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Hey Pandas, What Are Some Easy Recipes When You’re Depressed Or Anxious And Have Little Energy? (Closed)
Been dealing with poor mental health lately and having trouble taking care of myself. Any recommendations for some simple, easy meals I can make so I'm at least eating?
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A little bit of toast with tomato slices and garlic on top, with cheese and basil on top of that. You can microwave it real quick and it's like super pizza.
Crackers and cheese and summer sausage are a staple.
You can eat them together or if you have vegetables you can fry veggies with a bit of the sausage and eggs for an easy gourmet.
If you are too tired to make up vegetables, you can always keep some lemon juice on hand and drink it with a bit of honey in water for a calorie/vitamin boost. It's good hot as well.
Tortillas are also great to have around. You can make pb&j or tacos or whatever you want and they keep longer than bread does.
Soup is also a good go-to because you can freeze it and just pull it out when you are too tired to make a meal.
Tomatoes on toast with some everything bagel seasoning is my go-to lately.
Open freezer and remove ready-made food item. Shove in toaster oven. Cook. Repeat.
I like Lean Cuisine, and they have excellent customer service too. I called them with a *compliment* and they apologized and sent me a coupon for a free meal.
peanut butter sandwiches. you can use wholemeal bread and add fruit if you want it a bit healthier or white bread and jam/jelly if you just want comfort food. it's a high energy and protein food too so it can get you moving a bit more easily and if you use wholemeal bread your getting fibre too. i know its not a recipe but its fast, easy and can be healthyish
I never liked peanut butter but I still eat it regularly because I find it makes me feel better right away. It also keeps me from getting hungry for a longer period of time than other snacks.
Jacket potato, pierce it few times before microwaving it for like 7-8 minutes, some butter and any topping of your choice eg. canned beans, shredded cheese, canned tuna, tuna mayo, canned corn etc etc
Grilled cheese sandwich with tomato soup from a packet. Cheese has feel good chemicals in it.
Egg in a hole - the ultimate comfort food ready in under 10 minutes.
You will need: Bread, egg, butter
1. Butter both sides of the bread.
2. Cut a rectangle out of the bread.
3. Place bread and rectangle in a med high frying pan and cook for a few minutes or until light brown.
4. Flip all the bread over and crack the egg into the hole (see where this is going? Huh? Huh? Do ya?)
5. Cook until your egg is almost set, then flip and fry a minute or two longer (until egg is as runny or not as you like).
Ta daaa!
My mother used a star shaped cookie cutter and called them HOLLYWOOD EGGS. Used the cut out star to dip into the egg yoke
Charcuterie boards! You can buy a bunch of cheese and salami and pickled stuff for pretty cheap, it lasts for a while, and it’s delicious. It can also be very satisfying to arrange all the stuff all fancy.
This is a good idea, as I love "picky" food. And it would make me think I'm sort of doing something.
Tomato Soup, if you have bread it’s a bonus
Start with something like pasta, gnocchi, tortellini, and add a sauce of your choice, and then you can add anything else you want, like cheese, meat (if you have it pre-cooked and cut up, all you have to do is warm it), veggies ( frozen or canned are great, as most of the prep work is already done for you), and that's it, and now you have a simple, good meal.
Tray bake. Try bell peppers in quarters, courgette thickly sliced, sweet potato cut like fries, red onions halved. Put all of it in an ovenproof dish, add a little olive oil and give it a good mix. Salt and pepper. Pop in preheated oven 180C and after 20 minutes stir a little, leave in oven for another 20minutes. After you have taken it out of the oven you can add some pieces of avocado and kidney beans.
Soup is your best friend. Make a greek salad, put on some music while prepping your food. ❤️
A piece of cheese and some olives, almonds and dates. Bread if you want. I start to feel better because it looks like food I would have with friends or eating out, which adds sunshine
i saw a youtuber say that if you don’t have the energy to make something, just eat the ingredients separately (onlyjayus, i think?) it helps, at least for me.
Setup an online account with one your favorite chain pizza places. Create a couple medium pizzas you love and name the order "Nope" or "Too Tired" or "Fu*k It." Save a credit card to the account so the order can be completed with only a few clicks. Be sure to check the "contactless delivery" option. Done and done.
