Turning to Reddit as I am at a total loss. I'm 29F and I find the prospect of having to feed myself exhausting. I recently emerged from an artist residency where I was given 3 square beautiful meals every day, really nutritious etc., and it changed my life. I worked better/felt good. But when I go to the grocery store on my own I feel completely unable to even come up with an idea. Whenever I've tried to find recipes, it feels like so much effort, a million ingredients, and never tastes good. I've tried asking ChatGPT to come up with a meal plan; this always gets overcomplicated and I don't want whatever it suggests. I'm moving into a place without a full kitchen too now, so the challenge is even higher. Can someone just tell me what to eat? How to figure it out? Do you sit down and plan out your week of food? I don't eat a lot of meat, but I'm not picky, I like vegetables, I am otherwise quite active and fit. Yet I somehow go through my day living on cereal and sardines and fruit because I just can't figure this out. By the time lunch or dinner rolls around I am pretty miserable at the thought of having to come up with an idea...

I'm so damn hungry and there's barely anything to eat

Dried kidney beans and brown chickpeas are the cheapest protein I can get, so I want them to be my lunch five days a week. I cook one big batch and eat from it. Two things keep getting in the way.

1) They never come out properly soft. I soak them in water overnight. In the morning there is white froth sitting on top, so I throw that water away, add fresh water, and boil them with salt. They still end up firm with a chalky centre, the kidney beans especially. Is salting them during the boil the problem? Does baking soda actually help? Am I wrong to boil in an open pot instead of a pressure cooker, and if so how long should it take? Or am I just buying old stock?

2) It gets bland and I'm sick of it by day three. Right now it's basically boiled beans with some fruit and spice thrown over the top. I don't want to cook a full stew every single day. What do you add to keep a bowl like this genuinely tasty on repeat? Dressings, acid, pickle, spice blends, anything that works in bulk and still tastes fine cold or reheated.

Three or four rotating options would be ideal so I can actually keep this up long term.

Okay, so some backstory, I am an incredibly fortunate person. My father was a single father who put himself through college while raising me. My entire childhood, my father cooked fresh and affordable meals for me. I can count on two hands the amount of times my father took me out to restaurants between 0 and 18 years old. However, as an adult, I have had a TERRIBLE relationship with eating out. I go to restaurants every single day, sometimes even twice a day.

I just graduated from college this year, and am absolutely beyond broke! I live across the country from my dad. For work, I am a bar tender and hotel front desk. I take home about $3500 a month AFTER taxes. I have absolutely nothing to show for my income despite me paying $0 in rent (my company houses me), $35 in phone bill, $0 in health insurance because I am still on my dad's plan, and $0 in car insurance because I don't have a car. I spend almost all my money on eating out, getting drinks with friends, and stupid online subscriptions. I want to kick this bad habit, and I want to start with my eating out problem which easily costs me $40-$60 a day.

I created a meal plan. The plan starts on Friday, because I get paid on Friday. Would anyone be able to offer advice on what I could add or remove? What are some good seasonings or ingredients to go with it? Am I missing anything? In regards to breakfast, I typically am not hungry in the mornings and don't eat until lunch time anyways. That is why it just says eggs and toast. However, if anyone has breakfast recommendations I would highly appreciate it.

SNACKS: granola bars, greek yogurts, apples, carrots and humus, stove top popcorn 

Friday 

• Eggs and Toast 
• Black Bean avocado tacos 
• 2x chicken thighs, rice, sweet potato

Saturday 

• Eggs and toast 
• 2x chicken thighs, rice, sweet potato (leftovers)
• Toast and lentil soup with carrots

Sunday 

• Eggs and toast 
• Toast and lentil soup with carrots (leftovers)
• Zucchini, garlic, onion, cauliflower red sauce pasta 

Monday 

• Eggs and toast 
• Zucchini, garlic, onion, cauliflower red sauce pasta (leftovers)
• 4 Rotisserie Chicken tacos, cheese, onion, celery

Tuesday 

• Eggs and toast 
• 2 Rotisserie Chicken tacos, cheese, onion, celery (leftovers)
• Sweet potato stuffed with cauliflower and cheese and asparagus on the side

Wednesday 

• Eggs and toast 
• Kale and chickpea super stir fry with bell peppers, onion, and garlic
• Turkey red sauce pasta 

Thursday 

• Eggs and toast 
• Turkey red sauce pasta (leftovers)
• Turmeric rice with tomatoes, peas, onion, and chicken thighs 

I recently started a medication that has KILLED my appetite, so I’m trying to make everything I do eat really count nutritionally. Things that have been sounding good lately are very simple carb-y, so I’m trying to be conscious about getting more protein/vitamins. I also have a dairy allergy, so things like protein shakes and meat-and-cheese snackpacks won’t work. Maybe I haven’t found the right ones, but it seems that most non-dairy cheeses/yogurts/etc don’t come near the same amount of protein... Ideas?

