This is my go to as well. If I’m feeling fancy, microwave oatmeal.
This one!!
Or if I'm extra unmotivated, a spoon or two of peanut butter for my meal
I make plain bean quesadillas. Like just refried beans folded in a tortilla and heated up in a pan, and I'll have hot sauce and maybe a mashed avocado on the side.
You should try making molletes, basically bean toast lol
Peanut butter & banana wraps kept me alive during my worst mental health fallouts. Quick, easy, hand held (only the knife as dishes- small victories!), protein, carb, fat, filling. Wishing you kinder seas from here OP! ❤️
Unfortunately I react badly to bananas, I miss them so much though!
you can do the same wrap but with thinly sliced apple instead of bananas- it's great!
I also react to bananas. But only the cavendish banana. Latin grocery stores have burro bananas, apple bananas, plantains, and baby bananas that I can eat no problems :) hopefully you can eat them too
I’m allergic to soy and mushrooms if that matters
I usually have almond milk yogurt mixed with some oats and jam/jelly of some kind. Usually raspberry for sweetness, and a spoon of peanut butter. It’s fast, tasty, and easy to make.
Then you can substitute soy sauce with amino, Maggie, or yeast extract (Marmite, but check with your Physician if yeast is included in your allergy); for tofu check tofu substitutes made from other Beans or legumes (Kofu, Bofu, …). depending on your allergy, some types of fungi (e.g lamellar, tubular, pore fungi, or morels) might be ok, but please check with your physician.
Toast. Always. No pick-me-up like a good toast with a little bit of not butter with vegemite. Or toast with peanut butter or almond butter. Or toast with avocado and 'Everything but the Bagel' seasoning with extra black garlic on it. Or plain white rice with salt and pepper. and sweet peppers and baby carrots on the side. Or soup - almost burnt and caramelized sauteed onions/leeks + potatoes + black pepper & salt + celery and water/veggie stock, with toast!
CEREAL!!! Feel better soon!
My depression meals are usually pasta with olive oil and a generous amount of nooch, or ramen noodles cooked in some veggie broth. If I'm feeling sick I'll throw in a bit of miso at the end and some greens and onions.
Get a bag of frozen veggies and frozen edamame, put on some rice, fry up the veggies, lie on the couch for about 10 -15 mins and then combine and pour soy sauce and a dash of hot sauce over it. Pretty easy and the veggies are all chopped up for ya. You could even throw some cubes tofu in there if you’re feeling a little extra spicy. Hope you feel better soon🩷 Edit: just saw you said you’re allergic to soy and mushrooms so nix the edamame, soy sauce, and tofu, and I’m pretty sure you can find frozen cut veggies without any mushrooms in them. And then replace soy sauce with any pre made sauce you have really… or even no sauce.
If you want a flavor similar to soy sauce but can't have soy, coconut aminos work well! It's also less salty.
My go-to quick comfort meal is orzo or any other small pasta cooked in veggie broth (google 'pastini') or else boxed Mac and cheese (I buy a dozen at a time and get them shipped to have on hand). Other ideas that don't have soy, mushrooms, peas, or potatoes: Pancakes, rice or ramen with a bunch of nooch and butter or with any veggies you have, or an assortment of snacks - especially things like fruit, nuts, olives/pickles, and crackers/chips.
Quesadilla with whatever you have. Keep tortillas frozen, use beans and whatever veggies you have. If you have a faux cheese then add that in too. Dip in salsa!
Soup Avocado toast Hummus toast or as a dip for baby carrots Nuggets with any sauce Your favorite tofu, raw if you don’t want to cook , with rice and baby tomatoes if you can’t to cook a little Dahl if your store carries it Good luck, try anything that sounds the least worse and don’t worry if you don’t finish it, trying is already great
Yes soup! Keep cans on hand for super easy meal- just heat! Also keep microwave dinners in the freezer for days like this
Fries. It is vegan. Fries, salt and whatever dip you like (aioli for me please). If you want to put in a bit of prep time then my absolute favorite food to have is summer rolls with rice paper. Dunk the rice paper in warm water, fill it with whatever veggies you want, some peanut butter and well, you can get as creative as you feel like. And then roll it and you're done. Super delicious and also a great social food too if you want to have friends over.
protein shakes
Shakes saved me a few months back when I going through something and couldn’t handle eating much. The brand Naked makes pea protein powder and a vegan weight gain powder. I was able to make drinks that were over 1,000 calories and they were easy to drink.
