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Preparing and cooking meals at home can add up to a lot of time spent in the kitchen, especially if you’re trying to eat healthy, real food. These essential real food shortcuts will help you save your precious time and sanity!

Let’s be honest. We all have days when we don’t want to prep dinner. Or even cook dinner.

But when you’ve committed to (as much as possible) limit processed foods and instead cook real food, the tasks of making your own bread, chicken broth, or pasta sauce can quickly become overwhelming, especially on top of your everyday responsibilities, such as caring for your family, working, and even giving yourself sufficient time to rest.

After our family moved for the third time in seven years, I ended up in a bit of a funk, where I just became tired of cooking! As much as I usually love to cook, moving homes is always an adjustment, and causes me to put my lazy hat on—I break out the paper plates, start using up freezer meals I’ve prepared for times like these, buy certain “cheat” items at the store that I’d normally make at home from scratch—and I don’t let myself feel bad about it! After a week or two, I usually break out of my funk and am ready to resume kitchen responsibilities.

Because I know we all face transitions like this, I’ve put together a handful of real food shortcuts for the days/months when:

• You’re burnt out from the preparations “required” (or so we think) for maintaining real food eating habits.
• You’re going through a busy season, such as adding a new member to your family, caring for aging parents, etc.
• You’re planning to travel, move, renovate, or otherwise be without most of your usual cooking tools.
• Any other time you deem necessary!

Real Food Shortcuts To Use When You Don’t Feel Like Cooking

1.  Buy vs. Make

Choose to cheat a little by swapping homemade products for the equivalent from the store instead. Even if one item is easy to make, the time it takes to make several homemade items will begin to add up! Many real food “shortcut” ingredients are readily available at mainstream grocery stores. These may include plain yogurt (vs. homemade yogurt), organic applesauce (vs. homemade applesauce), chicken broth (vs. homemade chicken broth), canned beans (vs. soaking dried beans), and organic boxed mac and cheese (vs. homemade mac and cheese—one of my all-time favorites!).

2.  Embrace “Brinner”

“Brinner,” aka Breakfast for Dinner, is essential in our home. At least once a week, I’ll cook a few eggs or stir together a batch of whole wheat pancakes (with 2-ingredient fruit sauce, if the family is lucky!), and just like that…dinner is served! A few basic pantry/fridge staples that we always have on hand just saved us from ordering takeout or hitting the drive-thru.

3.  Stock Up on Frozen Fruits and Veggies

For a super simple, no-cook meal, just make a smoothie! Pack your favorite combination of frozen fruits into a blender with a splash of milk, fresh fruit juice, or yogurt (don’t forget to sneak in a few veggies!), and you’ve got a tasty treat in less than five minutes! To ensure your smoothie is filling enough to hold you over until your next meal, pack it with protein using hearty add-ins like ground flaxseed, chia seeds, and/or protein powder.

4.  Try a Snacky Meal

If you really don’t want to cook, or if you have limited access to your usual cooking appliances, go the ultimate easy route and put together a “snacky” meal! Cubed cheese and crackers, raw veggies with dip, fresh or dried fruit, nuts, tortilla chips with salsa, lunchmeat roll-ups (or in a wrap), PB&J sandwiches, etc. are all quick items to throw together on a plate and serve immediately.

Regardless of your current situation, we all go through days (or seasons) of needing a little extra grace with mealtimes. Trying one (or more) of these real food shortcuts could help to save your sanity and give you a break until you’re able to resume your regular routine!