I keep a 4lb bag of frozen meatballs in the freezer and a bunch of boxes of dried pasta and jars of marinara in my pantry. So quick, inexpensive, and easy to prepare the pasta, heat up some meatballs, and top with the sauce. I prefer to top with grated parmesan and some chopped green or white onions, but it's still delicious, filling, and wholesome quick comfort food without the extra.
Ramen Noodles (crush them up with the bag sealed) let them boil ( let most of the liquid boil away) THEN add the flavor packet. Simmer for a few minutes. Add your favorite shredded cheese and or tomatoes etc. Here is the twist, eat by dipping with tortilla chips. I add crushed red peppers for some heat.
Got tortillas and some meat? Grab a tortilla (cut in half if ya want), put some deli meat and cheese, roll it up, and boom! You have a wrap! I like to use hot sauce to dip mine in!
I am not sure if this means cooking recipes. In my case I just buy food premade. However, what helps when I am depressed is to go for a walk.
Thank you, I was not sure this insinuated specifically food recipes. I get my dogs out and give them all hugs!!
I am learning to sew and creating something boosts my self confidence!
Creating is excellent medicine <3 I have been stifled for many decades but starting to come out of it ... I hope <3
Lately I've been feeling pretty good, so put a lot of serves of food in the freezer (I live alone, so always have leftovers). Otherwise, I would do gnocchi (store bought, or even homemade as it's pretty easy), pizza subs, burritos, jacket potatoes, omelette or scrambled eggs (can add tomatoes, bacon, herbs if you like them), egg and bacon tartlets (piece of bread pressed into muffin pan, crack egg on top and sprinkle with bacon, then cook in oven for 20 mins on 180c/356f) or mock fish/fritters (grated potato and carrot, mixed with egg and cheese and cooked in a fry pan)
With low energy I don't want to cook. Open up a can of Hormel chili and top with sour cream and grated cheese. Super low energy - a bowl of cereal. Anxious? Cheese, crackers and a martini with jalapeno olives. Seriously just smoke some pot and you'll just about anything
mashed potatoes from a box, Peas from the frezer, sausages. kids love it and its no work
instant mashes potatoes and canned gravy. Terrible but comforting. Or just get mashed potatoes & gravy from KFC.
I agree with those that say to make extra and freeze when you are feeling good. I try to do this but have a small freezer and so I sometimes use up my supply before I can get my groove back. In those cases, I grab a family size bag of instant mashed potatoes (in whatever flavor you prefer, my husband loves the loaded baked potato flavor) and a big can of Dinty Moore beef stew. Make/heat according to directions and top the potatoes with the beef stew like gravy. Served with ready made dinner rolls or a crusty loaf from the grocery. It’s my family’s favorite dinner and takes me no time or energy at all. Also a pot of rice or noodles cooked with a bit of chicken bouillon, topped with meatballs from the freezer and brown gravy from a packet. I add a side of bagged salad and some kind of bread and butter and it looks like I really worked.
This came out poorly organized, but I don't many spoons myself.
Creamy chicken flavored ramen. Don't cook it. Just eat the raw, crunchy brick with some of the flavoring sprinkled on top. For protein, I like high-protein, low-carb ultrafiltered milk like Fairlife.
I'm also a big fan of Triscuits or tortilla chips with shredded cheese melted on them in the microwave. With salsa ofc.
Also consider pasta and sauce-- some brands like Ragu and Prego have a couple servings of veggies in them, and whole grain or Protein Plus pasta has good nutrients.
Also consider a can of spaghettios, soup, baked beans, canned vegetables and fruits, straight tuna, etc.
Yogurt, cottage cheese, kefir, low-fat string cheese, etc.
Straight cold cuts with nothing else. Just open the tub of ham and eat it.
Beef jerky, Rotisserie chicken, tofu, microwavable chicken nuggets.
Eggs- hard boiled, scrambled, sunny side up on toast, scribbled with a handful of whatever tossed in.
Cereal, oatmeal. If you have trouble getting to the store often, you can buy boxes of shelf stable milk at some supermarkets.
Drinkable meals like Carnation Instant Breakfast (my favorite), Slim fast, Boost, Ensure, Soylent, Huel, etc. Also fruit and veggie drinks like Naked, Oldwalla, and Bolthouse Farms.
Get hummus or your favorite dressing or dip and a bunch of raw fresh veggies.
Fruit.
Tuna salad packets that you can just open and spread onto bread.
In addition to frozen microwave meals, there are shelf stable hot meals like Hormel Compleats and Yakisoba ramen bowls.
Trail mix. Nuts. Dried fruit. Jerky. Apple chips. Low fat potato chips. Corn chips. Beanitos chips.
Popcorn.
A really satisfying meal is a loaf of crusty bread, cheese, and summer sausage. Maybe with some fresh fruit.
Lunchables, Uncrustables frozen sandwiches, and those snacks packs for adults with nuts, dried fruits, cheese etc.
Hot Pockets.
My store has frozen chicken breasts that have been prepared to bake and eat-- they come in a box in different flavors like Chicken Cordon Bleu and spinach and cream stuffed. I forget the brand.
Imitation crab meat, heated in the microwave with a dish of butter.
Pickles.
Takeout could be an option if you have the means.
Go-to #1: Quesadillas--tortilla in dry frying pan, add a handful of shredded cheese, pop another tortilla on top. Medium heat, flip when bottom is toasty, then cook until cheese is melted. If I have them on hand, I add a few leaves of spinach and some leftover rotisserie chicken with the cheese, but it's good either way.
Go-to #2: Chicken salad--shredded leftover rotisserie chicken mixed with mayo or mashed avocado or hummus. Serve on bread, over lettuce, or wrapped in a tortilla, usually with a piece of fruit on the side.
Go-to #3: apple slices dipped in peanut butter. This is what I eat when I'm too exhausted or depressed to make anything more complicated.
Use your instant pot - put in: 2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, 1 block cream cheese, 1 small can green chilis, some hot sauce and a packet of dry ranch dressing - cover with 1/2 cup water. Cook for 26 minutes and let natural release for 10. Shred chicken and mix everything together- add cheese (lots) to taste and more hot sauce! I like over rice with a side of coleslaw. Not “quick” - but pot does all the work. Left overs are great.
Simple cheese and crackers. Protein and carbs. If you need a vegetable, keep some cleaned radishes (my choice), or celery sticks or carrot sticks.
I always keep at least 5 types of cheese in the fridge. And crackers in the pantry.
It's best to TRY to make make meals when you're okay and save them for when you're not. In a pinch: spaghetti with butter and pepper, raw veggies with cheese, soup, saltines with peanut butter, toasted tomato sandwich. Eggs are healthy and easy when you're feeling that low. If all else fails, Kevin the Manager (#18) has the best idea. No matter what though, remember to stay hydrated.
Cook Rice for 2 days, slice a tomato, or boil some beans. Add a hardboiled egg.
Are the instructions "Cook enough Rice for w days" or cook the rice for two days. Some who don't cook a lot and who think rice is hard, may think you actually need to cook the rice for 48 hours.
Some ground beef mixed with veggies and rice a roni...I mix it together and roll it in a tortilla, add a little Frank's...so good.
Eggs with cheese. Brown butter in a frying pan on high heat, then turn the heat to low. Beat preferred number of eggs in a bowl, with 1 tablespoon of water per egg, salt and pepper to taste, and pour into pan, add a handful of shredded cheese, and either let it sit for omlette, or move it around for a more scrambled-egg result. Don't overcook.
Serve with toast if you want some carbs.
If you have no food-prep energy, buy sugarsnap peas, or baby carrots, or precut veg that you can grab and eat raw. Eat with houmous and crackers for a reasonably healthy no-prep meal.
A banana and a tub of full-fat yogurt. Or a tin of sliced peaches, topped with yogurt, and a handful of cereal.
Couscous. Look for the sachets with seasoning or dehydrated veggies in, that you can just add boiling water to. Dissolve a stock cube in the water before you add the couscous for more flavour.
At my house nothing perks everyone up quicker than the aroma of butter and onions sauteing. You can slice cabbage and onions and keep stirring on low heat until they are semi-transparent. Or stir in some ground meat or vegan "crumbles" with the sliced onions, once onions are soft, add a couple of small cans of tomato soup and a lot of black pepper. Great on egg noodles or corn chips.