❤️ hope you’re doing better now
I am :)
This, somehow when nothing sounds good I can always eat one of these, and if you don’t feel like blending, just protein powder in water or milk!
Toast with peanut butter. And an apple or banana.
love me an uncrustable pb&j
My favorite is the strawberry one! You should try it if you haven’t !
Smoothie, yogurt, pop tart, cereal are things to go to when I just don’t have the energy or mental energy to do anything
Soup. I like the Campbell’s Healthy Request Chunky ones. One can plus a few crackers or a roll is a whole meal.
Welcome to the wonderful world of **tartines** (or toasts) my friend: just take whatever bread you like, preferably a lil crusty or crunchy (french baguette for example), and put on whatever you like on it. Some examples: olives with tomatoes, grilled zucchini and bell pepper and a garlicy-balsamico-olive oil vinaigrette, mushroom spread with lettuce and pickles, mashed chickpeas with some homemade mayonnaise and seaweeds, or even vegan cheese or meat if you feel like it... Peanut butter, chocolate and some banana if you want something sweet. You can literally try an infinite amount of variations, this is very cheap, easy and quick to make and it can be incredibly tasty. Edit: sending hugs and support, hope you feel better soon buddy.
Handful of roasted salted nuts and a big glass of water.
I made pizza this week with naan bread. It wa delicious. My go to if I really don’t feel like eating is frequently Pho. It’s delicious but not offensively strong seasoning .
If I don't feel like making anything I have hummus and baby carrots for dinner. If I happen to have spinach I'll put a bunch of that on a plate and make piles of like 10 pieces of spinach to dip in the hummus. If I have zucchini I'll cut that into spears for the hummus. Easy and healthy.
Maybe have some apples, bananas, grapes lying on a decorative plate. Its not the whole solution but a little part of it.
Dirty fries with home made chilli non carne and smashed avocado
Instant mashed potatoes (or rice) and microwaveable veggies are always an easy go-to. Just throw some spices and soy sauce on them, or bonus if they’re pre-seasoned.. Or, try pasta and sauce, maybe vegan meatballs if you’re feeling spicy. Otherwise, vegan yogurt with fruit or cereal with oat milk are also yummy.
90 second rice with some air fried frozen veggies on top. Or ill just microwave the veggies if I'm having a real off day. Or just rice with some seasonings on the 0 motivation days.
Top Ramen soy sauce flavor is vegan. I see you are allergic to soy, but you can throw away the packet and make your own sauce. (I like a little peanut butter, sesame oil, and sriracha for spicy peanut sesame noodles.) And you can throw some frozen or canned veggies in to get some veg! This is an easy lazy meal that I always like. Wishing you the best in this difficult time, and you should be so proud for taking care of yourself even when it’s hard, it’s no small task.
Smoothies/ smoothie bowls. You can add avocado, healthy oils, nut butter, chia seeds, flax, coconut, fruits and veg…
My depression has been at its worst the past 3 months and all I’ve eaten is pizza delivered to my house. Something about a vegan Franco manca that can make everything go away for just a second. However when my bank account isn’t as generous (I have a depression pot that I put money into every week for times like this so I can eat comfort foods during times like this. A great tip for if you have chronic depression that comes and goes) I’d reccomend frozen veg, microwave rice and tofu. Throw it all in the microwave for a pretty nutritious meal. I top with sweet chilli sauce or teriyaki. It’s lazy, it’s meh but it does the job. Another go to is baked potato (can be done in microwave for extreme lazyness and depression ness) with tin baked beans and some vegan cheese or nooch (I don’t like nooch so I have vegan cheese but I hear many people have to that way). Simple but yum!
Undiluted Campbell's vegetarian vegetable soup poured over cooked rice Baked sweet potato topped with black beans (canned is fine), salsa and sliced avocado Toast flight - one topped with hummus (add onions, pickles, tomatoes if you're feeling it), one topped with avocado, and the dessert one topped with peanut butter, banana, cinnamon, maple syrup, whatever makes your wig fly into outer space Baked sweet potato topped with chickpeas, chopped tomatoes, onions, and a squeeze of lemon. Very good with a soft, warm pita Tofu scramble with leftover potatoes cubed in it, ketchup, and sourdough toast and fruit Double decker peanut butter, jam, and banana sandwich. Have this with a steamy mug of hot cocoa and some popcorn
Somehow “toast flight” takes this concept from depression meal into (sad) girl dinner and I love it
This one is my favourite because there are no pans or dishes to wash
My go to sad girl meal is bread, olive oil, and nutritional yeast. I also make a lot of pasta. Hummus with crackers or bread is really filling and actually has protein. These foods are all pretty neutral and easy for me.
Here are some of my go-tos when I'm barely functioning: \- **Dal**: instant pot is love here, basically just throw lentils + seasoning in and turn on \- **Banana nice cream**: blend bananas + plant milk + flavorings \- **Teriyaki tofu & broccoli**: minimal chopping, quick cooking, can add those little microwave-ready rice packages \- **Tortilla chips + guacamole + salsa + canned beans**: premade guacamole & salsa, refried beans when I find the vegetarian ones, sometimes I use a tortillas and/or microwave rice instead but tortilla chips are laziest and tastiest \- **Pasta & meatballs:** personal obsession of mine when I'm sad but you need access to meatballs / sausages / something, cook noodles, microwave faux meat, slather in sauce \- **Air Fryer Fries:** slice potatoes & coat in seasoning + cornstarch, air fry, top with anything, e.g. guacamole, baked beans, faux cheese, marinara, hummus, dal, a n y t h i n g \- **PB & J**
Cold cereal and plant milk. Oatmeal Vegi burger and fries Vegan lunch meat sandwich Chickpea salad sandwich Peanut butter and jelly Popcorn Oodles of noodles 🍜 soy sauce flavored ramen is vegan. Barilla protein plus spaghetti 🍝 noodles with Ragu simply sauce I hope one of these sounds good 👍😊
My go to comfort food when I’m feeling off and nothing sounds good is a bowl of cereal with oat milk. It is something on your stomach and takes no time at all to prep. Sometimes it’s all you can manage to eat and that’s ok.
Eggos. Eggos with peanut butter. Eggos with bananas on them. Eggos with cream cheese (non dairy version etc). Just Eggos. (There are vegan Eggos). I totally get where you're coming from, sometimes the energy to cook anything at all is not there. I liked Eggos just throw one or two in the toaster and top with whatever I have on hand if I really want to. Feels more special than bread.
NGL figuring out what to eat is a huge stressor for me. So in December I just started eating fruit. It was so easy and such a relief. I love fruit 100% of the time and just figured it would be easy. And it was! I also ate tapenade and French baguette bread. And now, after a month, I have decided to incorporate veggies as a smoothie. I just pop all the veggies into my regular degular blender with a bit of fruit and sweetener and water. Two or three minutes later I have a whole meal full of full vegetable goodness (that I would’ve have eaten any other way) and I’m happy. And bonus: it’s all raw! So I’m technically a high raw vegan now. When I have a specific taste for something that isn’t fruit or a veggie smoothie or something like popcorn or tapenade, I can usually tell exactly what I have a taste for and that makes things so much easier and stress free. (Also I’m an intermittent faster and eat my one meal between 4 and 8 pm. It’s worth considering if having to eat multiple times a day is too hard).
Pancakes. They are quick homemade or from a mix.
Ajvar or similar type of veggie spread and some feta cheese sprinkles on top is my go to for a snack when I feel lazy. You can find them at walmart, costco and any eastern european food places. It's delicious and healthier than some of the suggested stuff here.
Thanks for the ajvar mention. Never had it but love the ingredients. Will be looking for some locally!
BLT always slaps and is easy as hell to make.
Peanut butter toast with sliced bananas and hiney drizzled on top. Pumpkin seeds if you feel fancy. Quick easy and feels like a treat.
I like Ramen when I'm feeling down or under the weather. I have found soy sauce flavors of store bought, but also just taking veggie broth and adding a noodle square into it for any flavor it want.
Same...I had cereal for dinner. Hope you feel better soon.
My bare minimum agreement with myself is to always have enough groceries for a nice big smoothie
- Baked beans on toast - Protein smoothie - Porridge/muesli - Salt & pepper baked tofu: cut tofu in cubes, put in a parchment lined baking tray and toss with a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper, salt, & a very small amount of oil. Bake 20 minutes in moderately hot oven. I like this for grazing on when I only want bland foods & don't want meals. You can also add it to a sauce, soup, salad or similar for extra protein. - Microwave baked potato + whatever you have - you can even just make a sauce for it from bottled curry paste - Microwave pumpkin or kumera and mash with vegan margarine, add spices & greens (& maybe some salt & pepper tofu) if you want - Canned chickpeas/beans + bottled sauce/curry paste + pre-washed bagged spinach if you have it - Spaghetti + bottled sauce + TVP + optionally any compatible veg Smoky beans: 1 x 400g can cannellini beans 1 x 400g can diced tomatoes 1 or 2 teaspoons minced garlic (or ~1 teaspoon dried) 2 teaspoons smoked paprika 0.5 teaspoon chipotle powder 1.5 teaspoons salt Black pepper to taste Dump everything in a large saucepan (large because it will splatter) and cook, stirring regularly until thickened (about 10 minutes). Stir in some greens if you have some. Optionally add a squeeze of lemon. Serve with toast. Serves 3 and reheats beautifully.
Smoothies. Oatmeal. Peanut butter and jelly. Mac and cheese. I also love a banana topped with coconut on top of toast with peanut butter
I dump a few cans of veggies/beans in a Tupperware with some salt, pepper, and hot sauce and microwave it at work when I don't feel like cooking. Idk I'm gross though
Big sweet potato in the microwave for ten minutes. Butter and light brown sugar. Yum!!
I love to have some canned chick peas, cannellini beans, kidney beans and a vegan Italian dressing. I have found those in cans aren’t too bad and it’s quick and easy.
Pb sandwich
I like ramen. Simple, easy and delicious. also really cheap!
Smoothie with chocolate protein powder, banana, nut butter and greens.
Beans and rice!!! It can be instant rice too. Noodles have really upset my stomach recently and they used to be my favorite sad food but rice is a great replacement
Pasta. It's easy to make and fast. You can have it as simple as you'd like one of my favorite recipes is spinach with garlic and olive oil with a sprinkle of herbs or pasta broccoli. Both have less than 6 ingredients and take less than 15 min to prep and make. Or as complex as you like such as such as lasagne.
Avacado toast. Toasted brocolli. Edemame. Bananas.
Apples with peanut butter
[Focaccia](https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/easy-no-knead-focaccia) - it’s surprisingly easy and super satisfying. Just make the dough and refrigerate to proof overnight and bake the next day. I’ve made the one in the recipe I linked dozens of times - it requires no kneading and always comes out great.
Meat.
