200 Incredibly Easy and Quick Meal Ideas for When You’re Overwhelmed With Life

Let's talk real talk – life can be a whirlwind sometimes. Between work, family, and just the everyday hustle and bustle, there are moments when cooking dinner feels like a Herculean task. But fear not, because we’ve got your back with 200 incredibly easy meal ideas for when life gets overwhelming. Plus, a simple shopping list so you can stock your fridge and pantry - and a list of all of the items so you can mix and match to create your own simple meal ideas too!

Now, picture this: each meal in this collection is like a culinary superhero, packing in a protein, grain, fruit, and veggie in every bite. And the best part? They require minimal cooking and can be easily swapped out based on what's lurking in your pantry. Yup, we're talking about meals that practically make themselves!

So why is it so darn important to have this list of meals on hand? Well, imagine this scenario: it's been an overwhelming day, you're exhausted, and the last thing you want to do is spend hours slaving over the stove. Having a stash of easy meal ideas means you can breeze through those hectic moments without breaking a sweat. Plus, by stocking your kitchen with the essentials featured in these recipes, you'll always be prepared to whip up a delicious meal, even when life throws you a curveball.

And speaking of curveballs, let's chat about the types of life events that can leave us feeling overwhelmed. Whether it's starting a new job, moving to a new city, or dealing with a family illness, there are times when our plates feel fuller than ever. And that's where the concept of "fed is best" comes into play. It's not about fancy gourmet meals – it's about nourishing your loved ones with simple, satisfying dishes that keep everyone fueled and happy.

See below for everything you need to curate incredibly easy meals for when life gets overwhelming and you just don’t want to adult anymore! Also, check out 10 meals for when you cannot handle cooking anymore!

As a side note: if you are a parent or caregiver, the below meals are more than enough to keep your kids fed. Fed is best isn’t just for babies, it’s for us all. Sometimes in life, we just need to show up, get something on the table, and lie back down, and that’s more than okay.

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Essential food items to keep in the house for creating incredibly easy meals:

🍞 Grains: instant mashed potatoes, rice, pasta, frozen fries, pancakes, waffles, hash browns, tater tots, ramen noodles, oatmeal, orzo, stuffing, cornbread, quinoa, bread, crackers, frozen garlic bread

🍗 Protein: chicken tenders/nuggets, frozen meatballs, chicken sausage, breakfast sausage, eggs, hard boiled eggs, deli meat, tuna, canned chicken, frozen dumplings, frozen pizza

🍎 Fruit: apples, fruit cups, canned oranges, frozen berries, canned pineapple, canned peaches

🥦 Veggies: frozen/canned corn, frozen/canned peas, frozen broccoli, frozen/canned mixed veggies, baby carrots, snap peas, frozen/canned string beans, celery, frozen cauliflower


