7 Quick Food Options for When You're Short on Time

According to a recent report, the average Australian takes about 54 minutes to plan, prepare and cook meals. Then, of course, they have to wash up!

But sometimes, when you lead a busy life or get home from work late during the weekday, you don't have the luxury of this time. Therefore, it pays to have some quick food options up your sleeve.

In this post, we'll look at seven options you can draw upon when you're short on time.

If you keep these ideas in mind, you shouldn't struggle to find comforting, nutritious, or quick meal choices at dinner time.

1. Use a home-delivery food service

Recent research from Roy Morgan reveals that over 7 million Australians aged 14 and over have used a meal delivery food service in the last 12 months.

For those who are short on time due to working commitments or their busy lifestyle, companies like FoodSt provide an excellent way to eat delicious, home-cooked style meals that have already been prepared for you.

Their meals tend to cover several different genres of cuisine, including Italian, Spanish, Chinese, Thai, Mexican and Indian. So, you should not have any trouble finding something that takes your fancy.

As they are delivered directly to your door, all you need to do is heat them up once you are ready to eat them.

2. Pasta

Delicious, filling and high in comfort value, pasta is always a winner when it comes to a quick food option.

There are several different types around, most of which take around 9-13 minutes to cook, which gives you more than enough time to fry some bacon, mushrooms and pesto to go with it.

If you really want to keep things simple, boil up a pack of ravioli with a nice, complimentary sauce. At the same time, throw garlic bread in the oven to bulk it up further.

3. Fish

Fish is a high-quality, low-fat protein packed with omega-3 fatty acids and vitamins such as B2 (riboflavin) and D. It is also a terrific source of minerals, including zinc, magnesium, iron, potassium, and iodine, as well as phosphorous and calcium.

However, arguably, the best thing about fish is that it is super quick to make. When pan-fried, cod, flathead, or snapper fillets, take just 3-4 minutes per side to cook.

If you throw some potatoes in the air fryer and boil some frozen peas and carrots on the stovetop, you'll have a delicious meal ready to eat in no time at all.

4. Veggie

Some meat dishes, particularly beef and lamb, can take a long time to cook. Therefore, if you are really pressed for time, don't be afraid to have a vegetarian meal every once in a while.

There are a host of veggie meals you can make, including chickpea curries, black bean fajitas, and vegan nachos, which are super healthy and quick to prepare in winter.

In the summer, you can't go wrong with a nice Mediterranean Salad or cous cous and roasted vegetables.

5. Poke Bowl

Poke bowls make an excellent dinner option because they are quick to prepare, can be quite substantial, and also look pretty amazing!

The great thing about Poke Bowls is that there are no rules, so you can use your imagination to compile one.

One good combination is rice, tuna, cucumber, edamame, nori sheets, a bit of Japanese mayo, and Sriracha, though you can pretty much include whatever you like.

6. Leftovers

Sometimes, the best dinners are leftovers! That's why it is good to cook in bulk occasionally.

Foods like curries, chilli, stews, and spaghetti bolognese often taste better when you eat them the second time around, as the flavours have had time to settle and become more pronounced.

Best of all, leftovers only take a couple of minutes to heat up in the microwave, and they won't require lots of washing up, either.

7. Takeaway

If all else fails, you can always get a takeaway, and Tuesdays are often a good day to do this, as many restaurants offer happy hours or cheaper discounts.

It might surprise you to know that you can make healthier choices when ordering a takeaway (although it wouldn't hurt to indulge in some real, nevermind-the-calories comfort food every now and again).

Here are some things to bear in mind if you decide to order a takeout.