Healthy Snack-Based Meals for When You Don't Want to Cook

Definitely, cooking is not for everyone or at least, not for every moment, because anyone can have that day when they don't feel like doing anything, much less cooking chicken, vegetables, or meat, even if you are starving.But food is so generous that even for those moments it has delicious things to offer you and, in fact, you can create a complete meal with various ‘snacks’, because the main difference between a snack, a light bite, or a small meal is cultural rather than nutritional.Of course, it's worth mentioning that if you only eat an apple with a bit of peanut butter, that is still a snack. The key to preparing a meal that keeps you full and energized for three or four hours, like a normal meal, is to include a variety of nutrients and foods.The simplest way is to combine at least four different foods and three or four food groups. This will help ensure you are eating enough, as well as a good balance of fats, proteins, carbohydrates, and fiber.The other trick to turning snacks into a meal is to serve them together on a plate, rather than just nibbling on things one by one. Now, to inspire you a bit, here are some examples, but remember that eating balanced means knowing yourself, knowing your body, and above all, having guidance from a professional when you want to make changes to your diet.1. BaguetteA simple lunch can be inspired by a baguette, with which you can take advantage of the different styles and flavors of bread (rye, garlic, plain) and add cream cheese, vegetables like cucumber, tomato, peppers, olives, and finally add smoked salmon or a hard-boiled egg. If you are following a vegan diet, you can omit the salmon and use tofu-based cream cheese.2. Yogurt bowlA yogurt bowl is ideal for when you are hungry, want a meal that doesn't require cooking, and crave something sweet. To make it, just top natural yogurt with a tablespoon of nut butter (like almond or peanut), sliced banana, chopped nuts or almonds, oats, seeds and dried fruits, granola, plus a handful of fresh fruit, and if you need a little sweetness, add a bit of honey.3. SmoothieIf you stop to think about it, most smoothies are actually a bunch of different snacks, like fruits, dairy, and nuts, that you just blend together in a blender.To turn them into a hearty and energizing breakfast, blend kefir with banana, berries, granola, and nut butter. You can use any fresh or frozen fruit and don't hesitate to add yogurt, cottage cheese, or milk to the kefir; whole nuts for the nut butter; and muesli (or plain oats) for the granola.4. Enhanced cereal bowlA bowl of cereal with milk is delicious, but it is not quite a complete meal. To turn it into a hearty breakfast or dinner, you can add nuts or seeds (sliced almonds, chopped walnuts, toasted sunflower seeds) and fresh or dried fruits (sliced strawberries, raisins, dried blueberries) to bowls of Cheerios, for example, with reduced-fat milk or even better, a plant-based milk like soy or any other rich in protein.