For those cooking and making meals on a budget this summer, these no-cook meal tips and tricks can be really helpful in beating the heat while making delicious, healthy meals for your family.
Tip 1 – Rotisserie chicken is great in a pinch, but beware of the sodium content!
According to livestrong.com, “Three ounces of rotisserie breast meat contains 279 milligrams of sodium, which is 19% of the 1,500-milligram daily limit recommended by the AHA. A 3-ounce portion of rotisserie thigh meat contains 318 milligrams of sodium. Because of this high sodium content, limit how much rotisserie chicken you consume.”
Tip 2 – Try to stock up on other already cooked protein options.
Items like canned chicken, tuna, and salmon can help eliminate the need to cook while providing good protein options.
Make sure to look for canned protein items that:
- Are in water, not oil
- Do not have a lot of fillers
- The protein is the first ingredient
- Have a low sodium content
Tip 3 – Try to stock up on other canned legume protein options.
Legumes can provide healthy carbs and proteins and can be a substitute for meat for vegetarian options. Some common choices include black beans, kidney beans, garbanzo beans or chickpeas, and pinto beans. Try to look for these canned legumes that have no salt added. If your beans do have added salt, make sure to rinse them before using to reduce sodium content!
Tip 4 – Canned vegetable items are good to make a quick salad in a pinch!
You can use items like canned spinach, corn, peas, carrots, and green beans in place of fresh vegetables that may need to be cooked. These can also sometimes be cheaper alternatives to fresh produce, when necessary. Try to look for these canned items that have no salt added. If your vegetables do have added salt, make sure to rinse them before using to reduce sodium content! Try mixing canned vegetables with a canned protein to create an easy and nutritious salad like this one: https://www.self.com/recipe/healthier-tuna-salad-avocado-boat
Tip 5 – Take advantage of the fact that most vegetables taste great raw!
Instead of cooking your vegetables, opt for recipes and meals that use raw vegetables! For instance, raw zucchini or asparagus might not be an obvious a choice, but both are great when you use a vegetable peeler or a mandolin to shave them really thin! Try this Zucchini And Fresh Corn Farmers’ Market Salad With Lemon-Basil Vinaigrette: https://www.foodiecrush.com/zucchini-and-fresh-corn-salad/. Or try this Marinated Vegetable Salad with tons of great raw vegetables: https://iowagirleats.com/2016/07/01/marinated-vegetable-salad/.
Tip 6 – If you do decide to cook one thing, make it a big batch of healthy grains!
Brown rice, quinoa, or farro make for great additions to raw veggie and chicken salads! This is another way to add some healthy protein without cooking meat. Take a look at these photos for some tips from the Oldways Whole Grain Council!
Tip 7 – Another great no cook meal option are sandwiches!
Buy the best bread you can to increase your nutrient consumption. Try breads like:
- Sprouted whole grain
- 100% whole wheat
- Oat bread
Make sure you know what most of the ingredients are when choosing what bread to buy. Freshly baked bread is usually healthier than packaged bread and made with less ingredients and preservatives.
Tip 8 – Use Greek yogurt or cottage cheese as a healthy no-cook breakfast!
Greek yogurt and cottage cheese are high in protein and absolutely delicious when sweetened naturally with fruit or honey! Try this Greek yogurt overnight oats recipe: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/244251/no-cook-overnight-oatmeal/. And here are some ideas for some great cottage cheese breakfasts: https://www.fourgenerationsoneroof.com/5-minute-best-breakfast-cottage-cheese-idea/.
Try these no-cook tips for yourself, and check out our additional no-cook recipes!
This content was presented by Arielle Kroser, Program Assistant for the JFCS Squirrel Hill Food Pantry, as part of the Virtual Senior Academy classes.