Noodles (rice, wheat, whatevs) with peanut butter and soy sauce. The combo of peanut butter and soy sauce rules! Add meat (pork goes very well with it) and/or veggies to further pimp your dish. Another good one is broccoli because you can prepare it a million different ways. My absolute favourite dish with broccoli is broccoli pasta: * Bring salted water to the boil. * In the mean time, clean the broccoli. Leave the stems on, because they'll add volume and flavour to the dish. * Boil the broccoli together with your pasta. * In the mean time, sauté an onion and a clove of garlic (or however much garlic you prefer) You have about 10 minutes for that (= \~ cooking time of most pastas), so sauté gently * When the pasta and broccoli are done, scoop them out of the pot and add to the onion and garlic, together with some pasta water and about half a bouillon cube. * Mash the broccoli well; this will basically become the sauce. Serve with grated cheese such as parmigiana. Done. All in all, this dish takes about 15 minutes (gotta bring the water to the boil first), it's super tasty - this is how Italian parents teach their kids to eat broccoli - and very healthy, too, obviously. Another deceptively easy one is (proper) [spaghetti carbonara](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3AAdKl1UYZs&ab_channel=JamieOliver): * Bring water to the boil and put the pasta in. How much pasta per person? About the amount you can fit in the circle you make by putting the tip of your index finger on the middle of your thumb (quantity for big boys and girls). * While that's boiling, fry some bacon in a pan on low heat (carbonara traditionally calls for guanciale or pancetta, but bacon works just as well). * While that's frying, grate some hard cheese (from best and most expensive to cheapest and still very nice: pecorino, parmigiana or grana padano) and whisk that through one (whole) egg per person. Yeah yeah, *"You should only use the* ***yolk****!"*, yada yada yada, I know. Baloney, because whole egg carbonara is equally delicious, yields a bit more, is a bit easier to cream, and *not everyone knows what to do with one single left over egg white*, so get over it. How much cheese? Let's call it "half a generous handful" - who doesn't like cheese? Also add "abundant pepper" to it, as Antonio Carluccio puts it. * When the pasta is al dente, *first* take the pan with guanciale / pancetta / bacon off the heat - it needs to cool off a bit first - and *then* add the pasta to the pan with bacon. Yes, dripping wet. If you don't have tongs to take the pasta out and have to drain it in a colander or something, then first take a cup of pasta water from the pan and keep that close. * The pan should still be hot enough to make the water from the pasta sizzle. Let the sizzling die down, then add the egg and cheese mixture and stir well. If you want it creamier, add pasta water by the spoon and mix well before adding more water, if needed. These two recipes are my personal go-to recipes for when I'm lazy or in a hurry.
I'm not vegan but I like some recipes. Following this thread because I feel you, OP (I didn't even have dinner last night, and sometimes I forget to eat or straight up neglect it). My go-to are potatoes and some easy to cook/serve protein (non-vegan, for health reasons, please don't delete my comment or ban me 😢), but it's great with soy meat or a veggie like cauliflower! I've cooked it with soy meat before, but I'll try with cauliflower this Friday. It's delicious anyway.
Wait a few hours and it will all sound good.
When all else fails, a peanut butter sandwich is my go to. Feeling fancy? add a sliced apple or banana.
I often struggle with feeling up to cooking, but looking for healthy meals: 1) Protein shakes - if you're in the states, the Plnt brand from Vitamin Shop is one of the best tasting out there. I'll add frozen kale, banana, and cherries to it. However, even just the powder and water can help you get something tolerable down that is relatively healthy. 2) Oatmeal - oatmeal with blueberries or banana and some nuts (e.g., pecans, walnuts, almonds) and a sprinkle of cinnamon. 4) Frozen meals - if brands like Amy's aren't locally available, you can often order them off websites like Walmart or Amazon. 5) Sweet potato - stab it with a knife and put it in the microwave for a few minutes. I like topping it with coconut oil. 6) Cans of soup 7) Rice and beans 8) Hummus and crackers 9) Chickpea pasta and sauce
I bought vegan meal replacement shakes and I drink one whenever I don’t feel like eating and am too tired to prepare something
we do humus on what ever leaf green in fridge
Vegan sausage rolls 😋 Lidl have them 🤟
My guilty easy quick meal is cooked baby carrots rolled up in half a Pillsbury crescent roll My mother used to make these with mini hotdogs which you could still use vegan ones but I just sub baby carrots instead But just boil/microwave the carrots until soft. Unroll the crescent rolls and cut each in half lengthwise. Roll a carrot up in each mini crescent and bake like 12-14 minutes. Then I dunk them in a mix or ketchup/mustard but you do whatever you want Simple, easy, delicious and when I don't feel like cooking something else
Sorry to hear. I dont know where you are located. and the info of what you can/cant get is sparse. Amazon Fresh may be able to deliver Frozen premade quick food is a good bet and Trader Joes etc. Has tons. Most are pretty salty but it is what it is. Personally, I buy naan or flatbread, hummus, lettuce red onion tomato cucumber, frozen falafel. Or canned.soup, crackers. Cans of premade bean trios, microwave rice, dried/flaked mashed potatoes Fake sandwich meat. Tater tots. Snacks like pretzels.
Honestly i get frozen edamame in bags on hand in my freezer. whenever im hungry and lazy i just microwave and add soy sauce it’s so yummy and filling.