200 Incredibly Easy and Simply Meal Ideas for When Life is Overwhelming:

1. Instant mashed potatoes + canned corn + chicken tenders + apples

2. Rice + canned peas + frozen meatballs + canned pineapple

3. Pasta + frozen broccoli + chicken sausage + canned peaches

4. Frozen fries + frozen mixed veggies + breakfast sausage + canned oranges

5. Pancakes + frozen string beans + deli meat + frozen berries

6. Waffles + frozen corn + tuna + fruit cups

7. Hash browns + canned peaches + eggs + frozen cauliflower

8. Tater tots + canned pineapple + hard boiled eggs + canned peaches

9. Ramen noodles + baby carrots + frozen meatballs + canned oranges

10. Oatmeal + frozen peas + chicken tenders + apples

11. Orzo + canned corn + deli meat + frozen mixed veggies

12. Stuffing + canned peas + breakfast sausage + canned pineapple

13. Cornbread + frozen broccoli + canned chicken + fruit cups

14. Quinoa + frozen string beans + frozen pizza + frozen berries

15. Bread + frozen corn + chicken nuggets + canned peaches

16. Crackers + canned pineapple + eggs + canned oranges

17. Frozen garlic bread + snap peas + frozen dumplings + apples

18. Instant mashed potatoes + frozen mixed veggies + chicken sausage + canned peaches

19. Rice + frozen peas + frozen pizza + canned oranges

20. Pasta + canned corn + deli meat + canned pineapple

21. Frozen fries + frozen broccoli + hard boiled eggs + frozen berries

22. Pancakes + canned peas + breakfast sausage + apples

23. Waffles + frozen string beans + tuna + canned peaches

24. Hash browns + baby carrots + frozen meatballs + canned oranges

25. Tater tots + frozen corn + chicken nuggets + fruit cups

26. Ramen noodles + frozen mixed veggies + canned chicken + canned pineapple

27. Oatmeal + canned pineapple + chicken tenders + frozen berries

28. Orzo + snap peas + eggs + canned peaches

29. Stuffing + frozen broccoli + deli meat + apples

30. Cornbread + frozen peas + frozen pizza + canned oranges

31. Quinoa + canned corn + frozen dumplings + fruit cups

32. Bread + canned pineapple + chicken sausage + canned peaches

33. Crackers + frozen string beans + frozen meatballs + apples

34. Frozen garlic bread + canned peas + breakfast sausage + frozen berries

35. Instant mashed potatoes + frozen broccoli + frozen pizza + canned oranges

36. Rice + baby carrots + tuna + fruit cups

37. Pasta + canned corn + hard boiled eggs + canned pineapple

38. Frozen fries + snap peas + deli meat + apples

39. Pancakes + frozen mixed veggies + chicken tenders + canned peaches

40. Waffles + frozen peas + canned chicken + canned oranges

41. Hash browns + frozen corn + eggs + frozen berries

42. Tater tots + canned pineapple + frozen meatballs + fruit cups

43. Ramen noodles + frozen string beans + breakfast sausage + apples

44. Oatmeal + frozen broccoli + chicken nuggets + canned peaches

45. Orzo + canned peas + deli meat + canned oranges

46. Stuffing + baby carrots + frozen dumplings + canned pineapple

47. Cornbread + snap peas + frozen pizza + canned peaches

48. Quinoa + canned corn + tuna + frozen berries

49. Bread + frozen mixed veggies + chicken sausage + apples

50. Crackers + frozen peas + canned chicken + fruit cups

51. Frozen garlic bread + canned pineapple + breakfast sausage + canned oranges

52. Instant mashed potatoes + snap peas + hard boiled eggs + frozen meatballs

53. Rice + frozen string beans + chicken nuggets + apples

54. Pasta + frozen broccoli + canned chicken + canned peaches

55. Frozen fries + canned corn + deli meat + frozen berries

56. Pancakes + frozen peas + frozen pizza + canned oranges

57. Waffles + baby carrots + tuna + apples

58. Hash browns + canned pineapple + breakfast sausage + canned peaches

59. Tater tots + snap peas + chicken tenders + frozen berries

60. Ramen noodles + canned peas + frozen dumplings + fruit cups

61. Oatmeal + frozen corn + deli meat + apples

62. Orzo + frozen mixed veggies + eggs + canned oranges

63. Stuffing + frozen string beans + chicken nuggets + canned pineapple

64. Cornbread + canned peas + frozen meatballs + canned peaches

65. Quinoa + snap peas + frozen pizza + apples

66. Bread + baby carrots + canned chicken + frozen berries

67. Crackers + canned corn + breakfast sausage + canned oranges

