What are easy food to make for a youngster who can't cook

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Jun 19, 2011

1. Hot dogs or turkey dogs: just heat them in a small pot with boiling water for 15 minutes and drop it in a hot dog bun. Add ketchup, mustard, relish, or whatever toppings and condiments you like.

2. Canned soups / canned chili: just heat in a saucepan or pot on the stove for about 15 minutes and serve. You can also heat in the microwave.

3. Chef's salad: place some green leaf lettuce or iceberg lettuce in a small bowl and add chopped ham, shredded cheddar, boiled egg, dressing, or whatever else suits your tasted. If you do not want to buy a head of lettuce or a block of cheese, grocery stores sell individual bags of chopped lettuce and packages of shredded cheese.

4. Baked potato: rinse a raw potato, dry it off with a paper towel, poke a couple of holes into it with a fork, place on a baking pan, and bake at 400 degrees for 45 minutes. Top with whatever you like: sour cream, bacon bits, cheddar, chives, butter, or any number of things.

5. Frozen meals: just pop into a microwave and follow the heating directions.

6. Baked chicken: rinse the chicken, pat dry with paper towels, place in a baking pan coated with oil or butter, and bake at 400 degrees for 45 minutes. Top with seasoning salt, gravy, rosemary, or whatever you like. I personally top my baked chicken with spaghetti sauce and mozzarella (yummy).

7. Boiled eggs: place a couple of eggs into a pot, fill with water so that the eggs are covered by a couple of inches, and boil for 15 to 20 minutes.

That Guy, BSN, RN, EMT-B · Jun 19, 2011

1. Hot dogs or turkey dogs: just heat them in a small pot with boiling water for 15 minutes and drop it in a hot dog bun. Add ketchup, mustard, relish, or whatever toppings and condiments you like.

Dont forget to put it in a hot pan after boiling it to crisp up the casing.

Go down the boxed pasta aisle and get those noodle things/hamburger helper kind of things. Go to food network and other cooking sites to get quick simple stupid ideas.

I like to cook a pretty big meal so I have leftovers. i love leftovers. It is the best, cheapest, easiest meal to make.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Jun 19, 2011

Dont forget to put it in a hot pan after boiling it to crisp up the casing.

I'm guilty of skipping this step quite frequently because, although a crisped casing makes it taste better, it is not mandatory as long as the hot dog is cooked.

Turd Ferguson · Jun 19, 2011

Boil noodles and add spagetthi sauce once the water is drained. BAM!

Peanut butter sandwich. BAM!

Granola bars. BAM!

Wrap your leftovers in a soft tortilla. BAM!

Throw some lettuce and other crap in a bowl and add dressing. BAM!

Oranges, bananas, apples. BAM!

Canned soup. BAM!

Cereal. BAM!

Chef Boy r dee stuff. BAM!

Instant and canned meals are easy, just be sure to watch your sodium intake.

okiedokie123 · Jun 20, 2011

These are all very good suggestions, thanks! I totally forgot about the hot dogs, salads, leftovers in tortilla wrap (El Pollo Loco style), and good 'ol spaghetti.

Turd Ferguson · Jun 20, 2011

Don't forget to say BAM right before you eat it

okiedokie123 · Jun 20, 2011

..and after.

rn/writer, RN · Jun 20, 2011

Google Jamie Oliver and see if you can find some of his recipes/cookbook names.

On one of his recent shows he had a single dad with ten- and fourteen-year-old sons who ate fast food 8-9 times a week. That doesn't include the donuts and cereal they ate for breakfast. The remaining handful of meals weren't much better.

In a very short time, he had them making salads, cooking chicken, and doing other simple but satisfying meals. So much better for them. Oddly enough, it was the kids who were sick of the fast food, and they were loving the chance to help put meals together.

After my grandmother died, my grandfather had to learn to take care of himself. As he soon discovered, there are only so many frozen meals you can eat. Finally, with a little bit of advice, he set out to see what he could do with basic ingredients, and he did a really good job.

He bought an oblong (9X13) cake pan (metal with a lid that slid on) and put in chicken pieces on one side of the pan and cut potatoes on the other. Sometimes he added just salt and pepper, other times barbecue sauce or gravy from a jar. He'd cook this for 45 min to an hour at 350 degrees and when it was done, he'd have food for several days. He just kept trying new things--pork chops and sweet potatoes, meat loaf and Tater Tots, turkey legs and stuffing mix--until he had a pretty big repertoire.

You can also get yourself an inexpensive crock pot and make things like a meatloaf or a turkey breast or a big pot of chili that you can eat a number of times.

Freeze whatever leftovers you're tired of and pull something out on a busy day.

It's a mistake to think that beginners should limit themselves to things that are instant or processed when with just a tiny bit more effort you can create meals that will give you both a full belly and a sense of accomplishment. Of course, hot dogs do have their place, and I don't think you're allowed to graduate if you haven't eat a certain amount of ramen. But alternate those with food that is a little more challenging.

One more suggestion--Google "four" or "five ingredient cookbooks" for further ideas. You might just amaze yourself with your creativity, and being able to cook at least passably well is a big plus in the dating world.

Next you meet up with your family, you can cook for them. What a treat!

Nguyenchester · Jun 20, 2011

For sheer convenience you could always throw whatever meats you want under the George Foreman Grill. Instead of the microwave or oven, I use it to cook thawed out and seasoned chicken and burger patties. Cook's in less than 5 minutes and I like how the food turns out under the grill.

Moogie · Jun 21, 2011

Stir-fries are easy to make and can be nutritious as long as you watch the amount of oil and sodium. A little meat, some vegetables, garlic and ginger or stir fry sauce (low sodium!) and rice and you've got a tasty meal.

Also, you might want to see if any of your classmates would be interested in cooking dinner together. You could combine studying with good eats!

Rob72, ASN, RN · Jun 21, 2011

Classic: tuna-noodle-casserole. Make a box of macaroni and cheese, add 1 can of drained tuna and 1 can of mushroom soup (no water added). Eat warm if you like, or cool it in the fridge.

Spices: garlic, salt & pepper. The Man's Spice Rack. All meat taste better with garlic. Seriously, play around and see what you like. If you buy spices at Dollar General, you aren't risking much.

Frozen veggies, or no-salt-added canned veggies. I did my best to have 1/2 can of two veggies with every dinner, when I was single.

A Black & Decker steamer and a Foreman Grill are excellent investments (and they come with recipe books).