EASY 5-MINUTE FAMILY RECIPES USING MOSTLY PACKAGED FOODS — Kate Lyman Nutrition (2024)

With all that’s happening in our world right now, you’re probably figuring out a new normal amongst the chaos.

Maybe you’re used to eating meals out and have been figuring out how to cook more at home. Or maybe your routine meal prep menu has had to be adjusted based on what’s available at the grocery store. With stay-at-home mandates in effect, you may be frequenting the store less and trying to stock up on more shelf stable foods.

Keeping all of that in mind, we are sharing 5-minute recipes that use mostly packaged, frozen, or pre-made foods. You and your family can still cook and eat delicious meals, even if you’re stuck at home.

CREAMY CHICKEN TORTILLA SOUP

PREP TIME: 5 minutes | COOK TIME: 2+ hours | MAKES: 6 servings

WHAT YOU NEED:

13.5 oz. (1 can) Lite coconut milk
14.5 oz. (1 can) Fire-roasted diced tomatoes
15 oz. (1 can) Tri-bean blend canned beans
7.5 oz. (½ can) Canned pumpkin
32 oz. Fat free chicken stock
16 oz. Pulled rotisserie chicken (cooked)
150 g Plain nonfat Greek yogurt (one single serve)
Fresh cilantro & chopped green onions for garnish
1 Crock pot

WHAT TO DO:

1. Drain and rinse beans.

2. Add all ingredients to the crock pot (except yogurt, cilantro and green onions) and mix until well combined.

3. Set on low and cook for at least 2 hours, stirring every 30 minutes. Add more chicken stock for desired consistency.

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4. Portion into bowls and garnish each serving with a dollop of Greek yogurt, cilantro and green onions.

MACROS PER SERVING: 31P/5F/20C, 254 calories

You can find the recipe in the MyFitnessPal database by searching: “KLN Recipe: Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup”.

SPICY TUNA SALAD

PREP TIME: 5 minutes | MAKES: 1 serving

WHAT YOU NEED:

85gTuna (canned, in water)
25gCelery, chopped
20gPurple Cabbage, chopped
5gGreen Onions, chopped
1gTJ’s Everything But the Bagel seasoning
OR black sesame seeds + salt and pepper
30gPlain nonfat Greek yogurt
15gSriracha chili sauce

WHAT TO DO:

1. Drain tuna and spoon into a small mixing bowl.

2. Add Greek yogurt and sriracha; mix until well-combined.

3. Add remaining ingredients and mix together; season with Trader Joe’s seasoning or sesame seeds and salt and pepper.

4. Serve over a bed of your favorite salad greens, spread on a rice cake or enjoy as a sandwich or a wrap!

MACROS PER SERVING: 21P/2F/10C, 140 calories

You can find the recipe in the MyFitnessPal database by searching: “KLN Recipe: Spicy Tuna Salad”.

BUFFALO CHICKEN BAKE

PREP TIME: 5 minutes | COOK TIME: 40 minutes | MAKES: 4 servings

WHAT YOU NEED:

14 oz.Canned chicken breast (weigh after draining)
340g Mirepoix (we used 1 frozen bag from Kroger, but can be fresh)
340g Cauliflower rice (we used 1 frozen bag from Kroger, but can be fresh)
112g Banza chickpea pasta shells (measured dry, but should be cooked for recipe)
150gPlain nonfat Greek yogurt
4 oz. Frank’s Redhot Buffalo sauce
2 Eggs
56g Shredded cheddar cheese
60g Bolthouse Farms ranch dressing

NOTES: For our recipe, we used canned chicken, but you could also make your own crockpot shredded chicken or use already pulled rotisserie chicken from the prepared foods section of the store.

WHAT TO DO:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray an 8 x 8” baking dish with cooking oil spray.

2. Add drained chicken, mirepoix, cauliflower rice and cooked pasta to a large mixing bowl. If using frozen mirepoix and cauliflower rice, break it up using a spoon or your hands so there are no big chunks before adding to the mixing bowl.

3. Add Greek yogurt and buffalo sauce to a small mixing bowl and mix until well-combined.

4. Scramble eggs in a small bowl.

5. Add creamy buffalo sauce and eggs to chicken mixture and combine until everything is well-coated. Spoon chicken mixture into baking dish and flatten using a spatula.

6. Bake for 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and top with shredded cheese. Bake for an additional 10-15 minutes or until the cheese has melted.

7. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Drizzle with ranch dressing upon serving.

MACROS PER SERVING: 43P/15F/30C, 397 calories

You can find the recipe in the MyFitnessPal database by searching: “KLN Recipe: Buffalo Chicken Bake”.

TERIYAKI SHRIMP STIR-FRY

PREP TIME: 5 minutes | COOK TIME: 10 minutes | MAKES: 4 servings

WHAT YOU NEED:

600g Shrimp, raw, peeled and deveined (fresh or frozen)
540g Kroger Stir-fry kit, Teriyaki flavor
340g Cauliflower rice (we used 1 frozen bag from Kroger, but can be fresh)
½ t Minced ginger

NOTES: For our recipe, we used 2 family-sized bags of stir-fry veggies, found in the produce section, but you can also use frozen stir-fry veggies, which are available at most grocery stores. Also, for higher carbs, substitute rice in place of cauliflower rice or do half and half.

WHAT TO DO:

1. Spray a large skillet or wok with cooking oil spray and sauté stir-fry veggies and cauliflower rice over medium-low heat for 8-10 minutes. Use water to deglaze the pan as needed.

2. Spray a separate skillet with cooking oil spray and add ½ teaspoon of minced ginger. Move around in the pan for about one minute and then add the shrimp. Continue to stir shrimp until cooked through, about 5-7 minutes.

3. Add teriyaki sauce to cooked veggies and stir for an additional 2-3 minutes.

4. Portion out stir-fry veggies on to 4 separate plates and top with shrimp.

MACROS PER SERVING: 26P/3F/26C, 251 calories

You can find the recipe in the MyFitnessPal database by searching: “KLN Recipe: Teriyaki Shrimp Stir-fry”.