68. Frozen garlic bread + frozen broccoli + tuna + fruit cups

69. Instant mashed potatoes + canned pineapple + canned chicken + canned oranges

70. Rice + snap peas + frozen meatballs + apples

71. Pasta + canned corn + frozen pizza + canned peaches

72. Frozen fries + baby carrots + deli meat + frozen berries

73. Pancakes + canned peas + chicken tenders + canned pineapple

74. Waffles + frozen string beans + breakfast sausage + apples

75. Hash browns + frozen mixed veggies + eggs + canned oranges

76. Tater tots + snap peas + chicken nuggets + fruit cups

77. Ramen noodles + frozen broccoli + tuna + canned peaches

78. Oatmeal + canned corn + frozen dumplings + frozen berries

79. Orzo + baby carrots + frozen pizza + apples

80. Stuffing + canned pineapple + frozen meatballs + canned oranges

81. Cornbread + frozen peas + canned chicken + fruit cups

82. Quinoa + canned corn + deli meat + canned peaches

83. Bread + snap peas + chicken tenders + frozen berries

84. Crackers + frozen mixed veggies + breakfast sausage + apples

85. Frozen garlic bread + canned peas + chicken nuggets + canned pineapple

86. Instant mashed potatoes + baby carrots + eggs + apples

87. Rice + canned pineapple + frozen dumplings + canned oranges

88. Pasta + snap peas + frozen meatballs + canned peaches

89. Frozen fries + frozen string beans + tuna + fruit cups

90. Pancakes + canned corn + breakfast sausage + frozen berries

91. Waffles + frozen broccoli + deli meat + canned oranges

92. Hash browns + frozen mixed veggies + chicken tenders + apples

93. Tater tots + baby carrots + canned chicken + canned peaches

94. Ramen noodles + snap peas + chicken nuggets + canned pineapple

95. Oatmeal + canned peas + frozen pizza + frozen berries

96. Orzo + frozen string beans + tuna + fruit cups

97. Stuffing + frozen corn + deli meat + apples

98. Cornbread + canned pineapple + breakfast sausage + canned oranges

99. Quinoa + frozen peas + eggs + canned peaches

100. Bread + canned corn + frozen meatballs + apples

101. Crackers + snap peas + chicken nuggets + canned oranges

102. Frozen garlic bread + baby carrots + frozen dumplings + frozen berries

103. Instant mashed potatoes + frozen broccoli + breakfast sausage + canned peaches

104. Rice + canned peas + deli meat + fruit cups

105. Pasta + frozen corn + tuna + canned pineapple

106. Frozen fries + canned pineapple + chicken tenders + canned oranges

107. Pancakes + frozen string beans + frozen meatballs + apples

108. Waffles + snap peas + canned chicken + canned peaches

109. Hash browns + frozen mixed veggies + chicken nuggets + canned oranges

110. Tater tots + canned corn + eggs + frozen berries

111. Ramen noodles + baby carrots + frozen pizza + apples

112. Oatmeal + snap peas + deli meat + canned pineapple

113. Orzo + frozen peas + breakfast sausage + canned oranges

114. Stuffing + frozen string beans + tuna + canned peaches

115. Cornbread + canned peas + frozen dumplings + fruit cups

116. Quinoa + baby carrots + chicken tenders + canned pineapple

117. Bread + frozen mixed veggies + frozen meatballs + canned oranges

118. Crackers + canned corn + canned chicken + apples

119. Frozen garlic bread + snap peas + breakfast sausage + canned peaches

120. Instant mashed potatoes + frozen peas + deli meat + frozen berries

121. Rice + frozen broccoli + chicken nuggets + canned oranges

122. Pasta + baby carrots + frozen pizza + canned peaches

123. Frozen fries + canned pineapple + tuna + apples

124. Pancakes + canned peas + frozen meatballs + canned oranges

125. Waffles + frozen string beans + eggs + fruit cups

126. Hash browns + snap peas + breakfast sausage + canned pineapple

127. Tater tots + canned corn + deli meat + frozen berries

128. Ramen noodles + frozen mixed veggies + chicken tenders + apples

129. Oatmeal + baby carrots + canned chicken + canned peaches

130. Orzo + frozen peas + tuna + canned oranges

131. Stuffing + frozen string beans + chicken nuggets + frozen berries

132. Cornbread + snap peas + frozen dumplings + canned pineapple

133. Quinoa + canned peas + breakfast sausage + apples

134. Bread + frozen mixed veggies + deli meat + canned oranges

