Quick easy meals Ngā kai tere ngāwari mā ngā pēperekōu

There may be times when you do not feel like cooking, especially if you are not feeling well or you live alone. Find suggestions for nutritious, inexpensive meals that are quick and easy to prepare.

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Lunch or dinner ideas

  • Canned baked beans, creamed corn or spaghetti on toast. Top with grated cheese.

  • Canned sardines, tuna or salmon on toast served with fresh or tinned tomatoes.

  • Crumbed fish with tartare or tomato sauce. Serve with a salad and a bread roll.

  • Canned soup (such as chicken or tomato) made with milk. Add some quick-cook vegetables such as baby spinach, frozen peas, chopped spring onion or celery. Have it with toast or a bread roll. You can also get ready-to-heat soups in the fridge section at the supermarket.

  • 2-minute noodles with peas, sliced mushrooms or sliced red or green pepper. Add diced cold meat or tuna or a hard-boiled egg.

  • Cooked chicken from the supermarket. Serve with a frozen vegetable mix and oven wedges.

  • Takeaway or supermarket pizza served with salad, coleslaw or cooked vegetables.

  • A fruit smoothie made with milk, yoghurt and frozen fruit such as bananas, berries or mango. Serve with a sandwich.

  • Burritos or tacos filled with canned chilli beans, your favourite salad ingredients and grated cheese.

  • Dried pasta or fresh filled pasta (such as ravioli or tortellini) with a stir-through pasta sauce and grated cheese. Serve with a salad. You can freeze left-over fresh, uncooked pasta in single serves. It can be cooked from frozen.

  • Canned fish such as salmon or tuna, or a boiled egg served with salad and a fresh bread roll.

  • Scrambled or poached eggs on toast or an omelette with a side of your favourite vegetables such as tomatoes, mushrooms or spinach, and grated cheese.

  • Mini-pizza and salad. You can make your own pizza by spreading a pita bread with tomato paste and topping with grated cheese. Add add chilli beans or shredded chicken, strips of red or green pepper or pineapple pieces. Bake in a hot oven for 10 minutes.

Dessert

  • Fresh, stewed, frozen or canned fruit with yoghurt makes a healthy and tasty dessert. Or enjoy a piece of fruit on its own.

  • Cake and most types of ice cream are high in fat and sugar. They are best kept as occasional treats.