Americans dine out 5.9 times a week. It’s easy to forget how much money you spend eating out every day. You don’t have to spend a fortune to prepare a delicious and affordable meal.
There are various easy meals to cook at home. You can create a culinary masterpiece without breaking the bank. Continue reading to learn some easy meal ideas.
What Is Meal Prep?
Meal preparation refers to the practice of preparing whole meals or dishes ahead of time. It is especially popular with busy individuals. Pre-prepared meals help you control portion sizes and meet your dietary objectives.
Make sure you don’t shove the leftover meals down the drain. This can destroy your garbage disposal. If that happens, get service for your disposal so that you can enjoy your meal prep.
What Are Some Easy Meals To Cook?
The most challenging part about cooking is running out of ideas. Fortunately, there are a lot of easy meals to make. Here are some easy meal prep ideas that will leave you craving for more:
Ramen With Bacon and Egg
Add the ramen seasoning package and a spoonful of butter to a saucepan with 2 cups of boiling water. Stir until the butter melts, then add the ramen noodle and simmer for 2 minutes. Season the ramen with salt and pepper and top with the fried egg, bacon, and scallions.
Pesto Chicken & Veggies
Heat olive oil in a large skillet and add chicken thighs. Season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Remove the chicken from the pan when it is fully cooked.
Prepare by slicing the chicken into strips. Cook until the green beans are crisp and tender. Return the chicken strips to the pan with the green beans, and season with salt, pepper, and pesto.
Salmon Glazed With Honey and Garlic
Whisk the honey, lemon juice, and soy sauce in a medium bowl. Heat two tablespoons of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Season salmon skin-side up with salt and pepper after the oil is heated.
Cook the salmon until it is a golden color, then turn over. Cook the garlic in the skillet for 1 minute, and stir in the honey mixture and sliced lemons
Classic Shrimp Scampi
Bring a big bowl of water to a boil. Cook the linguine according to the package directions. Season the shrimp with salt and cook on a large pan over medium-high heat with olive oil.
Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and sauté for 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until the garlic is slightly golden. Cook until the shrimp are pink, then transfer to a serving dish. Simmer the wine and lemon juice in the skillet for 2 minutes, and return the shrimp, along with:
- Linguine
- Butter
- 1/2 cup of the saved cooking water
Cook and seasoned with salt and pepper to taste; toss in the parsley, and serve with slices of lemon.
Thai Fried Rice
Combine the chilis and fish sauce in a small bowl. Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper. Cook the chicken on the skillet, and remove it from the pan and keep it warm on a platter.
Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a pan over medium-high heat, and cook these ingredients together:
- Garlic
- Green onions
- Ginger
- Rice
- Three tablespoons of fish sauce mixture
- Oyster sauce
Once complete, pour the cooked ingredients into a bowl and serve.
We hope you enjoy these easy meals for dinner!
Final Tips on Cooking a Meal at Home
There are a lot of easy meals to cook. But the hard part is cleaning after you eat. The most common mistake people make is shoving the leftovers and hard items down the drain. This can destroy the garbage disposal.
If you experience a dysfunctional garbage disposal, make sure to call a professional. You don’t want to deal with it on your own!
For more great household tips check out our blog.
