10 Low Effort Dinner Ideas When You Don’t Want to Cook

   There are some nights when dinner feels like one more thing on an already endless list. You’re hungry, your family is hungry, but the thought of spending an hour in the kitchen doesn't sound very appealing, and you're trying your hardest not to order in. That’s when having a few easy to make, comfort meals on hand, is always a good idea!

Here are 10 low effort dinner ideas (including a few favorites from my own kitchen!) for those nights when you just don’t want to cook.

1. Tortilla Pockets

   These little pockets are one of my favorite ways to turn simple ingredients into something fun. Grab tortillas, fill them with whatever you have available, and crisp them up for an easy handheld dinner. My favorite filling  for these pockets, is ground beef, salsa, rice, and cheese, but you can mix them up with any kind of ingredients you have on hand. Chicken, beans, taco leftovers, or even pizza fillings...you can mix and match to make it your own. To make it even more simple, don't have the pockets...just have a taco bar! 

2. Mexican Baked Eggs

   Breakfast for dinner is always a win, and this recipe is basically comfort food in a skillet. With eggs, cheese, beans, tomatoes, peppers, and seasonings, this meal is hearty enough for dinner but still easy enough for a night when motivation is low.

3. Easy Pizza Casserole

Pizza night without the hassle of making actual pizza dough? Yes please. This casserole gives you those pizza flavors with a simple batter base, sauce, cheese, and your favorite toppings. It’s the perfect “I don’t know what to make” dinner, and it can all be thrown together within minutes!

4. Stove Top Stuffing Breaded Pork Chops

   Sometimes the easiest dinners come from simple ideas. If you have a box of stuffing and pork chops on hand (or you could use chicken instead), you can make these delicious and juicy chops in the oven. It's simple, you don't have to think about it, and it all comes together into a tasty meal once you add easy sides. 

5. Loaded Baked Potatoes

A baked potato is basically a blank canvas. You can go the easy route by popping the number of potatoes you need, into the microwave and cooking them til soft. While the potatoes cook, pull out as many toppings and set out via buffet style. Every body gets a potato and they can choose their own toppings, going down the "buffet line" to complete their meal. Some topping ideas are: Chili - Onions - Cheese - Tomatoes - Sour cream - Beans - Bacon - Salsa Corn - Broccoli - Salad - Leftover meat - Cottage Cheese. Minimal effort, maximum comfort, and there you have a delicious Baked Potato Bar.

6. Sandwiches + Side

   Sometimes there's nothing like a good old fashion sandwich and side meal. Whether your sandwich is a grilled cheese, a homemade sub, meatball sando, or just a peanut butter and jelly... and you have an easy side of fruit or veggies, chips or crackers, soup or salad... sometimes you just make it work, especially on a hot summer day!

7. Snack Plate Dinner

   Think Lunchable...but it's homemade. You can throw together a quick charcuterie board with all your pantry and fridge snacks! Crackers, Cheese, Fruit, Veggies, Dip, whatever you can find to add to this set, try to reach for equal parts nutrition and yum-munition. 

8. Breakfast Night

   Eggs, waffles, pancakes, toast, whatever you have on hand. This is probably my favorite low effort dinner. Breakfast an the evening just hits differently. A bit of scrambled eggs, a side of bacon, and a stack of waffles or pancakes is so comforting and a perfect way to enjoy an easy meal.

9. Pasta Night With a Shortcut

   Pasta is the ultimate “I don’t feel like cooking” meal. Did you know you could make a pasta dish by literally dumping all the ingredients into a casserole dish, mixing together, and baking in the oven with a sheet of foil over the top? It's the ultimate go to for easy comfort. All you need is your choice of jarred pasta sauce, pasta, and whatever you want to add into it. You could do vegetables, meat, cheese, ect. mix it all in a pan, adding a little extra liquid to allow everything to be covered, and bake at 450 degrees for about an hour. Remove the foil for the last little bit so the extra liquid can cook out if needed, and the cheese can toast.

10. Leftover “Kitchen Sink” Casserole

   Some of the best meals happen when you stop trying to follow a recipe. If you already have a bunch of leftovers on hand, you can find a way throw it all together and make a meal of it. Sometimes these are the best tasting dinners! I do this a lot, and once made a surprisingly good cornbread pasta casserole this way! Simple and hearty!

