I sometimes open the cabinet in hopes that something will have changed since last time, but that never seems to happen. The worst of these was a night when all I had was a half-empty thing of taco seasoning and an unboxed loose lasagna noodle.
I don’t even know where the rest of the box went. I still made dinner, just not with either of those, and this illustrates the point in this whole list, that the cabinet is usually the least feasible place to look. The fridge door has more going on than people give it credit for, same with the freezer, and there’s always whatever you can grab on the way home.
A heads up, though, some of these do assume you’ve got salt and maybe a squeeze bottle of something in the fridge. If you are truly down to one egg, I have a couple of ideas for that, too, near the bottom.
Contents
- Quesadillas</
- 1) Egg And Cheese Q
- 2) Rotisserie Chicken Salad
- 3) Cabbage And Sausage Skillet
- 4) Fried Rice
- 5) Loaded Baked Potatoes
- 6) Tuna Melts
- 7) Tortellini Soup
- 8) Eggs And Greens Toast
- 9) Snack Board Dinner
- Ground Meat Skillet Tonight’s dinner is I can’t think, but I can stir. Cynthia Roy: Brown ground meat, throw in some frozen veggies, and season with whatever is lying around like taco seasoning, soy sauce, or salsa.
- 11) Pancakes And Eggs
- 12) Bean And Cheese Burritos
- 13) Tomato Soup And Grilled Cheese
- 14) Ramen With Egg
- 15) Sheet Pan Sausage And Veggies
- 16) Chicken Caesar Wrap
- 17) Savory Cottage Cheese Bowl
- 18) Black Bean Nachos
- 19) Butter And Cheese Pasta
- 20) Gnocchi Skillet
- 21) Chicken Dumpling Soup
- 22) Hot Dogs And Slaw
- 23) Veggie Omelet
- 24) Fish And Salad
- 25) Creamy Pasta
- 26) Pizza Toast
- 27) Lentil Soup
- 27. Lentil Soup
- 28) Chicken Nuggets And Dips
- 28. Chicken Nuggets And Dips
- 29) Shrimp Tacos
- 29. Shrimp tacos
- 30) Loaded Mashed Potatoes
Quesadillas</
1) Egg And Cheese Q
“Breakfast cosplay” continues until it becomes a meal. I was so impatient that I didn’t take the time to grab a fork. Still worth it!
2) Rotisserie Chicken Salad
2) Rotisserie Chicken Salad
Rotisserie chicken is the nice stranger who comes to the party and washes the dishes. Separates a handful of meat and combines it with some crispy veggies that could be lettuce, cabbage, or cucumbers, and even leftover roasted broccoli. You can use anything as a dressing: any store-bought dressings, oil and lemon, or a mix of mayo with a bit of pickle juice if that’s the mood you’re feelin. It’s cheap, fast, and oddly organized considering the minimum effort put in.
3) Cabbage And Sausage Skillet
3) Cabbage And Sausage Skillet
Cabbage is one of those humble veggies that doesn’t ask for much and does a lot. Slice it very thin, and fry it a pan until it sweetens up and becomes a bit jammy, then add some sliced sausage (kielbasa, andouille, or any sausage you have). It’s good even without mustard, just a little boring and a touch more savory.
It smells like you actually put in the effort to cook something, which is nice, because you really didn’t.
4) Fried Rice
4) Fried Rice
Real fried rice wants leftover rice. Life doesn’t always cooperate. If you have rice in the fridge, good. If you do not, frozen cauliflower rice will work in a pinch. Cheap and quick is more important than the tradition.
You can do a stir fry with some frozen vegetables and eggs, and then for flavor, add a little soy sauce. If that’s all you have, butter and salt would also be good. It would be even better to combine this with any meat you might have. Fried rice goes with pretty much every kind of meat there is.
The first time I did this I kept tasting it and wondering, “Why is this…fine?”. It was more than fine.
Rachael’s Nutrition Note
Frozen cauliflower is a great, tasty way to work more veggies into this dish.
5) Loaded Baked Potatoes
5) Loaded Baked Potatoes
Baked potatoes are cheap dinner therapy. If you’re impatient like me, you can microwave them, then add some microwaved or steamed broccoli on top, along with a ridiculous amount of cheese. Sour cream is nice, but plain yogurt, butter, and honestly even a little mayo work if you don’t tell anyone.
This meal is one of those that give you both a sense of pride and luck.
6) Tuna Melts
6) Tuna Melts
While canned tuna is considered food, if you have one, you can’t say you are out of food. Making a tuna melt is easy. Just mix the tuna with some mayo or yogurt, and celery (or onion) if you have some. Spread that mixture onto a slice of toast and cover it with cheese before melting it in the oven. If you don’t have tuna, mashed canned chickpeas actually make a surprisingly good substitute. I’ve eaten this meal while enduring the fine print on my electric bill, which is sad; but it still helped the tuna melt.
