I'm sure a lot of you can relate to the feeling of coming home after a long day with nothing prepared for dinner, little energy to actually cook something, and no desire to spend money on takeout. Luckily, redditor u/Chutoyos asked for people to share their favorite easy 5-minute dinners. Let's just say, I took notes on most of the responses in the thread.
Here are some of the easy, go-to meals people shared.
1. "Two fried eggs, some toast, and a banana. Quick and easy."
2. "Bean and cheese quesadilla. Spread some refried beans on a tortilla, sprinkle with cheese, top with another tortilla, and [microwave] or heat in a pan on both sides 'til slightly browned and the cheese is melty."
3. "Breakfast for dinner. Muesli with Greek yogurt or toast with milk."
4. "Salad kit + pre-cooked chicken + a dip. I like a Buffalo version from Trader Joe's: Heat up chicken tenders, add them to the Buffalo ranch chopped salad (one of my favorite salad kits), with a scoop of the Buffalo chicken dip for more flavor."
5. "The frozen White Castle burgers at the local supermarket are fire if they’re microwaved correctly."
6. "Creamy fried mushrooms. Chuck a spoonful of Philadelphia cream cheese (any savory flavor) into the pan with the mushrooms and heat through, then plop it all on two pieces of toast."
7. "Lightly grease a medium-hot pan. Pour in two beaten eggs, spreading them evenly around the pan. Let them begin to cook for a minute or so, then top them with shredded cheese (and miscellaneous toppings, if you’re feeling fancy). Lay a flour tortilla on top. When you think the eggs are done, about 1-2 mins, flip it over for another 1-2 mins to finish melting the cheese and lightly brown the tortilla. Roll it up and serve."
8. "I make 'Shortcut Nachos.' Basically a can of chili beans with added chipotle hot sauce, diced pepperoni, and black pepper mixed in. Put it on top of a plate of nachos and top it with cheese, sour cream, and verde hot sauce."
9. "Toast bread, mash avocado, and top with smoked salmon."
10. "Soft-boiled eggs and ramen with ham slices and kimchi."
11. "I make some beans and a batch of whole grains every few days — or a few baked potatoes and sweet potatoes. Then, when I need a quick meal, I can just make a bowl of grains and beans, and toss chopped vegetables on top. Then, I put a little sauce on top — usually chili crunch, salsa, teriyaki, or hoisin. Microwave for four minutes."
12. "Tortillas, lunch meat, mayo, and baby spinach. Add pink salt and garlic pepper."
13. "My go-to dish when I was living alone, working three jobs, and going to school was boxed mac and cheese with extra additions — I'd add in a package of dried tortellini and a bunch of frozen veggies, too. Then, after making the cheese sauce, I'd mix it all together and add in a can of tuna. It sounds weird, but it had enough flavor variety to not get boring and was easy to reheat when I didn't feel like moving."
14. "A can of tuna on rice cakes."
15. "I heat up Spam and old white rice on my cast iron skillet, then scramble eggs and mix everything. I also like to add a dash of maple syrup once everything is in a bowl."
