When you’re in a rush, need a quick meal, or just want something smaller, mini-meals are a great idea.

The variety is endless and you can include only simple foods that you have in your refrigerator or cupboard.

These simple meals can relieve stress if you are very hungry but don’t have time for a full meal. Some people also tend to graze and eat several smaller meals throughout the day instead of the standard three larger meals, and that’s when having a variety of ready-to-go mini meal ideas helps.

Here are some quick and easy mini-meal ideas that are not only delicious but inexpensive too.

Curd– Low-fat cottage cheese makes a good base and can be paired with any of the following fruits or vegetables (cut into small pieces) and a sprinkle of chopped nuts like almonds, walnuts, walnuts, or hazelnuts.

Here is a suggested list of fruits and vegetables to add to your cottage cheese.

– Fruit:

blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, apples or applesauce, banana, tangerines, diced mango, peaches, or pineapple

spices and sweeteners for fruits: agave syrup, cinnamon, honey, maple syrup, nutmeg

– Vegetables:

frozen carrots, celery, chayote, cucumber, green beans, jicama, leeks, mushrooms, onions or scallions, peas, radishes or tomatoes, thawed and drained

herbs for vegetables: basil, coriander, dill, oregano, thyme, rosemary

Soup: Soup is a great way to get more vegetables in your diet and if you take a good vegetable soup (either homemade or a store bought variety with natural ingredients) and add a little something extra to it you can have a meal in a bowl in minutes.

Here are some easy additions to try:

-cooked and cubed white or sweet potatoes

-cooked whole grain or basmati rice

canned beans (rinsed and drained)

-grilled chicken, grilled salmon

-canned salmon or tuna (drained)

-baked tofu (cut into cubes and add to the soup)

Fresh spinach is a nice addition, just stir it into the hot soup and the leaves will wilt. You can also try fresh chopped herbs like coriander or basil as a dressing for your soup. You can also add a small handful of grated fresh cheese.

Pita sandwichHere’s a simple idea that’s super quick and can be done with just about anything you have on hand. I usually mix a few ingredients, fill the pita, and then add a flavorful topping. Here are some of my favorite fillings.

– mix: tuna, a little mayonnaise, celery, tomatoes

topping: chopped fresh basil

– mix: cooked chicken, plain Greek-style low-fat yogurt, cucumbers, sweet red peppers

topping: sprinkle chopped green olives

– mix: oriental-style baked tofu, mustard, sliced ​​chives, water chestnuts

topping: alfalfa sprouts or radish

– mix: spread some almond butter on the pita on one or both sides and add some strawberries or diced bananas

topping: a pinch of cinnamon or a pinch of honey

– mix: cottage cheese, sliced ​​leeks, capers, tomatoes

topping: walnut chunks

– mix: cooked ham (diced), mustard, low-fat Swiss cheese cubes, shredded lettuce

topping: a pinch of chopped apple

– mix: spread a layer of low-fat whipped cream cheese inside one or both sides of the pita and add a mixture of diced apple and diced celery

topping: a pinch of cinnamon

– Mix together: canned salmon (drained), thinly sliced ​​red onion, low-fat Greek-style plain yogurt, diced sun-dried tomatoes (no oil variety, softened in warm water)

topping: sprinkle of dried dill or chopped fresh dill

– mix: chopped hard boiled egg, mayonnaise and spicy mustard, chopped celery

topping: radish sprouts and grated Parmesan cheese

– mix: basil pesto, sun dried tomatoes (in oil, drained and chopped), chopped black olives, shredded cabbage

topping: crumbled goat cheese

Simple fruit combosUse these combinations and simply scoop them up in a bowl and enjoy or pop in a take-to-work container for a light lunch.

– melon, honeydew, and watermelon cubes paired with blue cheese or crumbled feta

– apple chunks with grapes and gouda cheese

– red and green grapes, celery chunks and crumbled goat cheese

– mango, papaya and sliced ​​almonds

– nectarine and peach slices or chunks mixed with some plain or low-fat vanilla yogurt, topped with crumbled cinnamon graham crackers

– strawberries and blueberries mixed with lemon yogurt with whole grain crackers on the side

Mini sandwiches (open) – whole grain English muffins topped with:

– marinara sauce, thinly sliced ​​mushrooms, low-fat cheese slice

– thin layer of tomato paste, basil leaves, cooked minced shrimp, grated Parmesan cheese

– mashed black beans topped with gravy and grated tofu

– hummus topped with young spinach leaves, thin slices of zucchini or yellow summer squash, thin slice of tomato steak, and salt and pepper to taste

– vegetarian refried beans, thinly sliced ​​tomatoes, thinly sliced ​​cucumbers, slice of vegetarian pepper jack cheese

– mashed banana, chopped dates, and chopped walnuts

– low-fat mayonnaise, deli turkey slices, romaine lettuce, and sweet red pepper slices

Other mini fast food options:

– Cheese in strips: another simple and quick idea and can be eaten with sliced ​​or cubed fruit of your choice or with vegetable sticks with carrots, celery, jicama, sweet peppers, cucumbers or chayote

– Fruit or vegetable skewers: a simple and easy idea to make

For fruit skewers– Try apple and pear cubes with green or red grapes strung on small wooden skewers alternating with sharp cheddar cubes or choose your favorite fruit and cheese combinations

For vegetable skewers– Try chunks of sweet bell peppers, cherry or grape tomatoes, mushrooms, zucchini, or even summer squash and your favorite cheese

Try these simple ideas when you need a little quick meal in a hurry.