7) Tortellini Soup
I stand by this and say refrigerated tortellini is a cheat code. Let it cook in some broth (but don’t forget to) add a handful of spinach or any quick-cookable veggies that you can chop up. If you have parmesan and/or shredded mozzarella, you can add that too, you are not on trial here. This dinner will make it smell like you tried in the kitchen.
8) Eggs And Greens Toast
I will stand my ground and say eggs can be a protein option for dinner too and not just breakfast.
Spinach, kale, or other greens nearing their expiration date can be sautéed and served alongside soft scrambled eggs. Adding toast will make it feel even more restaurant-like, and a drop of hot sauce will add some spice (along with your opinions – keep those to yourself, please). If you only have one egg, you could go with one egg and more greens, which would be a stretch, and stretching is half the game here.
9) Snack Board Dinner
Ground Meat Skillet Tonight’s dinner is I can’t think, but I can stir. Cynthia Roy: Brown ground meat, throw in some frozen veggies, and season with whatever is lying around like taco seasoning, soy sauce, or salsa.
Even just salt and pepper. Cheese and you’re done. After a long day, most people want something that isn’t complicated. Just hot, salty and filling.
11) Pancakes And Eggs
11) Pancakes And Eggs
If you have pancake mix, you have a morale problem, not a dinner problem. Make pancakes and add eggs for protein so you’re not hungry again in 40 minutes. Syrup is lovely, but jam, honey, or even peanut butter can do the trick. This meal feels like putting on a fresh sweatshirt.
12) Bean And Cheese Burritos
12) Bean And Cheese Burritos
Canned beans might not be a pantry staple in my house because they go so fast. Just add heat, mash the beans with some cheese, put the mix into torillas then toast them seams down. You can add extras like sautéed onions, some jalapeños, leftover chicken. They’re cheap, easy to prep and really useful for traveling if you’re working double shifts.
13) Tomato Soup And Grilled Cheese
Heat tomato soup (boxed, canned, whatever), make grilled cheese, and dip like you mean it. It actually works if you just use plain broth and stir in a spoonful of salsa. Feel free to use any cheese; it’s pretty much impossible to ruin melted cheese on bread.
14) Ramen With Egg
There are a lot of negative remarks about instant ramen, but if you add things to it, it can serve as a completely adequate, inexpensive dinner option. You can add leftover chicken, and top with a soft-boiled or fried egg, drop in some frozen vegetables. Use or skip the flavor packet: some people prefer less sodium, and you can season with soy sauce, miso, or a bit of salt.
If you want, you can dress this up. In the image above, I included pork broth, sliced pork belly, soft-boiled egg, nori seaweed, corn, cilantro or parsley, green onions, and chili oil. T
Either way, this is my “I need warm noodles to reset my brain,” meal.
15) Sheet Pan Sausage And Veggies
Task: Sheet pan dinners require a single question of mercy: “Is this cut into roughly the same size pieces?” Sausages and assorted veggies get oiled and salted, then roasted.
To add a little more fun, tortillas or some kind of bread could be used for wraps, and you can definitely peek at your phone and don’t check for those crispy edges.
Task:
16) Chicken Caesar Wrap
16) Chicken Caesar Wrap
Wraps are basically a salad combined with a “real meal”. Just take some romaine (or any type of lettuce), add some dressing, then throw in rotisserie chicken, and roll it up in a tortilla. If you have parmesan, add some on. If you have croutons, confetti that by smashing them up. I’ve mostly tuned out of a voice memo my friend sent me, but for some reason, I found it oddly satisfying.
Task:
17) Savory Cottage Cheese Bowl
17) Savory cottage cheese bowl
While this looks diet-related, it’s really just a simple dinner idea for nights when cooking is a little too much. All you do is take some cottage cheese, mix in chopped tomatoes and cucumbers, salt and pepper, drizzle some olive oil, and if you want to spice things up, add some hot sauce.
For that feeling of wholeness, another way to enjoy this is to complement it with a heated tortilla or slice of toast. Overall, it is quite pleasant, and it is strangely soothing.
18) Black Bean Nachos
18) Black Bean Nachos
Nachos are nice and loud and made for social eating. Place chips, add beans and cheese, heat to melt the cheese, then top with salsa or chopped vegetables.
Beans can be substituted for meat if you have none. I made nachos for dinner for a relative who was quite apprehensive about it, and I witnessed them go back for seconds: triumps are often quiet.
19) Butter And Cheese Pasta
If you have pasta, this is the most economical comfort meal I know. If you have it, add black pepper. Hot noodles tossed with butter and parmesan cheese. Adding frozen peas or spinach at the end makes it feel less like a dorm room meal (no offense to dorm rooms). It is quiet food: uncomplicated, cozy, and hard to dislike.