I hope out of this fun little list, you can have an easier time making simple dinners! I would love to know, in the comments below, what your favorite low effort dinner is!

The Cloth Option’s Free Cloth Diaper Distribution Program

 

   Did you know, that if you are the caregiver of a young child and are struggling to pay for single-use diapers, there is a company called The Cloth Option, and they encourage people to apply to their program to try their reusable diapers! This is an amazing way to help each other out when you have little ones that need diapering. Continue reading for info taken from their site and shared below:

How does it work?

   The Cloth Option’s free cloth diaper distribution program is available to qualifying families who complete the TCO application online or in person. Our program is available within the United States, U.S. Territories, and to U.S. Military families stationed abroad. We help families who are experiencing diaper need to switch to reusable diapers, by providing an initial loaned supply of cloth diapers.

   Newborn diapers are distributed as a loan and must be returned to the program before the next size up can be provided. Loans of larger sizes may be kept for as long as your family needs them, and then returned back to TCO.

   Once you are able to build your own stash of cloth diapers, return the TCO diapers so that they can be provided to another family in need. This helps ensure that we can continue to expand the TCO network and help other families experiencing diaper need.

   If you are already cloth diapering and have enough diapers to use cloth full time with daily washing, we are glad to provide you with support on your cloth diaper journey in the form of information and advice. Children who are three years old are approved only with accompanying documentation of medical needs resulting in extended diapering.

How many cloth diapers do I get?

   Approved families receive a starting cloth diaper stash. Newborns receive 20 cloth diaper changes, infants 15 changes, and potty training toddlers 10 changes. This is enough diapers to use cloth full time with daily washing. Cloth diapers distributed through this program may be new or gently used, and we work to include a variety of styles so that you can try them and see what works for you. We also try to provide a supply that works best based on your access to a washing machine.

How do I get the diapers?

   If there is a TCO advocate nearby, they will contact you to schedule a time to give the diapers to you once you complete the application process. If you don’t live near a local TCO advocate, we will ship the diapers to you. You may apply online, or if there is a TCO advocate nearby, you may be able to apply directly with them.

   Visit The Cloth Diaper.org to see what kind of documents are needed to apply, and to gather more information to be a part of this journey. Make sure you spread the word for other parents and caregivers so they can join if interested too!

Designing a DIY Faux Corkboard from Supplies You Have on Hand

   Have you ever needed a corkboard but didn't want to spend money on one? That's exactly where I found myself. I wanted a place to pin photos, reminders, and little notes, but I also wanted to save money and see If I could make one using materials I already had around the house.

   With just a few simple supplies, I created a faux corkboard that actually works! I started with a thick piece of cardboard that was large enough for the bulletin board I wanted. If your cardboard is thin, you can glue two pieces together for extra strength.

   Instead of buying cork, I reused an old Five Below cloth shopping bag to cover the cardboard with. I tore the seams of the bag and cut it to the size/shape I needed. Then I spread a healthy layer of fabric glue across the cardboard and carefully smoothed the cloth over the top and edges. I reinforced some spots with hot glue, and then once the front was dry, I taped up the back for extra stability. Since the back isn't seen, I didn't worry too much about aesthetics here. 

   I also added a little bit of white paint (well actually it was whiteout - using what I have on hand here haha) to the cloth, to give it a streaky artistic look. Once everything was dry, I added a little twine loop on the back, to hang it on the wall. Once I got it on the wall, I decided I needed something else to hang it with, because the twine hook made the board fall forward. I then used binder clips on the top corners, so I could hang the board with tacks. I actually like how this looks better! 

   Once the board was complete, I tested it with regular pushpins, and thankfully they pushed through the cloth and cardboard! Otherwise I would be having a "Let Go & Have Fun" piece of art on the wall instead! The tacks went through easily, and they work perfectly to hold lightweight items. I like to hang up different things like stickers, important reminders, quotes, ect.

   One of my favorite things about this project is that it cost me almost nothing. Instead of throwing away a shopping bag and a piece of cardboard, they became something useful for my home. It's a great reminder that you don't always need expensive craft supplies to create something functional. Sometimes the best DIY projects start with items headed for the recycling bin.

