Frugal instant meal ideas for nights you don’t want to cook. Avoid costly takeaway with these super quick and easy alternatives.
Some evenings you simply don’t feel like cooking. It could be after a long day, when you’re under the weather, or when you’re worn out and want something easy and satisfying without the fuss. These instant meal ideas are designed to help you skip the takeaway and still eat well, cheaply and quickly.
I usually prefer to cook from scratch, and planning or batch-cooking can make weeknight meals easier. Even so, there are nights when I won’t step into the kitchen at all. For those occasions, having a set of reliable, economical ready-made options is a lifesaver. They won’t always be the healthiest or cheapest possible meals, but they are typically better than ordering takeout and far more budget-friendly than regular convenience foods.
17 Cheat Instant Meals for Nights When You Don’t Want to Cook
Below are favourite simple, frugal instant meals that require little or no cooking. Some are no-cook supermarket combinations, while others involve minimal effort—things like boiling pasta, popping frozen chips in the oven, or microwaving rice.
1. Rotisserie Chicken + Bagged Salad + Dressing
One of the simplest supermarket meals is rotisserie chicken with a bagged salad and dressing. Add frozen chips or tater tots from the oven for a complete family meal. If you want to avoid store-bought dressing, drizzle salad with olive oil and lemon juice, vinegar, or a touch of balsamic for an easy homemade dressing.
Budget tip: swap for frozen chicken tenders or nuggets to save more.
2. Spinach and Ricotta Ravioli + Bottled Pesto
Cook ravioli per packet instructions, drain, and toss with bottled pesto. Stir in a little cream or leftover chicken if you want it richer. Serve with a simple salad. Ravioli freezes well, so buy when on sale and keep some in the freezer for instant dinners.
3. Marinated Skewers + Frozen Vegetables + Hokkien Noodles
Soak noodles in boiling water while you remove meat from skewers and quickly fry it in a little oil. Add frozen vegetables and stir-fry until heated through, then drain the noodles and mix everything together. This is a fast, tasty stir-fry-style meal.
Budget tip: buy skewers on special or at discount supermarkets and freeze extras.
4. Toast + Cheese + Ham
A toasted sandwich is a classic quick meal. Omit the ham for a vegetarian version, or replace it with avocado or tomato. Add mustard, chutney, and some spinach to boost flavour and greens.
5. Turkish Bread + Eggs + Sliced Mushrooms + Cheese
Breakfast for dinner is always a winner. Toast bread under the grill, sauté mushrooms (and spring onions or ham if you like), then scramble or make an omelette. Top with cheese and fold for a warm, comforting meal.
6. Rotisserie Chicken/Pulled Pork + Bagged Slaw + Buns + Mayo + BBQ Sauce
Pile chicken or pulled pork into rolls with bagged slaw, mayo and a dash of BBQ sauce for a hands-off, crowd-pleasing dinner. Supermarket pulled pork or beef makes a good alternative to slow-cooked versions when time is short.
7. Pizza Base + Grated Cheese + Pizza Sauce + Leftovers
Use ready pizza bases, bread, or tortillas as a base. Spread sauce, top with cheese and leftover meats or marinated vegetables, then bake until bubbling. It’s a flexible way to use fridge leftovers.
8. Instant Rice + Cooked Prawns + Crushed Garlic + Cream
Cook instant rice and reheat in the pan if needed. Melt a little butter, add jarred garlic, cooked prawns and cream, warm briefly, and serve over rice. Look for frozen prawns on special or substitute leftover chicken to save money.
9. Instant Rice + Egg + Ham + Frozen Vegetables + Soy Sauce
Make a quick fried rice: scramble and set aside an egg, sauté ham and frozen veg, add cooked rice and soy sauce, then fold the egg back in. Fast, filling and easy to adapt.
10. Couscous + Leftover / Rotisserie Chicken + Sliced Mushrooms + Pesto
Prepare couscous per packet instructions, briefly sauté mushrooms, mix in shredded chicken and pesto, then toss with the couscous for a fragrant, quick meal.
11. Instant Rice + Rotisserie Chicken or Cooked Prawns + Coconut Cream + Curry Paste or Powder + Frozen Spinach
For the fastest curry, combine chicken or prawns with coconut cream, curry paste or powder and frozen spinach in a pan, simmer until heated through, and serve with rice. It’s speedy and comforting.
12. Ricotta Cheese + Ciabatta Loaf + Avocado + Smoked Salmon
Spread sliced bread with ricotta, top with avocado and smoked salmon. For a cheaper version, use tinned salmon or tuna. A small amount of good-quality salmon stretches a long way.
13. Wraps + Avocado + Tomato + Grated Cheese + Tinned Beans
Make quesadillas by spreading crushed or refried beans on a wrap, adding avocado, tomato and cheese, topping with a second wrap and toasting in a sandwich press. Refried beans are easy to make and freeze well for quick meals.
14. Couscous + Rotisserie Chicken + Marinated Vegetables + Salad Leaves
Toss prepared couscous with shredded chicken, marinated vegetables and salad leaves, adding a little of the flavoured oil from the jar for extra taste. It’s simple, tasty and ready in minutes.
15. 2 Minute Noodles + Tinned Tuna + Frozen Vegetables
Boil noodles and frozen vegetables together, drain, then mix in tinned tuna. Substitute a cooked egg if you prefer. This pantry-and-freezer combo is ready in under 10 minutes.
16. Tinned Tuna + Bagged Salad + Tinned Beans + Dressing
Tuna and bean salad is a quick, healthy option that mostly uses pantry items. Add couscous or bulgur for extra bulk, and experiment with cheeses or pre-roasted vegetables from the supermarket to elevate the dish.
17. Wraps + Hummus + Avocado + Spinach
Hummus and salad wraps are an easy vegetarian meal. For more substance, add cheese, grilled vegetables or leftover chicken.
19. Fish Fillet or Chicken Tender + Tortilla Wrap + Mayo + Salad + Cheese
Breaded fish fillets or chicken tenders work well in wraps. Add tomato, lettuce and cheese for a simple, family-friendly dinner.
20. Frozen Pie + Frozen Fries + Frozen Peas
A classic combination—pie, chips and peas—requires almost no effort: bake the pie and fries and microwave the peas while you relax with a drink and let the oven do the work.
On nights when cooking feels like too much, you don’t have to rely on takeaway. With a little planning and a few pantry and freezer staples, you can put together quick, inexpensive meals that taste better than drive-thru options and help you save money over time.