20) Gnocchi Skillet
20) Gnocchi Skillet
What about those packages of shelf-stable or refrigerated gnocchi? They are a minor miracle. Pan-sear until golden and crispy, then add spinach and a splash of cream, or a spoonful of pesto if you have it. It’s nice to know that even just butter and salt work, which is something to lean on for those “there’s nothing in the house” nights. It tastes like you put in way more effort than you really did.
21) Chicken Dumpling Soup
Dinner is practically sorted if you have dumplings in the freezer. Simmer broth (boxed is fine), add dumplings, and throw in “> greens at the end. Add some seasoning like soy sauce, chili crisp, or just a little bit of salt. It’s a simple bowl of comfort that will make your entire home smell inviting.
22) Hot Dogs And Slaw
hv_HEAD hv_
22) Hot Dogs And Slaw
Don’t think I’m above hot dogs because they are so cheap and easy. If you have some cabbage, make a quick slaw with mayo and a splash of vinegar (or pickle juice) and pile it on top. The crunch wakes up all the flavors and you feel like you are eating some thing more like ‘dinner’ than a ‘snack. One word of warning, slaw is messy, in the best way possible, so make sure to grab a bunch of extra napkins.
23) Veggie Omelet
An omelet is a great way to save some emotionally exhausted vegetables. Sauté some of your choice and add beaten eggs and sprinkle cheese and you’re done. If you don’t like
Even if there is chaos in every other aspect of your life, this dinner will leave you feeling organized.
24) Fish And Salad
24) Fish And Salad
While fish sold in stores is not what we would call “classy,” serving it at a dinner can be reasonable. Cook the fish sticks or frozen fillet until they are golden brown, and serve with a prepackaged salad or whatever greens are in the fridge. A squeeze of lemon (or a little bit of tartar sauce) adds to the intention. It’s not quite *restaurant food*, but it satisfies the need for protein and crunch during dinner time.
25) Creamy Pasta
25) Creamy Pasta
This almost feels illegal, but I’ll allow it. Almost everything can become a sauce if you use cream cheese. Stir in a spoonful to the hot pasta water, toss with noodles then add any leftover chicken or veg. Finish with some garlic powder. If you don’t have that, I do started doing this during a broke month and never really stopped.
26) Pizza Toast
26) Pizza Toast
Spread whatever sauce you have on the bread (marinara, salsa, and even ketchup if you need to). Add cheese on top, and broil it until it is all bubbly. Add any toppings you can find: cold cuts, mushrooms, onion, and olives. It’s crunchy and salty, and just silly enough to lift your spirits.
27) Lentil Soup
27. Lentil Soup
Figure by 
If you don’t have dry lentils, you can use precooked refrigerated lentils! Warm them in some broth with carrots or spinach, and season to taste. Cumin, salt, and pepper are great options.
I appreciate that it is filling without feeling gluttonous, especially when I am starting to tire of the cheese options. Squeezing some lemon juice in, if you have it, brightens everything up.
28) Chicken Nuggets And Dips
28. Chicken Nuggets And Dips
Yes, nuggets can be dinner. Bake them, and make fancy adult sauces by mixing ketchup and mayo, mustard + honey, or hot sauce + butter. To be virtuous, add some sliced cucumbers or baby carrots on the side. You can eat this food while sitting on the couch watching a show that you say you’re only watching “ironically.
29) Shrimp Tacos
29. Shrimp tacos
Frozen shrimp is great to keep on hand for weeknight dinners. Sauté the shrimp (in butter and garlic if you have it) then load up the tortillas with cabbage or a pre-packaged slaw. For the sauce, mix some mayo and lime juice or use hot sauce and yogurt.
Slaw sauce? I don’t know, shrimp and chicken can be switched up so don’t get fishy.
30) Loaded Mashed Potatoes
Instant mashed potatoes have no pretension; they’re purposeful and they work.
Prepare the boxes and fill them with frozen vegetables and your choice of protein. That can be chicken, sausage, or even a fried egg if you feel like it! For the full comfort blanket experience, add cheese as well. It’s soft, filling, and surprisingly good at making an arbitrary assortment of food feel like dinner.
Leftover Veggie Frittata
When I’m frustrated with my own leftovers, I make a frittata. Beat the eggs and mix them with any cooked vegetables or small pieces of meat. Pour the mixture into an oiled pan and cook gently until the eggs are done. If you want a browned top, finish it under the broiler. Otherwise, just cover it and let it steam its way done. It is inexpensive, adaptable, and takes those ‘random ingredients’ you have on hand and transforms them into something that you could serve to a friend without having to apologize.
The kit that turns “there’s nothing in the house” into a real dinner. Affiliate links: if you buy through them, HomeViable earns a small commission at no extra cost to you.