   I love finding simple ways to reuse everyday materials, and this faux corkboard turned out better than I expected. It's functional, easy to make, and gives discarded materials a second life. 

If you have cardboard, glue, and an old cloth or shopping bag lying around, you already have most of what you need to create your own DIY bulletin board! I would love to know if you've made one before or if you plan to make one soon!

Have you ever made something useful from items you were about to throw away? I'd love to hear about it in the comments!

The Return of Cereal Box Toys Is Pure Nostalgia

    

Okay, I LOVE that cereals are bringing back toys in the box! I recently opened a box of Kellogg's Frosted Flakes and found a Toy Story Woody spoon tucked inside. How fun is that?!

   Now, I have to admit... the spoon is ridiculously tiny and would probably disappear into a bowl of cereal after two bites. 😂 It's definitely more of a novelty than something you'd actually use every morning. But you know, that's not the point.

The best part is the surprise.

There's just something so fun about opening a brand new cereal box and wondering if there's a prize inside. As a kid, that was almost as exciting as eating the cereal itself! I remember carefully digging through the box, hoping to find the toy before anyone else did. Sometimes it was a little game, sometimes stickers, sometimes a tiny collectible, whatever it was, it made breakfast feel extra special.

   I know companies eventually stopped including prizes in most cereal boxes, probably because of costs and changing trends, but I really miss that little bit of magic. In a world where so many things are digital, there's something special about getting a simple, physical surprise that makes you smile.

   Finding this little Woody spoon brought back so many happy memories from the '90s. It reminded me that joy doesn't have to come from expensive things. Sometimes it's something as silly as discovering a tiny plastic spoon hiding inside your cereal box.

   I'll forever be a kid at heart, and I genuinely hope more cereal brands start bringing back toys and prizes. It may seem like a small thing, but little surprises like these make ordinary mornings a little more fun!

   What was your favorite cereal box prize growing up? 

Join the Arrae Insiders: Free Chic, Science-Backed Wellness

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• Support for strength, calm, metabolism, protein, or daily wellness routines
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We are looking for people who:

• Care about clean, thoughtfully formulated wellness products
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Removing Stress From Your Life Through Food

Pic Source - CC0 License

Stress can be an absolute nightmare, and it’s down to you to find the things that really help eliminate it from your life. We can suggest things like getting more sleep, and finding more balance in your life, but the truth is that for some people this feels impossible. So, today, we’re going to be looking at an alternative solution that works for some - food. 

Now, we don’t mean that eating excessive amounts of food is going to cure your stress, because it isn’t, but we are going to be looking at how you can use food to give it a shot. Want to know more? Let’s get into it.

Take Up Baking

You can start by taking up baking, cooking, or something like this. A lot of people find that they feel calmer when they are doing either of these hobbies, as long as they are doing it because they want to, and not because they feel they have to.

You might think that a cooking hobby isn’t for you because when the time comes for you to cook dinner each day, you don’t want to. That’s normal, and that’s because it’s something you have to do, not something you’re looking forward to doing.

If you cook as a hobby, it’s completely different, and you might just find yourself in the zone.

Gummies And Other Products 

Another thing that you can try is gummies and other products that have been created to help people chill out. For example, there are certain ingredients, particularly infused with tea, that have been known to help melt stress away in some people. Of course this doesn’t work for everyone, so you are going to need to think about this carefully, try out different things until you find something that works for you.

If you’re okay with it, you can even try options like delta 8 gummies as these can be fantastic choices for those who want to relax, but are funny with flavors. 

Chocolate 

Finally, did you know that chocolate does actually have stress relieving properties? It contains a hormone that helps you to feel better, and releases when you eat it. That’s why people find themselves craving chocolate when they are stressed, sad, or when they need a pick me up.

Of course, you can’t just spend your whole life eating chocolate though. We recommend buying some high-quality dark chocolate if you’re being health conscious, or any other chocolate if not, but keeping it to moderation. It’s okay to eat these sweet treats, you just have to make sure you’re not going overboard and damaging your health in the process.

We hope that you have found this article helpful, and now see some of the things that you can try to remove stress from your life through food. It doesn’t have to be complicated, you just have to give it a go, and see what works for you. Take your time, you don’t have to rush through this.