Contrary to popular belief, a meal doesn’t need to be completely homemade in order for it to be healthy. True, when you make a meal from scratch, you have more control over the ingredients, amounts, and any added sugar or salt that goes into it. But thanks to better innovations from food companies, you can compose a healthy meal using some packaged foods.
Our registered dietitian Jessie shares her ideas for assembling quick and nutritious meals that contain multiple food groups and key nutrients. Pack them for you or your kids with confidence.
4 Healthy Meals Using Convenience “Fast Food” Options
“Fast foods” don’t have to come from the McDonald’s, Chipotle, Wendy’s, Taco Bell, Chick-Fil-A or the drive-thru of other fast food chains. Healthy fast food dinners can be assembled right in your own kitchen using a variety of prepackaged foods. These quick dinners
“When composing a simple meal, I like to ensure that I’m assembling healthy options from different food groups,” says Jessie Shafer, RD. “It’s a simple at-a-glance way to ensure there will be a variety of vitamins and minerals in the meal. Then I like to make sure that I have each of the macronutrients represented: carbs, protein, and healthy fats.”
Follow Jessie’s examples to help compose healthier options for quick “fast food” dinners that require no cooking at all. Creating these nutrient-dense meals for one takes less than 2 minutes. Plus, each of these menu items offers a lot more nutrition, fresh flavor, and variety than those crispy chicken nuggets or cold soggy French fries.
- A Portable Packable Picnic
Healthy Meal = | Food 1 + | Food 2 + | Food 3 + | Food 4 |
Food | 1 Rudi’s Sandos | 1 cup baby carrots and | 1 individual hummus cup | 1 cheese stick |
Food group(s) represented | grains, fruit, nuts/seeds | vegetable | beans/legume, nuts, oil | dairy |
Key nutrients | carbs, fats, protein, calcium | fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium, antioxidants | protein, carbs, fiber, fats, iron | protein, fats, calcium |
To assemble: Pack the frozen premade pb&j and other individual ingredients in a small cooler or lunch box. Enjoy with water or milk as a beverage. Replace carrots and snap peas with any favorite veggie, such as cucumbers or a side salad.
You’re getting: A high-protein American meal with many vegetarian options and all key nutrients. Get as much protein as a chicken sandwich and more healthy carbohydrates and fiber than a brown rice burrito bowl.
Per meal: 560 calories, 34 g total fat (9.5 g sat fat), 473 mg sodium, 43.5 g carb (9 g fiber, 14 g sugars), 24 g protein, 20 mg cholesterol
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- A Breakfast (Or Brunch) For Champions
Healthy meal = | Food 1 + | Food 2 + | Food 3 + | Food 4 |
Food | 1 Rudi’s Breakfast Sandwich | 1/4 of an avocado, sliced | 4 large strawberries | 1 can no-sugar-added sparkling tea |
Food group(s) represented | grains, meat, dairy, egg | fruit | fruit | tea |
Key nutrients | carbs, protein, fats, calcium, fiber | fats, fiber, copper, vitamin E, vitamin K | carbs, fiber, vitamin C, manganese, potassium, antioxidants | antioxidants |
To assemble: Prepare the breakfast sandwich (use gluten free if needed) according to package directions. Top the warm sandwich with the sliced avocado, and enjoy with a side of berries and tea. For even fast assembly, use an individual pack of guacamole in place of the avocado.
You’re getting: A nutritionally balanced meal with whole grains that’s low calorie, has as much fiber as 1/3 cup of chickpeas, as many grams of protein as 6 egg whites, and as much good-for-you monounsaturated fats as a Greek Mediterranean meal with olives and feta.
Per meal: 425 calories, 25 g total fat (9 g sat fat), 672 mg sodium, 34 g carb (5.5 g fiber, 4.5 g sugars), 18.5 g protein, 190 mg cholesterol
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- A Just Peachy Lunch
Healthy meal = | Food 1 + | Food 2 + | Food 3 + | Food 4 |
1 Rudi’s | 1 packet nut or seed butter | 1 small | 1 oz (6) turkey or beef sausage snack bites | |
Food group(s) represented | grains | nuts/seeds | fruit | meat/poultry |
Key nutrients | carbs, fiber, protein | fats, protein, magnesium, vitamin E | carbs, fiber, potassium, antioxidants | lean protein, fats, vitamin C |
To assemble: Toast the bagel halves, then top each one with the nut/seed spread and some peach slices. Enjoy with the sausage bites on the side. Could also spread the nut butter and sliced fruit over a whole grain tortilla or pita wedges as another healthy choice.
You’re getting: A nutritious quick breakfast or lunch entree with built-in healthy portion sizes, more fiber than 1/2 cup black beans, twice as much protein as an order of 4 chicken breast tenders, and zero trans fats.
Per meal: 560 calories, 24.5 g total fat (4.5 g sat fat), 833 mg sodium, 70 g carb (10 g fiber, 20 g sugars), 24 g protein, 30 mg cholesterol
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- A Simple Snack Board Lunch
Healthy meal = | Food 1 + | Food 2 + | Food 3 + | Food 4 |
1 Rudi’s Sandos | 1 pack roasted edamame | 0.75 oz cheddar cheese snack | 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes | |
Food group(s) represented | grains, fruit, nuts/seeds | beans/legumes | dairy | veggies |
Key nutrients | carbs, fats, protein, calcium | carbs, fiber, protein, iron | fat, protein, calcium | carbs, fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, antioxidants |
To assemble: Cut the Sandos sandwich into 4 squares and cut the cheese into 3 pieces. Assemble the sandwich pieces, roasted edamame beans, cheese pieces, and cherry tomatoes on a plate; enjoy as a snack board lunch.
You’re getting: Low-fat, high-protein prepackaged fast food options from right out of your fridge and cupboards that come together for a healthy eating meal. Get 75% less sugar in this entire meal than in one Starbucks venti sweetened latte.
Per meal: 531 calories, 29 g total fat (8.5 g sat fat), 579 mg sodium, 44 g carb (11 g fiber, 13 g sugars), 26 g protein, 25 mg cholesterol
THE BOTTOM LINE
When you haven’t had the time to meal plan or prepare homemade recipes, you don’t have to turn to Subway, Burger King, KFC, Starbucks, Panera Bread, or another fast food restaurant. You can still assemble fast food meals by putting together a variety of packaged and fresh foods. And the good news is, you don’t have to cook a thing and don’t have to sacrifice nutrition or flavor.
Use these packaged food meal suggestions from a registered dietitian-nutritionist as a starting place. When creating your own meals using convenience foods, aim to include multiple food groups to ensure you’re getting a variety of nutrients. Keep these menu options on hand so you can create the healthiest fast food dinners that save you time and money.
Written by Jessie Shafer.
Jessie is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist living in Colorado where she splits her time among nearby playgrounds, typing away at her trusty laptop, and heating up her home kitchen with delicious experiments. A former magazine editor-in-chief, Jessie has a long career in food publishing and health writing. She is currently the editor at The Real Food Dietitians and a nutrition consultant through her business crdible.
