No-Cook Meals

Main course salads are an easy go-to for a no-cook supper, but you don't have to settle for just plain old lettuce. Sweeten things up by adding some fruit, such as sliced fresh peaches or strawberries to a green leafy salad and giving your family an extra boost of vitamin C. Add crunch with seasoned croutons. Toss cubed cheese or diced prosciutto into the salad for added protein. Top a salad with drained canned beans for an extra dose of healthy fiber.

A hearty sandwich makes a simple no-cook meal. You can always slap some cold cuts between two pieces of bread and serve, or you can get creative. Use creamy dressing instead of mayo or mustard. Opt for pizza bread or tortillas to take a break from regular sandwich bread. Use canned chicken or tuna to make a high-protein, no-cook filling, or switch things up by purchasing cooked shrimp, crab or smoked fish for a healthy seafood salad sandwich.

Toss some veggies into the blender first thing in the morning, and that night you'll have a healthy chilled soup ready to go when the kids get hungry. Try traditional gazpacho by pureeing tomatoes and cucumbers together. Or make a creamy chilled soup by pureeing avocado and buttermilk seasoned with ranch dressing mix. Whizz fresh cucumbers with plain yogurt for a tangy and cooling soup full of healthy protein and calcium. Garnish any of the soups with crumbled cheese for an extra dose of protein and flavor.

Let someone else do the hard work and pick up precooked rotisserie chicken at the grocery store. Wrap the chicken up in a pita with cucumber and yogurt for a Greek-style souvlaki wrap. Or place the chicken on a tostada along with mashed canned beans, guacamole, sour cream and cheese for a tasty Mexican-style meal. Set out a bowl of salsa you've spiced up with dressing mix to serve with the tostadas. Toss shredded rotisserie chicken with barbecue sauce and serve it with whole wheat hamburger buns for an easy and enjoyable no-cook meal.