24 Simple Meal Ideas For When You're Exhausted But Still Need To Eat
Hey, friend. If you found your way to this post, I have a feeling that you, like me, are probably feeling not-so-great about the state of things right now. That's OK! But I also want you to eat — no matter how daunting that task feels at this current moment.
As a food editor here at BuzzFeed, I certainly cook a lot, but you'd better believe that I don't always have the energy to cook something extravagant or impressive. (Especially on days like today.) So these are all the minimal-effort, minimal-ingredient struggle meals my numb little brain could come up with today, in the event that you're in need of some good food to boost your morale.
Hang in there. ❤️
1.Cheesy Ramen
Cheap, easy, and oh-so comforting, nothing hits like a hot bowl of ramen.
Combine: Your favorite packaged ramen + a Kraft single (nothing else will do!) + some sliced scallions for something green
Pro-tip: Add a poached egg for some protein; crack it directly into the ramen as it boils, and you'll have a gorgeously runny egg in 3–3.5 minutes. Even if it looks like a mess, it'll still taste great.
2.Lavash "Pizzas"
I bugged fellow BuzzFeeder Peggy Wang for her go-to struggle meal while at my desk today, and she didn't disappoint. (If you can't get your hands on lavash, try store-bought naan...or hell, even a flour tortilla.)
Combine: Lavash bread + tomato sauce + shredded mozz + turkey pepperoni + basil
Pro-tip: Peggy assembles the entire thing in one large skillet and cooks it until the lavash is crisp and the cheese is nice and gooey. No oven necessary!
3.Noodles with Peanut Sauce
I've lived off of five-minute peanut noodle lunches for long stretches of time, and they never get old.
Combine: Ramen or spaghetti + a spoonful of peanut butter + soy sauce to taste
Pro-tip: After cooking your noodle of choice, reserve a little bit of the starchy cooking liquid to thin out the peanut butter.
4."Salad Nachos"
Loosely inspired by Baked by Melissa's viral green goddess salad (2022...a simpler time), any nutrient-dense salad is WAY more comforting when your vessel is a tortilla chip.
Combine: Any sturdy veggies you have hanging around your fridge (like cabbage, root veggies, or leafy greens), finely chopped + your favorite store-bought dressing + tortilla chips
5.Taco Dip
On the subject of tortilla chips, BuzzFeed reader katkat007 says this protein-packed dip got them through some hard times. Just combine the ingredients, top with cheese, and heat it in your microwave or air fryer.
Combine: Refried beans + store-bought salsa + canned corn + shredded cheese + sour cream + tortilla chips, for dipping
6.Rotisserie Chicken Quesadillas
Honestly, you could delete everything but the cheese and tortilla and this would still be a perfect meal.
Combine: Rotisserie chicken meat + a tortilla + shredded cheese + your favorite store-bought salsa
7.Easy Beans and Greens
These brothy beans might just come together faster than a can of soup.
Combine: Chicken stock + canned white beans + baby spinach + lots of parm (and bread, for soaking up that broth)
8.Shrimp Tacos
Frozen shrimp defrost remarkably fast in a colander, set under running, cool water, so they're a great protein to keep in the freezer for future moments when you're not feeling your best.
Combine: Defrosted frozen shrimp + taco seasoning + frozen onions and peppers + taco-sized tortillas
9.Sheet Pan Tomato Gnocchi
Just toss everything together on one sheet pan and roast for 15–20 minutes; smoosh the softened tomatoes and garlic with a fork before mixing everything together for the world's easiest tomato sauce. And for a minimal-cleanup meal, be sure to line your sheet pan with parchment.
Combine: Shelf-stable gnocchi + cherry tomatoes + sliced chicken sausage + a few cloves of garlic + olive oil
Pro-tip: Parmesan cheese fixes everything, so go wild.
10.Buttered Soy Sauce Rice
IYKYK; this is a meal. Full stop.
Combine: Warm white rice + butter + soy sauce
Pro-tip: Slices of cool silken tofu on top take it to the next level, if you want a little boost of protein — similar to the Chinese dish liangban tofu.
11.Buttered Noodles
(Also a full meal in the "Buttered Carb" cinematic universe, and if you tell me otherwise, you're dead to me.)
Combine: Egg noodles (or pasta) + butter + parm + salt and pepper
Pro-tip: Fellow BuzzFeeder Claudia Santos reminisced with me about her mom's go-to variation when I told her I was writing this post — with chopped deli ham and an egg that gently scrambles over the residual heat. (TBH, it sounds like my version of heaven.)
12.Deconstructed "Sushi"
When times are tough, make the laziest "sushi" possible; pinch some warm rice in a seaweed snack sheet, top it with your favorite filling(s) and a drizzle of soy sauce, and pop it into your mouth.