I like to keep crackers in the pantry along with a selection of pre-seasoned tuna packets. Thai Chili is my favorite. They are very inexpensive and zero cooking or clean up is needed.
Easy tuna bake. Make up on sachet of instant cheese sauce and mix with a tin of tuna. Make up some instant mashed potato and spread on top. Optionally sprinkle with cheese. Bake until golden at 180c (350f for the Americans).
Plain yogurt. Peeled and diced cucumbers. Garlic salt to taste. Mix well and add sprigs or chopped mint for a refreshing and easy snack.
Microwave frozen dino nuggies. Serve with ketchup.
I like to be a connoisseur of barbecue sauces when I eat dino nuggets.
Cook 1 cup long grain rice. It's super easy. Measure 2 cups of water or stock in a small'ish sauce pan; bring to a boil. Add 1 cup dry rice and gently stir. Once water is boiling again, place a tight lid on the pot, turn the heat to very low, and set a timer for 20 minutes. Or use a rice cooker - these are great!
While rice is cooking, brown 1 lb lean bulk sausage with a small - medium (depends on how much you like onion). As it's cooking, break the larger peices of sausage into small pieces. Drain the oil. The rice should almost be done.
When rice is cooked, add all together and gently "fluff" together - don't stir hard or the rice will get mushy because it breaks into small pieces.
Add a generous sprinkle of Herbs de Provence, and soy sauce. If you have the energy to add a salad, do so.
This is super yummy and very easy.
In the southern US, many stores sell "Mrs McFearnow's Brunswick Stew." It's a little pricy but about as good as homemade. Add a Grilled Cheese sandwich and you have a wonderful, comfort meals.
For those who aren't familiar with Brunswick Stew, its a traditional US Southern hearty stew made with shredded chicken, tomatoes, potatoes, onions, corn, and butter beans (baby lima). Traditionally, it's cooked for hours over a fire, and constantly stirred so it doesn't stick. This also makes the veggies fall apart so it gets very thick. Original recipes call for squirrel and pork as well as BBQ sauce, but I don't have any squirrels in my freezer and I prefer it without pork and the BBQ sauce just makes it weird. If you can't find "Mrs McFearnow's Brunswick Stew" in your local store, it can ordered online.
honestly this is more of a comfort food sort of thing for me, and it might be an acquired taste, but it's pretty easy. get some Ritz crackers, and some braunschweiger (a type of meat that's German I think) and then just cut the braunschweiger into the same size circles as the Ritz crackers, and make it a sandwich.
Take some Yukon gold (or any non russet potato), wash it, put it in the oven at 350 degrees for 90 minutes. Smash it when ready to eat, top with your favorite toppings. Richer taste than Fully baked potatoes, with a nice crispy skin. Make more than you need, fried with onions and peppers the next day, or cold from the refrigerator with butter/margarine.
I tend to put in very little effort when I eat, so asking for meal help is a choice you may have. But other than that, mac and cheese, noodles, etc
Pour some honey-roasted peanuts in a bowl. Top with Sunchips (of the flavor of your choice). Legumes and whole grains!
Avo on toast 4 me w/ salt and pepper🥑🍞🧂 THE BEST!
But, I also like dumplings.
I love love love dumplings. The best part is there are SO MANY DIFFERENT dumplings to choose from. I'm pretty sure every country in the world has their own favorite kind of dumpling, and different regions in each country have their own special kind too. I wish I could do a WORLD DUMPLING TOUR!
Hot plate of baked beans with a huge pile of grated cheese over the top. Get a toasted sandwich maker. Filled with anything (not runny) from a can and good to go. I've put stewed apples into slices of bread and made a very quick dessert. Just remember to butter the outside of the bread🤣
Mango. I buy bags of frozen mango chunks and put one bag in the fridge to thaw. I could eat mango chunks all day everyday <3
What a very thoughtful idea for a post and excellent responses. This is great!
Mango. I buy bags of frozen mango chunks and put one bag in the fridge to thaw. I could eat mango chunks all day everyday <3
What a very thoughtful idea for a post and excellent responses. This is great!
