Living in a rural community, I cook most meals at home. Which doesn’t mean I feel like cooking every day.

In order to get more regular and consistent with meals, I always have the ingredients for 3 easy dinners which take less than 30 minutes and very little effort.

Does anyone else read recipes online which say things like “simple” and “throw together” and then require 17 ingredients, a mixer, waffle iron, deep fryer and convection oven? No one has time for that when you need an easy dinner.

Think about the meals you like to eat often enough and decide which can be your own 3 easy dinner plan. Here are some that I have played with (and please no comments on what’s healthy, faster to DIY or gross, these are just ideas):

• bean and rice burritos – canned black or refried beans, minute rice, tortillas, salsa
• soup and bread – canned soup of choice and your favorite bread, frozen
• frozen lasagna
• scrambled eggs and bacon
• fruit smoothie – frozen fruits, milk or water and yogurt, blended
• tacos – tortillas, browned ground beef, shredded lettuce, cheese, tomatoes
• spaghetti and meatballs – pasta of choice, frozen meatballs

Are any of these meals Pinterest worthy, restaurant quality? NO.

But they’re loads better than ordering a pizza, Door Dashing or going out to eat. Not every meal has to be gourmet.