Healthy food is one of the most important aspects of health in general. While many people decide to eat healthy food for weight loss reasons, healthy food is important for everyone – it gives you nutrients, strength, and everything your body needs to function well.
However, healthy meals are often thought to be more expensive than fast food, and harder to make. Not everyone has the luxury of having time to cook and prepare healthy meals every single night, so they tend to buy cheap, ready-to-eat foods from stores. But, you don’t have to sacrifice your health and budget for convenience, as there are lots of healthy no-cook meals on a budget, and that’s exactly what I’m sharing in this post.
10 Healthy No-cook Meals On A Budget
Lentil & Chickpea Salad
398 calories
If you’re looking for healthy no-cook meals for weight loss, look no further – this one is amazing! You only need to cook quinoa and lentils, but you can also get pre-cooked ones.
Ingredients
½ cup Quinoa, cooked – 111 calories
¼ cup Beans & legumes, garbanzo beans (chickpeas), cooked – 67 calories
½ cup Lentils, cooked – 115 calories
2 cups Leafy greens, spinach, raw – 14 calories
½ cup Tomatoes, grape – 16 calories
1 Salt, dash – 0 calories
1 Pepper, dash – 0 calories
1 Basil, dash – 0 calories
1 Oregano, dash – 0 calories
1 Tbsp Vinaigrette, regular (more than 50 calories per 2 tbsp) – 75 calories
Instructions
Cook quinoa and lentils as instructed on packages.
Drain and rinse chickpeas.
Combine quinoa, chickpeas, lentils, spinach, and tomatoes (halved).
Mix with dressing and seasonings.
Avocado Salad Lunch
426 calories
Ingredients
½ Avocado, small – 116.5 calories
⅓ cup Cheese, crumbled, feta – 133 calories
2 cups Leafy greens, lettuce, raw – 10 calories
1 Tomato, medium – 22 calories
3 Tbsp Nuts (Tbsp units) – 141 calories
1 Tbsp Red wine vinegar (Tbsp) – 3 calories
1 Garlic salt, dash – 0 calories
Instructions
Cube avocado and chop tomato.
Mix avocado, tomato, feta, lettuce, vinegar, and garlic salt for the salad.
Have nuts on the side – or you could mix them into the salad if you like!
Note: Add chocolate if you want to (track it!) – it’s not included in this recipe.
No nuts? Use seeds. Roasted & salted nuts/ seeds are fine! No dairy? Use extra nuts or crumbled bacon.
Brussels Pomegranate Salad
545 calories
When we’re talking about healthy no-cook meals for college students, this one is one of my favorites. It can easily be made in a dorm, and doesn’t require any special equipment. The only cooking you need to do is sauteing brussels sprouts.
Ingredients
1 Egg, large – 72 calories
1 Serving of crackers, 110 calories per serving – 110 calories
2 cups Leafy greens, spinach, raw – 14 calories
½ cup Pomegranate seeds – 87 calories
¼ cup Cheese, Parmesan, shaved (cups) – 83.25 calories
⅛ cup Almonds – 105 calories
1 Tbsp Vinaigrette, light (less than 50 calories per 2 Tbsp) – 17.5 calories
1 Salt, dash – 0 calories
1 Pepper, dash – 0 calories
1 cup Brussels sprouts, shaved – 56 calories
Instructions
Spray pan with an oil spray.
Cut off rough stem of Brussels and then cut in half (you can also buy pre-shaved Brussels sprouts for this salad if you find it in your store).
Stir fry Brussels sprouts until you see some browning – on medium heat for ~15 minutes.
Let cool in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes.
Mix with the rest of the ingredients and enjoy!
Hard boil eggs, and have crackers on the side.
I’m using fig & olive crackers from Trader Joe’s here – but use any whole grain cracker you can find!
Note: I like Trader Joe’s fat free vinaigrette – but Paul Newman, Whole Foods, etc. all have good light dressings.
Cucumber Goat Cheese & Prosciutto “Lunchable”
418 calories
Ingredients
1 Cucumber, small – 32 calories
2 oz Cheese, goat – 206 calories
2 oz Prosciutto – 120 calories
½ cup Blueberries, fresh – 35 calorie
s½ cup Strawberries, fresh – 25 calories
Instructions
Slice cucumbers into coin shapes.
Chop up strawberries into small pieces.
When ready to eat, top cucumber slices with cheese, prosciutto, and berries.
No prosciutto? Use additional cheese (you can even try cottage cheese instead of goat cheese if that’s what you prefer). No dairy? Use a dairy-free brand or additional prosciutto.
Granola & Fruit Parfait
300 calories
Here’s one no-cook breakfast option that you’ll love.
