Throw-Together Meals to Nourish Your Body When You Can’t Even Right Now
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Created to help you feed yourself when your brain simply can’t.
It’s been one hell of a day, week, month…or an entire season of life…and you’re tired.
Not the “I’ll be fine after one early night” kind of tired.
The bone-deep, brain-foggy, executive-function-left-the-chat kind of tired.
Sleep helps, sure. But when the tank is running below empty, rest alone doesn’t fix everything, and the thought of cooking can feel laughably impossible.
So where to from here?
Ideally? Straight to bed.
Realistically? Life keeps lifing.
And for those of us who can’t pause adulthood for a week (or even a day) to recover, the only thing we can do is focus on what’s actually within reach:
Giving yourself some grace - this is not the moment to be hard on yourself.
Taking the pressure off - “good enough” is absolutely good enough.
Prioritising sleep, hydration, and nourishment over grinding harder.
Food doesn’t need to be aesthetic, impressive, or homemade right now. It just needs to feed you; simply, gently, and without adding more stress.
You can’t pour from an empty cup.
Why Simple Is Better
When you’re fatigued or burned out, complexity becomes the enemy.
Simple, basic, quick meals are not a downgrade - they’re a lifeline.
This is not the season for 42-step grain bowls or handcrafted dressings. You can hit pause on the ambitious meal-prep marathons and still nourish yourself beautifully. You can always return to that when you feel better.
Right now, the goal is simple:
A bit of protein + a bit of carbs + a bit of healthy fats…with as few steps as humanly possible.
And here’s your permission slip:
Buying pre-cut, pre-washed, pre-made, or ready-to-eat is not cheating.
You’re reducing your workload and supporting your recovery. That is self-care, not failure.
Will this be your peak nutrition era? Maybe, maybe not.
But it’s a thousand times better (physically and mentally) than relying on nightly takeaway and feeling worse for it.
Smart Shortcuts That Still Nourish You
If chopping, roasting, mixing, or even thinking feels like too much, these supermarket shopping shortcuts keep things simple without sacrificing nourishment.
Produce Section
Pre-cut veggies
Pre-washed salad mixes
Ready-to-eat veggie or fruit pots
Deli + Fridge
Rotisserie chicken
Shredded meats
Pre-cooked protein packs (pulled chicken, beef, tofu, meatballs)
Pantry
Canned beans, lentils, chickpeas (drain → rinse → done)
Microwave rice or grain pouches
Tinned tuna or salmon
Freezer
Steam-in-bag veggies
Frozen berries
Frozen fish fillets for the oven/air fryer
These are low-effort, low-cognitive-load staples that let you assemble something nourishing in minutes - not because you’re lazy, but because you’re human.
If You Can’t Face the Supermarket
Totally fair.
If the idea of dragging yourself through fluorescent aisles feels impossible, outsource the effort:
Online order + quick pick-up, or
Online delivery if it’s within your budget
You skip the crowds, decision fatigue, and wandering-through-aisles-while-dissociating moment. This is capacity management, not indulgence.
Let’s Put It All Together
Here’s a simple 1-day throw-together plan using the same ideas from the SelfCentred Nourish Pack. Swap out whatever doesn’t suit - flexibility is the whole point.
Breakfast: 5-Minute Options
Greek yoghurt + berries + muesli
Overnight oats (make 2–3 serves at once)
Microwave scrambled eggs + toast
Banana + nut butter + protein shake
Lunch: Zero-Effort Bowls
Pre-washed salad mix + rotisserie chicken + feta
Microwave rice + steam-in-bag veggies + tinned tuna + dressing
Hummus plate (hummus, chopped veg, crackers, boiled eggs)
Dinner: “Heat, Dump, Stir” Meals
Frozen fish + microwave veg + lemon
Pre-cooked meatballs + jarred pasta sauce + microwave (ready) pasta
Rotisserie chicken burritos (tortillas + bagged slaw + dressing)
Snacks That Keep You Going
High-protein yoghurt
Fruit + nuts
Cheese + crackers
Smoothie with frozen fruit + yoghurt
Quick Recipes (Simple Enough for Burnout Brain)
3-Minute Tuna Rice Bowl
Microwave rice → add tuna → add steam-in-bag veg → drizzle soy or dressing.Lazy Caprese Toast
Toast → tomato → mozzarella → balsamic → done.Shortcut Chicken Burritos
Rotisserie chicken → tortillas → bagged slaw → dressing → lime.“I Can’t Cook Tonight” Pasta
Microwave (ready) pasta → jarred sauce → precooked meatballs → parmesan.Protein Yoghurt Parfait
Greek yoghurt → berries → honey → muesli → peace.
Final Thought
Burnout makes everything feel heavier…especially feeding yourself.
But you deserve nourishment, ease, and gentleness.
Let meals be simple. Let shortcuts be valid. Let “good enough” be more than enough.
When your energy returns, you can rebuild your routines.
For now: keep it soft, keep it doable, keep it kind.
A Gentle Reminder
These suggestions are here to support you on low-capacity days, but they aren’t medical advice.
If you’re feeling unusually unwell, persistently exhausted, or “not yourself,” please check in with a qualified healthcare professional.
You deserve proper support.