Executive dysfunction often makes preparing meals difficult. You don’t have the energy, motivation, you lose track of time… But skipping meals and being hungry can make ADHD or autistic symptoms worse. It’s a conundrum. In this blog post, I bring you 50 tips for quick and easy meals – half vegetarian and half non-vegetarian – that you can prepare and eat in minutes. Let’s dive in!

Vegetarian options:

🥪 Wraps, Sandwiches, and Toasts

• Avocado Toast: Mash avocado on bread, sprinkle salt and chili flakes.
• Peanut Butter & Banana Sandwich: Spread peanut butter on bread, add banana slices.
• Hummus & Cucumber Wrap: Spread hummus on a tortilla, add cucumber slices, and roll up.
• Cheese and Tomato Sandwich: Layer slices of cheese and tomato on bread.
• Nut Butter & Apple Slices: Spread almond or peanut butter on apple slices.

🥗 Simple Salads and Bowls

• Caprese Salad: Layer mozzarella, tomato, and basil, drizzle with olive oil.
• Cucumber & Avocado Salad: Chop cucumber and avocado, add a squeeze of lemon.
• Greek Salad: Mix cucumber, tomato, olives, and feta with a drizzle of olive oil.
• Fruit Salad: Combine any fruits you have with a drizzle of honey.
• Chickpea Salad: Mix canned chickpeas with olive oil, lemon, and salt.

🍓 Smoothies and Quick Bowls

• Banana Smoothie: Blend banana, milk (or plant-based milk), and a bit of honey.
• Yogurt Parfait: Layer yogurt with granola and fresh berries.
• Chia Seed Pudding: Mix chia seeds with plant milk, let it sit, top with fruit.
• Cottage Cheese & Pineapple: Simply combine cottage cheese with pineapple chunks.
• Almond Butter Banana Bowl: Slice banana, drizzle with almond butter.

🧀 Quick Snacks and Dips

• Cheese & Crackers: Pair any cheese with your favorite crackers.
• Guacamole & Veggie Sticks: Mash an avocado, add salt and lemon, and dip veggies.
• Olives & Cheese: A quick, ready-to-eat savory snack combo.
• Edamame: Buy ready-to-eat shelled edamame from the store.
• Hummus & Carrot: Scoop store-bought hummus with carrot slices.

🍫 Sweet & Simple Treats

• Dates with Almond Butter: Stuff dates with a spoonful of almond butter.
• Dark Chocolate & Strawberries: A quick and delicious pairing.
• Rice Cakes with Peanut Butter: Spread peanut butter on rice cakes, add banana slices if you like.
• Trail Mix: Combine nuts, dried fruits, and a few chocolate chips.
• Frozen Grapes: Freeze grapes for a refreshing, sweet snack.

Non-vegetarian options:

🥪 Wraps, Sandwiches, and Toasts

• Chicken Salad Sandwich: Mix pre-cooked shredded chicken with mayo and spread on bread.
• Turkey and Cheese Roll-Ups: Roll turkey slices with cheese and mustard.
• Tuna Salad Wrap: Mix canned tuna with mayo and place in a tortilla with lettuce.
• Salmon and Cream Cheese Bagel: Add smoked salmon and cream cheese to a bagel.
• Egg Salad Sandwich: Mix hard-boiled eggs with mayo and spread on bread.

🥗 Simple Salads and Bowls

• Chicken Caesar Salad: Toss pre-cooked chicken with romaine, croutons, and Caesar dressing.
• Tuna Avocado Salad: Mix canned tuna with avocado and lemon.
• Shrimp Cocktail: Serve pre-cooked shrimp with cocktail sauce.
• Smoked Salmon Salad: Combine smoked salmon, arugula, and capers with olive oil.
• Cobb Salad: Layer chopped turkey, hard-boiled egg, bacon, avocado, and blue cheese.

🍓 Simple Protein Bowls and Snacks

• Cottage Cheese with Tuna: Mix cottage cheese and tuna, sprinkle with pepper.
• Egg and Avocado Bowl: Slice hard-boiled eggs and avocado, season with salt and paprika.
• Chicken and Guacamole Cups: Use guacamole as a dip for pre-cooked chicken pieces.
• Hard-Boiled Eggs and Cheese: A quick, protein-packed snack.
• Salmon and Cucumber Bites: Top cucumber slices with cream cheese and smoked salmon.

🧀 Quick Dips and Spreads

• Tuna-Stuffed Avocados: Fill halved avocados with canned tuna salad.
• Shrimp and Avocado Ceviche: Mix pre-cooked shrimp with lime, tomato, and onion.
• Salmon Cream Cheese Dip: Mix cream cheese with smoked salmon and dill.
• Ham and Pickle Roll-Ups: Spread cream cheese on ham slices, roll with a pickle inside.
• Deviled Eggs: Halve hard-boiled eggs, mix yolks with mayo and mustard, and refill.

🍫 Quick and Easy Treats & Snacks

• Turkey and Apple Slices: Wrap apple slices with turkey for a sweet and savory snack.
• Salmon and Avocado Rice Cakes: Top rice cakes with avocado and smoked salmon.
• Canned Sardines on Crackers: Simple and packed with protein.
• Egg and Tomato Stack: Layer tomato slices with hard-boiled egg and a sprinkle of salt.
• Prosciutto and Melon: Wrap thin slices of prosciutto around cantaloupe wedges

Tip: Keep ingredients like pre-cut veggies, hard-boiled eggs, fruits, and spreads ready for quick assembly.

Do you have any tips for quick and easy-to-prepare meals? Share your favorites in the comments!