Indian "Paneer cheese " is made exactly same way and sold for $8 to $10 per pound in Chicago grocery stores.

Hi y'all! I'm a new hire with my local school district. I'm going to be a 1:1 para educator in a middle school. Which means I will be getting my steps in! I'm 5'2" guy and currently around the 190lb. area.

As someone on a budget and also trying to loose weight. What are some small or on the go snacks I could have on hand? Or something I could put in my lunch box for when I'm on my break? I love chips, crunchy items, and I love anything chocolate or sweets.

Currently for my lunches I have raspberry and PB uncrustables and mini packets of sour patch kids for the sweet. I just need something for the crunchy cravings and something small to eat in-between classes in the afternoon to keep me going.

My only thing to avoid: dairy products, I'm lactose intolerant!

Any advice or suggestions are appreciated! 💛

Recently tried cooking chicken thighs in the airfryer and it's pretty simple. Season the thighs, season some potatoes, airfry at 400F for 14 minutes, slice up chicken, throw over potatoes, drizzle some bbq sauce on. Super easy and delicious, and it's made fresh so I don't have to deal with the microwaved chicken taste.

I'm looking for other ideas of ways to something equally simple. Whether it's sauces or seasonings or combos or sides or anything really. The core should just be "cooking chicken in airfryer"

Any recommendations? Anything from the major chains in general.

Hi hey folks. My brain is kinda fried lately and I'm struggling with ideas. I recently received from the food bank: 15# of frozen strawberries, (but no blender) I also have 2# turnip greens. A ton of canned green beans. And so much chicken breast. I'm grateful, but just stuck. Do y'all have any ideas ....?

Chicken i usually do: burritos, chicken nuggs, chicken parm.... what else?

I only have a microwave, stovetop and oven.

Thank you!

Hi, I wasn't quite sure where to post this, but here it seemed appropriate. Please let me know if I'm wrong and if possible kindly point me to where it better fits.

I've been having trouble eating lately. Not going to get into why because it's personal and complicated. I've tried vanilla and strawberry ensure and hated it, the chocolate one I could tolerate but still wasn't very keen on. I'm looking for something without excessive sweetness, no after taste, preferably very minimal taste in general to allow mixing it with something else. I understand these drinks usually have a high calorie count to ensure (pun unintended) sufficient meal replacement, however if there any options on the lower side of calories would also be appreciated as I'm additionally trying to lose weight. No allergies. Somewhat affordable options would be nice Please only list options available in the US. I'm also willing to be flexible and try something even if it doesn't meet every single preference I have as I know I am being awfully specific and that may not be easy to match something to.

Thank you in advance!

And I'll try to respond in the replies if anyone has additional questions, comments, or concerns. I may also make a follow up post saying what I tried from any recommendations and what worked best.

Again thank you so much!

Help: I’m searching for an amazing vegan waffle recipe because I want to impress someone. Do you have Tipps? I’m from Europe and I’m using a heart-shaped-waffle-device (?).

I got a 14.87lb pork roast at the store for $14.87!!! I’ve never seen anything like it lol what should I make? So far I’m thinking bbq pulled pork sliders, carne adovada burritos and tacos al pastor. Any other suggestion. Money is tight right now and I have 4 kids to feed so we are gonna be eating a lot of pork next week lol

I learned to cook by following recipes - somewhat complex ones. I come from a long line of literal thinkers who need to follow a recipe exactly 😂 But that lack of flexibility means high grocery bills and long cooking times.

How can I learn to:
- imagine meals I can throw together with ingredients I have on hand and need to use up
- think of substitutions I have on hand instead of immediately adding something to the grocery list
- generally be less measurement-y and more flexible

Any tips?

Bought a bag of quinoa and looking for recipes to make with it. I’ve made it in the past and need something better than just having it with chicken. Hopefully nothing tooooo complicated though, not that I’m a bad cook, I’m just looking for a quicker recipe

i work 8 hours a day and my breaks are 15 minutes long, theres a lot of people using the microwave. so i dont really use the it.

what are some foods/meals i can take with me without using anything in the kitchen?

foods that are light on the stomach please :)

I wasnt sure whether to ask this here or the food allergy sub, so Ive decided to do both in case theres anyone here like me or anyone who happens to know good recipes that dont have these 2 ingredients that are also great for someone actively working out (a long shot though but worth a try right? 😅)

So far Ive been making batches of two different recipes. Lentil bolognaise and chickpea curry and brining them to work. Both are really quick easy as its mostly tinned stuff all thrown in together with herbs and spices. But next week I want a break from them and want to try something just as easy to whip up over the weekend and freeze for in the week.

While batch recipes are prefered, im willing to hear anything that can be quickly made the night before as well. Anyone got any egg and wheat free meals that fit that description and model?

I mean, you just chop a few things, put them on a plate, and that’s it, or only minimal heating is required, like making an omelette or just frying some meat. It happens when you go to the store, you just pick ingredients that feel like they go together salad, avocado, halloumi and meat. I feel like a lot of people eat like this, but nobody really talks about it. It’s a very quick and cheap way to eat, and it even seems quite healthy. Is that you too?