Ingredients
1 cup Blueberries, fresh – 70 calories
1 Yogurt, plain, Greek, 2%, single-serving container – 110 calories
¼ cup Granola – 120 calories
Instructions
Layer or pile fruit and granola on top of yogurt.
Want a flavored yogurt? Switching out the plain for a flavored yogurt is fine, look for one with <15 gm sugar per serving.
No dairy? Use a dairy-free yogurt. Gluten-free? Use a gluten-free granola.
Note: Brands of granola I like best are Purely Elizabeth Ancient Grain Granola, Bob’s Red Mill varieties, Quaker Simply Granola Oats Honey & Almonds, and Kashi Varieties. But whatever brand you have is fine!
Pesto Chicken Lettuce Wraps
357 calories
Ingredients
4.8 oz Chicken breast, boneless, skinless, raw – 152 calories
1 cup Tomatoes, grape – 32 calories
2 Lettuce leaves for lettuce wraps – 4 calories
1 Tbsp Pesto (Tbsp) – 60 calories
1 Apple, small – 77 calories
1 Cucumber, small – 32 calories
Instructions
Slice chicken into small pieces.
Spray a pan with an oil spray. Stir-fry chicken for ~10 minutes, stirring frequently.
In a bowl, mix chicken, tomatoes, and pesto (alternatively, you can add the tomatoes and the pesto to the pan and heat briefly, if you’d prefer this meal to be hot)
Cut apple immediately before eating if possible, and store pesto chicken and lettuce leaves separately if possible
Protein Powered Lentil Salad and Grapes
471 calories
Ingredients
½ cup Lentils, cooked – 115 calories
½ Cucumber, small – 16 calories
½ Bell pepper, red – 18.5 calories
1 cup Leafy greens, arugula, raw – 5 calories
¼ red onion – 13.75 calories
2 Tbsp Almonds, slivered (Tbsp) – 78 calories
1 Tbsp Olive oil (Tbsp) – 119 calories
0.6 Tbsp Red wine vinegar (Tbsp) – 1.8 calories
1 Salt, dash – 0 calories
1 Pepper, dash – 0 calories
1 cup Grapes, red – 104 calories
Instructions
Cook lentils as instructed in package.
Chop all vegetables (besides arugula) into small pieces.
In a bowl, mix all ingredients (besides grapes).
Have grapes on the side.
Feel free to use any other nut/seed you prefer (roasted & salted are fine!)
Note: there isn’t chocolate in this recipe, but you can add it if you want! Just track it.
Note: 0.67 Tbsp = 2 tsp
Tuna Lettuce Wraps with Peanuts Box
321 calories
Ingredients
2 Lettuce leaves for lettuce wraps – 4 calories
1 Tuna, canned (1 can) – 120 calories
1 Tbsp Mayonnaise (Tbsp) – 97 calories
⅛ cup Nuts – 100 calories
1 Salt, dash – 0 calories
1 Pepper, dash – 0 calories
Instructions
Mix mayo, tuna, salt & pepper together
No nuts? Use seeds.
Tuna with Veggies and Peanut Sauce Box
398 calories
Ingredients
1 Tuna, canned (1 can) – 120 calories
1 Bell pepper, yellow – 50 calories
1 Bell pepper, red – 37 calories
1 cup Leafy greens, kale, raw – 15 calories
2 Tbsp Peanut sauce – 80 calories
⅛ cup Peanuts (cups) – 96 calories
1 Salt, dash – 0 calories
1 Red pepper flakes, dash – 0 calories
Instructions
Chop veggies into small pieces.
Mix all ingredients.
No tuna? Use 2 hard boiled eggs (chop up).
Note: I like Whole Food’s Peanut Sauce best, but any store will have their own version! If you want to make your own (100% not necessary!) here one: minimalistbaker.com/5-ingredient-peanut-sauce/
Vegetarian Greek Salad With Hummus
462 calories
This is one of my favorite no-cook dinners, and it works very well for lunch as well.
Ingredients
3 cups Leafy greens, kale, raw – 45 calories
½ cup Beans & legumes, garbanzo beans (chickpeas), cooked – 134 calories
1 oz Olives, whole – 50 calories
⅓ cup Cheese, crumbled, feta – 133 calories
¼ cup Hummus – 100 calories
1 Garlic salt, dash – 0 calories
1 Tbsp Garlic, minced (Tbsp) – 0 calories
Instructions
Spray a pan with an oil spray, add in minced garlic
Stir-fry kale and garbanzo beans ~5 minutes on medium heat
Add in olives, feta, and seasoning
Have hummus on the side
No dairy? Use extra olives or olive oil