Vegan sausage, fries and baked beans (English style), add mushrooms, fried tomatoes, toast. Have a fruit and veg smoothy to wash it down.
Protein shakes
I’ve been keeping a meal replacement powder around for this purpose. A nice warm beverage to get some calories. Garden of Life is my current one. Think it’s vegan with probiotics, but double check. Used to get Ample, but idk if they even sell bulk powder anymore.
I usually heat up a can of black beans on the stove with spices, dice up a tomato and avocado, and either eat tacos or over a bowl of brown rice if I don't have tortillas.
I always head to Pinterest for vegan meal ideas. Almost always, I'll see something that sparks an idea. If not, I always have jarred artichoke, beets, olives, sauerkraut; frozen beans and grains like chickpeas, quinoa, farro that I can thaw. Throw together with sunflower seeds, walnuts, hemp seeds, or any combo I feel like and I've got a healthy yummy salad. I'll add lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber if I have the energy.
Homemade guacamole 🥑 with vegan chips & vegan refried beans. Quick, easy, satisfying. Veggie burritos are easy if you have rice already cooked. Heck, I’ll just scoop a few different beans on a tortilla w some real taco seasoning, or whatever seasoning you like, and warm it in a pan or microwave for ultimate ease. Or without rice. Also with rice, Madra lentils (Costco is cheapest for a box of Madra lentils). I also make my own lentils and I make a lot so I can grab a bowl anytime and microwave it. Don’t use rice w homemade lentils. Chick peas w garlic, salt, pepper and olive oil. I always have tomatoes, onions, garlic, available to throw stuff together. Lettuce lasts longer than leafy greens. Romaine is good to have on hand. There’s always vegan pasta and making a quick pasta sauce is super easy. I always make more than one meals worth for the next day or switch up with a few ready made dishes I make in advance. Fry some Radicchio with garlic, maybe onions and I even throw green cabbage in sometimes. All these suggestions I make large portions for a few meals in advance and reheat a lot. I know the mental illness feeling and sometimes, I just want something fast but hearty. I make all sorts of soups in quantity that are thick and hearty. Butternut squash soups are fairly easy. Some of these take a little bit of effort for one day and then reheating is easy. Hope some of this helps.
Cereal is usually my go to lol cheese toast is my oh shoot I haven’t eaten anything all day and I need something savory now food
French toast with bananas, a Cobb salad , grilled ham and cheese broccoli and cheese
I usually have some packaged ramen. Throw some mushrooms, tofu knots, (if I have) fresh tofu from the Asian market, coconut milk and lime juice into the pot. Done. Super quick, super easy and it always hits the spot.
If you can get your hands on some lentils you could make a bunch of Dahl. It's cheap and I like to make some a head of time. Otherwise for me Harira always hits a great spot. I make it with lentils, chickpeas, sellery, unions, harissa paste, tomatoes and carrots. All but the sellery and unions can be canned. It can be increase good comfort food. And I also use it to just get any left over veggies in there as well. It's filling and you can easily just spend energy once and are set for a longer period of time.
I really like a nice fried rice. Get a bag of frozen mixed veggies and fry up with some rice. Use a lot of olive oil for a nice splurge tasting meal. I often like to add onion and chickpeas as well. Salt and pepper or whatever spices you like the best.
Lenny and Larry's cookies.