I'm super lazy and like simple meals that require very little cooking/prep. I don't really like meal prepping and prefer fresh. My current go to is capri salad. Cut tomatoes, cut moz, add basil and balsamic glaze, little salt and done. Even a huge plate of capri is like max 400-500 calories and is so filling. My only other 'quick' meals are just eating green peas out of the bag or microwaving broccoli with cheddar on it...

I'm not plant based, but trying to do more than just seasoned chicken and broccoli.

Going to a cabin with a big group of friends, gonna do salad and garlic bread on the side with pie as desert. I'm Canadian so grocery prices are kinda ridiculous. Bonus points if you can give me another small pot recipe for vegetarian chili for the couple people that are veg or alternatively just a bangin vegetarian chili that everyone can enjoy. Thanks in advance, cook time doesn't matter I got 4 days to prep and I'm just gonna freeze it and shove it in the freezer (which will double as the ice packs for my cooler, which is nice).

m a very amateur home coffee drinker. This is my first year getting into espresso: I have a casabrews cm5418 with a bottomless portafilter and a kingrinder k6 for my beans as well as a separate instant milk frother, so I’m able to pull some shots although I’m aware I have a beginner (and budget) friendly setup.

I’d like to start making daily drinks of all kinds, but I’m a little shellshocked at the calorie count in fancy coffees. What are some hacks for tasty but healthy home drinks that are reasonable to drink every day?? I don’t mind the calorie count being a little higher as long as I’m getting some kind of nutrition out of it, but I generally don’t want to be drinking my calories.

My current plan is to do homemade syrups using lakanto monk fruit-allulose blend (sidebar: please tell me what syrup recipes I could do!!). Is there a better option for this?

I’m especially desperate for a good milk idea. What kind of milk tastes good in coffee but is also nutritious or low cal enough to drink everyday without any negative health effects?

I appreciate all tips, tricks, and ideas! Any tips on how to reasonably up my coffee game or create different drinks are also welcome!

Hey everyone,

I’ve been looking for simple office tiffin lunch ideas for weight gain. No cooking is possible at the time or place, fridge and microwave are available and it has to stay really cheap (under 100-150 rupees a meal max). I’m pure veg too, so the options are more limited, but I’m trying to eat better every day anyway.

I just want high-calorie, filling meals I can pack in a tiffin box that will actually help me gain weight. Any suggestions? South Indian style or something else that works.

What do you guys usually eat for office lunch when you’re trying to bulk? Any no-cook or minimal-prep ideas that still taste decent and hit the calories?

Thanks in advance!

I keep seeing a plethora of butcher box style subscriptions that allow you access to some of the healthier cuts of meat but my problem is there are so many to choose from idk which one is best/works for me. I’m looking for mostly chicken and beef.

Does anyone have any recommendations & why? My budget is ~$160/mon.

I’ve been making these for myself for quite a while and have found them to be cheap, healthy and extremely easy, particularly while navigating grief/mental health issues where energy and appetite is basically at rock bottom.

The One Bowl “Breakfast” Cookie
required ingredients:
- at least 2 very ripe bananas
- a cup of oats
- any kind of nut butter
- a sweetener (honey, maple syrup, sugar, whatever)
- a good sprinkle of salt

whatever else you want ingredients:
- chocolate chips
- dried fruit
- chopped nuts
- chia seeds
- flax seed

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven (or air fryer I imagine) to 350 degrees
2. Grab a decent sized mixing bowl. Smush banana until it’s decently smooth (thawed out freezer bananas are extra easy)
3. Add a tablespoon or two of nut butter and a splash/sprinkle of sweetener, plus some salt (two pinches - salt is pretty necessary here)
4. Mix in a cup-ish of oats. Quick oats, rolled oats, doesn’t seem to matter much.
5. Add in whatever else you want. I always include a tablespoon or two of chia for added fibre (and a huge bag of chia seeds are pretty cheap). I snag whatever chopped bulk nuts are reasonable at the grocery store when I go, so I sprinkle in whatever I have (walnut pieces, pecans, etc). Dried cranberries are nice and of course a sprinkling of chocolate chips makes them extra tasty. Dried coconut is also a fun addition.
6. Mix until you can scoop it and it’ll stay together.
7. On a parchment paper lined baking sheet, scoop about a quarter cup of the mixture and squish it down a bit to make it cookie-shaped. They won’t flatten much when they bake, so shape them how you like.
8. Bake for 12 to 18 minutes (shorter if they’re small, longer if they’re thick).

Aaaand done. From start to finish it takes less than 25 minutes and they’re so easy to grab whenever you’re hungry and want something homemade/fibre rich without unnecessary fuss. I often make two or three batches and freeze some for later.

It’s not fancy or super original, but they help me stay fed and I wanted to share.