Combine: Roasted seaweed snacks + warm white rice + your favorite sushi filling (like cucumber, avocado slices, or imitation crab) + soy sauce
13.Quick Rice and Beans
You likely won't fool your stomach into thinking these beans simmered with love all day long, but you'll get a gorgeously comforting meal out of this brief 10-minute excursion. Simmer your beans of choice with some garlic, onion, and chili powder while your rice reheats, and you've got a complete meal.
Combine: Canned black beans + minced garlic + chopped onion + chili powder + leftover (or fresh) rice
14.Hashbrown Avocado "Toast"
You know those magical, McDonald's-style hashbrowns you can get a Trader Joe's? They make the world's best avocado "toast" — and you can quote me on that.
Combine: Crispy hashbrowns + sliced avocado + your desired toppings
Pro-tip: Add a fried egg and plenty of everything bagel seasoning.
15.Spicy Tuna or Salmon Bowls
This meal is the one reason to always keep canned fish and mayo in your kitchen.
Combine: Canned tuna or salmon + a drizzle of mayo + a drizzle of sriracha + warm white rice
Pro-tip: Thinly sliced cucumber tossed in a little bit of soy sauce goes really nicely with this for some added crunch, but if you can't muster the slicing, it'll still be delish without it.
16.Bibimbap-Inspired Microwave Rice
Eggs and microwaves to the rescue.
Combine: Microwave rice + microwaved frozen veggies + a runny fried egg + a drizzle of sriracha or gochujang hot sauce
17.Adult Mac 'n' Cheese
Don't ever let them tell you that mac 'n' cheese is just for kids.
Combine: Boxed mac 'n' cheese + frozen veggies + any protein of your choosing
18.Sheet Pan Ratatouille
Don't imagine the perfectly-spiraled ratatouille that comes to mind when you think of a certain cooking Disney rat. Hack away at these veggies and stick 'em into the oven to roast for a nutrient-dense veggie dish that you can enjoy in basically any format: over pasta or polenta (or instant mashed potatoes), or stuffed inside a sandwich with some mozzarella.
Combine: Roughly chopped eggplant + peppers + zucchini + onion + cherry tomatoes + olive oil + fresh herbs
19.Pastina
Nothing — I repeat, NOTHING — says comfort like a warm, creamy bowl of pastina...especially for a bonafide 10-minute meal.
Combine: Pastina pasta (or orzo) + chicken stock + parm + butter + egg
Pro-tip: Normally, pastina should be porridge consistency, but to make things extra hydrating (also important in moments of struggle), use more stock.
20.BBQ Chicken Sandwiches
The humble rotisserie chicken and a bag of store-bought slaw mix are a match made in minimal-effort heaven.
Combine: Shredded rotisserie chicken, BBQ sauce, store-bought slaw mix, potato rolls or slices of bread
Pro-tip: If you have an extra ten seconds (and a bowl) to spare, toss the slaw mix with a little oil, vinegar, and salt before topping your BBQ chicken with it.
21.Lazy Enchiladas
This one's from BuzzFeed reader vasato, who learned the viral method from TikTok. Just crisp up some frozen taquitos in the oven, sauce and top 'em, bake until melty, and devour.
Combine: Frozen taquitos + green or red enchilada sauce + shredded cheese + toppings of your choosing (like lettuce, tomato, or cilantro)
Modified from Ina Garten because, respectfully, my queen could never cook a struggle meal.
Combine: Toast + soft-boiled egg + a swoop of butter and whole-grain mustard
Pro-tip: I'd also top this one with some fresh dill if it was easily accessible because it's the one herb that fills me with inexplicable joy every time I taste it.
23.15-Minute Pasta Salad
Endlessly customizable and nourishing, don't discount the power of the almighty pasta salad to heal whatever you're going through, election-wise or otherwise.
Combine: Any pasta shape + 2–3 chopped veggies + canned beans + your favorite store-bought dressing
Pro-tip: Play around with your combos here, but IMO, nothing beats fusilli with chopped cukes, snap peas, chickpeas, and TJ's toasted sesame dressing.
24.And for dessert: "Cinnamon Roll" Roll-Ups
True story: My husband and I make these every time we're down in the dumps, so I can confirm they're a solid mood booster. Spread everything on a tortilla, roll it up, microwave for 20 seconds, and slice into little pinwheels. (Or shovel the whole thing into your mouth over the sink; we've all been there.)
Combine: Flour tortilla + butter + cinnamon + sugar + a pinch of salt
If you have a "depression meal" to share (or any go-to, minimal-ingredient meal or meal-adjacent dish), drop it in the comments below. And in case you need the reminder, please take care of each other! 🫶