135. Crackers + baby carrots + frozen meatballs + canned peaches

136. Frozen garlic bread + canned corn + eggs + fruit cups

137. Instant mashed potatoes + snap peas + frozen pizza + canned oranges

138. Rice + canned pineapple + chicken tenders + apples

139. Pasta + frozen string beans + tuna + canned peaches

140. Frozen fries + baby carrots + breakfast sausage + frozen berries

141. Pancakes + frozen peas + deli meat + canned pineapple

142. Waffles + canned peas + frozen meatballs + canned oranges

143. Hash browns + frozen broccoli + eggs + fruit cups

144. Tater tots + snap peas + chicken nuggets + apples

145. Ramen noodles + canned corn + frozen dumplings + canned peaches

146. Oatmeal + frozen mixed veggies + breakfast sausage + canned oranges

147. Orzo + baby carrots + canned chicken + frozen berries

148. Stuffing + snap peas + chicken tenders + canned pineapple

149. Cornbread + canned peas + deli meat + apples

150. Quinoa + frozen string beans + frozen pizza + canned oranges

151. Bread + frozen broccoli + frozen meatballs + canned peaches

152. Crackers + canned pineapple + tuna + fruit cups

153. Frozen garlic bread + baby carrots + chicken nuggets + canned oranges

154. Instant mashed potatoes + canned corn + deli meat + frozen berries

155. Rice + frozen string beans + frozen pizza + apples

156. Pasta + snap peas + breakfast sausage + canned pineapple

157. Frozen fries + canned peas + chicken tenders + fruit cups

158. Pancakes + canned corn + eggs + canned peaches

159. Waffles + frozen mixed veggies + frozen meatballs + canned oranges

160. Hash browns + snap peas + tuna + apples

161. Tater tots + baby carrots + deli meat + canned pineapple

162. Ramen noodles + frozen broccoli + chicken nuggets + canned peaches

163. Oatmeal + canned peas + breakfast sausage + frozen berries

164. Orzo + frozen peas + canned chicken + fruit cups

165. Stuffing + frozen string beans + frozen pizza + apples

166. Cornbread + snap peas + frozen dumplings + canned oranges

167. Quinoa + canned peas + tuna + canned pineapple

168

. Bread + frozen broccoli + deli meat + canned peaches

169. Crackers + baby carrots + chicken tenders + apples

170. Frozen garlic bread + canned corn + frozen meatballs + canned oranges

171. Instant mashed potatoes + snap peas + eggs + canned pineapple

172. Rice + canned pineapple + breakfast sausage + fruit cups

173. Pasta + baby carrots + chicken nuggets + canned oranges

174. Frozen fries + frozen mixed veggies + deli meat + apples

175. Pancakes + snap peas + tuna + canned peaches

176. Waffles + canned peas + breakfast sausage + canned oranges

177. Hash browns + frozen string beans + frozen pizza + canned pineapple

178. Tater tots + frozen broccoli + canned chicken + frozen berries

179. Ramen noodles + baby carrots + chicken tenders + canned peaches

180. Oatmeal + snap peas + frozen meatballs + apples

181. Orzo + canned peas + deli meat + canned oranges

182. Stuffing + frozen corn + eggs + fruit cups

183. Cornbread + canned pineapple + breakfast sausage + apples

184. Quinoa + snap peas + tuna + canned peaches

185. Bread + canned peas + frozen pizza + canned oranges

186. Crackers + frozen mixed veggies + chicken nuggets + canned pineapple

187. Frozen garlic bread + baby carrots + deli meat + frozen berries

188. Instant mashed potatoes + frozen broccoli + tuna + apples

189. Rice + snap peas + breakfast sausage + canned peaches

190. Pasta + canned peas + frozen meatballs + canned oranges

191. Frozen fries + baby carrots + chicken tenders + canned pineapple

192. Pancakes + frozen string beans + deli meat + fruit cups

193. Waffles + canned corn + eggs + apples

194. Hash browns + snap peas + frozen dumplings + canned peaches

195. Tater tots + frozen mixed veggies + breakfast sausage + canned oranges

196. Ramen noodles + canned pineapple + frozen pizza + frozen berries

197. Oatmeal + baby carrots + deli meat + canned oranges

198. Orzo + frozen peas + chicken nuggets + canned pineapple

199. Stuffing + snap peas + eggs + canned peaches

200. Cornbread + canned peas + tuna + apples

These combinations should offer a variety of tasty meals to enjoy! Let me know if you need further assistance!

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