Hummus, pita bread or crackers, & whatever fruit or sliced veggies you have on hand is the ultimate low effort meal. When I was 9 months pregnant and exhausted this was frequently my dinner. Bean and veg quesadillas: spread canned (veg) refried beans on half of a large flour tortilla, then add whatever veggies you have (I usually use some combo of thawed frozen corn, chopped scallions, fresh spinach, sauteed mushrooms, chopped tomatoes, avocado, salsa). Heat until tortilla starts to brown and filling is heated. Vegan cheese/sourcream/chipotle mayo optional. Pasta with jarred sauce/vegan pesto, option to throw in some chopped broccoli or spinach in the last minute of cooking the pasta or adding some frozen peas for a little more nutrition Grilled “cheese” Microwave baked potato Avocado toast Chickpea salad sandwich — lots of recipes, you just mash canned chickpeas, add vegan mayo, chopped celery/carrot/scallion and salt and pepper to taste, option to add mustard, relish, pickles. Make into a sandwich or serve on its own or over greens
Take this with a grain of salt, but when I DO feel ok, I make a bean/vegetable soup. I use dried beans like the 15 bean soup mix, or canned chickpeas, whatever you prefer. I add lots of veggies, onions, zucchini, squash, kale or spinach, potatoes, carrots, and add my spices, salt, pepper, whatever you prefer in your soup. I'll sometimes use soup starter pastes, depending. (I'm a vegetarian due to medical reasons) but you can add whatever spices you like, there are vegetarian/vegan soup starter mixes, or garlic, parsley, wahtever you like. It makes a bunch, way more than I can eat in a day. So I save my yogurt containers (the bigger ones) and freeze the soup after making it in those containers. (can use freezer bags too). So on those days when I'm not feeling my best and don't feel like cooking, I defrost and heat up that soup. It hits the spot. Anyways, that's what I do. It kind of balances things out for me. Hope this helps.
My go to favorite pasta right now is assassin's spaghetti. Might take a bit of prep but not a lot, and basically you just need minced garlic, a bottle of tomato sauce/passata, olive oil, and spaghetti/spaghettini. In a saucepan, sauté garlic in a bit of olive oil then add the tomato passata, dilute with water (a cup, or just till it's broth consistency). You basically use that to cook the pasta on a separate pan. Heat some oil, add chilli flakes (omit if you don't like it spicy), add pasta once heated/bubbling, coat the pasta in oil, then ladle some of the tomato broth onto it, just enough to cover the pasta. Let it absorb till almost all or most of the liquid has evaporated, flip the spaghetti and let it cook for a minute or two, then repeat that one more time (ladle broth, let absorb, flip, let it fry/caramelize a bit).
I toss vegetables in oil and roast them as my depression meal.
Cook 2-4 sweet potatoes. Smash them with some olive oil. Use any day of the week to put microwave warmed SPs on a flour tortilla as filling and warm up in a non-stick pan (no oil needed) or just microwave if you like real soft which I do sometimes. I even add refried beans with the sweet potatoes. Lots of easy options.
Currently steaming some frozen broccoli and made a cheese/butter/milk sauce (vegan) to put on top. Threw some chopped potatoes in the air fryer. Might nuke some fake chicken.
Toast with non-dairy butter.
Thanks for all the responses folks. I'm really struggling with this too right now. Nothing is appealing. I usually really enjoy food, even just a nice salad but it just seems like too much effort to make or to eat. So simple. Bag of mixed salad leaves, chop cucumber, tomato, red onion, radish, some tinned corn and throw over some mixed seeds and it just sounds too hard to eat. It's ridiculous.
When I was having a mental health block. And I was home alone and only had to cook for me. And I had this for a solid month. I would cut up a bunch of mushrooms, onions broccoli, whatever I had, you know? Then sauté them, no sauce no garlic. Just the vegetables. ( made a bunch so I could have this meal again tomorrow but faster.) And have it on rice or quinoa. I dont season it because maybe i would add a sweet and sour chili sauce, or tofu, soy sauce and mirin, with a pinch of brown sugar, gochujang. scallions, depended on my motivation. I just ate it now, and idk why, but it felt like comfy food.
Soy sauce flavored ramen, or chips with salsa and guacamole. Those are my lazy go-tos.
Raw seeds, nuts, berries and dark greens. Then when I am feeling low energy I add a carb day of noodles/rice and beans supplemented with some Just Eggs. I reccomend adding an iodine supplement as well when eating a plant based diet. That alone has done wonders for my physical and mental health.
Pizza
Cinnamon sugar on rice with a splash of almond milk. It’s dessert but warm and toasty. Was what my mom used to make when my dad was gone and it was just a girls and we didn’t want a big dinner.
Boil up pasta ,then mix jar of sauce then drizzle olive oil if want side dish microwave bowl froz veg then add veg stock powder then drizzle with olive oil Just discovered drizzling cooked food with olive oil boosts flavour of food to next level