You know the moment. It’s been a busy day. Your family is asking about dinner, while you’re already thinking about the easiest path that leads to bed. In these moments, it’s easy (very easy) to spin through a drive-through or order overpriced delivery. But there’s an often-overlooked third option that’s just as fast. First, you have to accept that nights like this will happen, and then prepare for them when you shop. By adding convenient items to your shopping cart, you’ll be minutes away from a “fast food” meal made at home.
“Fast Food” Grocery List
“Fast food” made at home uses convenient, already prepared store-bought items such as those below. There are many reasons why this approach is far better than true fast food. Topping the list is control over ingredients (and cost).
- Quick-cooking starches: microwavable grains (brown, Jasmine, Basmati, quinoa), rice blends with added seasoning or beans, frozen “steam in bag” grains, frozen potatoes, thin rice noodles
- Frozen or fresh prepared proteins: breaded chicken, fish nuggets, meatballs, pre-cooked shrimp, falafel, veggie patties (and other vegetarian options), ground chicken or turkey burgers, rotisserie chicken, pre-marinated tofu
- Frozen veggies: stir fry mixes, “steam in bag” veggies, riced cauliflower, frozen potatoes
- Guiding Stars-earning packaged or canned beans and vegetables
- Toppings: shredded cheese, plain/non-fat Greek yogurt, pico de gallo (or salsa), single-serving guacamole, hummus
- Salad kits, pre-washed greens, minimal-prep veggies (grape tomatoes, baby carrots, baby bell peppers, mini cucumbers), packaged pre-washed snow peas
- Tortillas (big and small), tostadas, rolls, flatbreads
- Your favorite flavors: smoked paprika, hot honey, sriracha, chipotle powder, fresh ginger, sauces
Build Bowls, Salads & More
With a little thought and effort, you can recreate the wraps, bowls, fried foods, and other meals you turn to when fast food is calling your name.
“Chipotle-style” bowl: Lay out a “bowl bar” and let your family build their own with the ingredients you have on hand. If time permits, brown very lean ground meat or shred rotisserie chicken and season with a complementary spice blend or sauce.
Grilled sandwich: You don’t need a panini press to make grilled sandwiches that match the ones you order out. Even better, when you make it at home you can level up the nutrition. Use baby spinach, frozen pre-cooked veggies, Guiding Stars-earning meats or vegetarian options, part-skim cheese, and whole grain bread. To “grill,” press the sandwich in a pan (or grill pan) using a heavy pot or skillet.
“Take-out” noodles with tofu: Cook or soak rice noodles according to package directions. Then top with pre-marinated, packaged tofu (warmed), a drizzle of sesame oil, sesame seeds, and steamed snow peas.
Crispy chicken: Easy to recreate at home in the time it takes your air fryer to make frozen chicken tenders nice and crispy. Add French fries and dipping sauce, then pair with prepped veggies for a nutritious, balanced meal. Or top a salad kit with crispy chicken to recreate a dish from your favorite fast casual restaurant.
“Crunchwrap”: Build your own “crunchwrap” using seasoned ground turkey, store-bought tortillas and tostadas, salsa, and shredded cheese. Scoop some meat onto the middle of a tortilla and top with a tostada. Then add toppings and a smaller or cut tortilla (same size as the tostada). Fold the larger tortilla toward the middle, and pan fry with the folded side down.
Have a bit more time? In the same twenty minutes it takes for your order to be ready, you can make these “take-out”-worthy meals:
