It’s a common dilemma: It’s 5 p.m. and you have no idea what to make for dinner, nor do you feel like cooking. Nancy Waldeck, a chef at Cancer Wellness at Piedmont, shares her tips for making quick, healthy meals in a pinch.

“I think the hardest part of dinner is actually thinking about cooking at 4 p.m.,” says Waldeck. “With a little preplanning, you can make dinner easier. And when it’s easy and you’re cooking at home, it’s going to be healthier.”

Meal plan for the week ahead

Start your week with a meal planning session.

“Think ahead,” she says. “Decide what you really like and use that as the basis for planning four meals ahead of time. Be realistic—you may want to order takeout or join family or friends at a restaurant a couple of nights each week. If you plan for four meals, you’ll have most of your dinner plans done.”

Get creative with your meals

“Shake up where your recipe inspiration comes from,” she says. “Think about foods you love and prepare them in a different way.”

Some ideas to get you started:

• Make a stir-fry with your favorite frozen veggies and protein.

• Top your salad with beans and salsa.

• Make a quick pizza using naan bread as the base.

• Take a salad and roll it into a wrap.

• Use your ancient grains as a base for an easy casserole with lots of roasted veggies and topped with your favorite cheese.

Stock up on pantry and freezer staples

Waldeck recommends keeping the following items on hand so you can easily assemble meals:

• Beans

• Canned tomatoes

• Capers

• Olives

• Pasta

• Rice

• Ancient grains

• Anchovies

• Tuna

• Nut butter

• Frozen spinach

• Frozen corn

• Frozen peas

Buy produce that will hold up well during the week 

She also recommends selecting hearty produce that will hold up well throughout the week, such as:

• Napa cabbage

• Spinach

• Arugula

• Romaine lettuce

• Grape tomatoes

• Onions

• Potatoes

• Apples

• Bananas

• Avocados

• Citrus fruits

Keep pre-cooked protein on hand

In addition to canned goods and salad ingredients, Waldeck always has some kind of pre-cooked protein in the freezer.

“For instance, when I grill out, I always cook an additional piece or two of chicken or fish that I can package, freeze and reheat for salad toppings,” she says.

Do some light meal prep

Once you’ve planned your meals and stocked up on low-maintenance essentials, Waldeck suggests some simple meal prep to make your life easier:

• Make a big batch of quinoa, farro, barley or brown rice.

• Whip up two homemade salad dressings to keep in the refrigerator.

• Make a dessert to enjoy once during the week, then freeze the leftovers in individual portions.

Keep reading for a few of Waldeck’s favorite weeknight recipes.

Lemon Dijon vinaigrette

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

• 1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard

• 1 teaspoon honey

• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt and freshly ground pepper

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Place the ingredients in a jar and shake.

Smoked paprika vinaigrette

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

• Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Add all the ingredients to a small jar and shake well.

Five-ingredient* tomato soup

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons avocado oil

• 3 cups chopped red onion

• 2 tablespoon Italian seasoning

• 1 jar roasted red peppers, chopped

• 2 (29-ounce) large cans fire roasted crushed tomatoes

• 2 cups water

• Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Step one

Heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, Italian seasoning and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Sauté the onions slowly until soft, about eight to 10 minutes.

Step two

Add the peppers, tomatoes and water. Cook and stir for 30 minutes.

Step three

Remove from the heat and season to taste with salt and pepper. Let cool slightly and then use your immersion blender to puree the soup.

*When counting ingredients in recipes, I don’t count salt and pepper or water because everyone has those three in their kitchen.

Skillet corn and squash

Ingredients:

• 4 ears corn, shucked and corn removed (4 ears yields about 2 cups or a 10-ounce package of frozen corn)

• 2 tablespoon avocado or grapeseed oil

• 1 red bell pepper, chopped

• 3 cups zucchini or yellow squash, chopped

• 2 cups red onion, chopped

• 1 to 2 jalapeños, seeded, ribbed and minced (optional)

• 1 cup quartered grape tomatoes

• ½ cup chopped cilantro

• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Step one

Heat the oil in a large cast iron pan over medium-high heat. Add the corn, bell pepper, zucchini, onions and jalapeño and sauté until tender, about six to eight minutes.

Step two

Remove from the heat and add the tomatoes and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper. Serve it on the side of protein or atop ancient grains for a veggie-centric, protein-packed meal.

Date bites with Indian spices

Ingredients:

• ½ cup almonds, toasted

• ½ cup walnuts, toasted

• ½ cup pecans, toasted

• 16 dates, pitted

• 3 tablespoon honey

• Zest of 2 oranges

• ½ teaspoon cardamom

• ½ teaspoon cinnamon

• 1/8 tsp sea salt

Step one

Place all ingredients in a food processor. Pulse until the mixture is completely chopped and forms a thick paste.

Step two

Place in a bowl and refrigerate for at least one hour or overnight.

Step three

Remove from fridge and with a spoon, make 1-inch balls by carefully pressing together and rolling. Wrap individually in parchment paper to take on the road or serve in mini cupcake liners.

These keep great in the fridge for a week in an airtight container or in the freezer for up to three months.

Check out more recipes and nutrition tips from Cancer Wellness experts.