If you are like most people in today’s busy world, you probably find that it’s not always easy to fuel yourself with a nutritious meal three times a day. And without proper fuel, keeping up with your busy schedule can become overwhelming.

You may think that you’re saving time by skipping a meal, but the truth is that the nutrition you miss just ends up making you tired and slowing you down in the long run. And if you don’t take the time to make your meals a priority, you can expect to battle mood swings more often than not, thanks to unstable blood sugar levels.

Luckily, there isn’t a need to take time out of your morning in order to prepare a batch of pancakes for breakfast or to create a multi-course meal at the end of a long day in order to get the nutrition and energy you need. In fact, you can eat your three squares a day without ever having to actually sit down in one place to do it. These five convenient meal ideas can be made ahead of time and taken with you when you’re on the go:

One-Handed Wraps

Wraps are a favorite lunch time staple and can easily be filled with vegan protein options like hummus or even tempeh, to create a filling, quick meal. Hummus is a great source of amino acids and fiber, and it’s tasty enough to eat for any meal of the day.  Making quick wraps out of brown rice or whole wheat tortillas, a couple scoops of hummus, and some toppings will take you less then ten minutes in the kitchen. They’ll also hold up overnight in the fridge so you can simply have them for breakfast or grab them on your way out the door for lunch later. Try your hand at one or more of these options:

• Southwest Fiesta Wraps – Combine hummus, avocado, corn kernels, chopped bell peppers, and salsa on a wrap and sprinkle with a little tortilla.

• Gyro-Style Wraps – Combine seitan or tempeh, hummus, a little soy yogurt, and some greens on a tortilla.

• Fresh Mediterranean Wraps – Combine hummus, freshly chopped tomatoes, marinated mushrooms, artichoke hearts, and freshly minced basil on a tortilla.

Once your wraps are made, wrap them in foil so you can feel it away as you enjoy each wrap. This makes them easy to eat with just one hand, which can come in handy when you need to multitask.

See all of our wrap recipes here. 

Super Smoothies

Smoothies are a great way to fuel your body with plants and are easy to take on the go.  They take just a couple of minutes to make, and there are many ways to create them that will still taste great since you can use a variety of ingredients. Check out these tasty concoctions:

• Coconut Bliss – Blend a banana, 12-ounces of coconut milk, and three or four dates together for a creamy treat that tastes great at any temperature.

• Citrus Energy Elixir – Blend about five medjool dates (double the amount if you’re using another variety) with the fresh juice of about 3 oranges to make your own energizing sports drink.

• Sweet Apple Pie – Blend two cored apples, 2 bananas, a touch of cinnamon (or apple pie spice if you have it!), and a bit of vanilla protein powder together, and you’ve got a filling meal. Keep it on the dashboard of your vehicle for awhile for a really indulgent treat!

See all of our smoothie recipes here. 

Simple Oatmeal Cookies

Oatmeal is perfect for breakfast, and turning oatmeal into cookies makes them easy to carry around for those times when a snack is a great idea for a convenient snack.  Just blend a cup of oats into flour and throw them in a bowl with a cup of whole oats, add a little of your favorite sweetener, dump a handful of raisins to the mix, and toss the whole thing with a pinch of both cinnamon and salt. Add enough liquid to make a “dough” or you can use nut butter instead.

Put a couple tablespoons of the mixture at a time on a baking sheet, and bake the cookies at 450 degrees F for about ten minutes or until they start to turn golden brown. They’ll be really soft in the middle when you take them out of the oven, but if you let them sit on the counter to cool for a few minutes they’ll become hardy enough to handle. 

See more oatmeal cookie recipes here. 

Easy-Peasy Fruit Tacos

For those times when you want something fresh and hydrating, easy-peasy fruit tacos will do the trick. All that’s needed to get the party in your mouth started is a plastic reusable container filled with freshly cut chunks of your favorite fruit, and a head of lettuce. Grapes, melon, berries, pineapple, and apples all hold up well and offer a fun “taco” texture.

When you are ready to eat, just pull a leaf off your head of lettuce and fill it with some fruit. Consider implementing a healthy source of fat to your meal by adding chunks of avocado to the fruit mix, or mixing avocado with a little nutritional yeast to create a “sour cream” topping.

See our other vegan taco recipes here. 

Blended Thermos Soups

Blended soups are yet another effective way to fuel your busy day because whether you’re working at a desk or driving down the road, they can be enjoyed simply by drinking them. A thermos will keep your blended soup from getting too cold, which comes in pretty handy on those chilly days when you’d probably rather be at home curled up with a good book or watching a movie. And hey, if you can’t comfort yourself on a rainy day at home, getting comfort out of a good soup for lunch is a must. Grab a pot and your blender to create these goodies:

• Creamy Potato and Tempeh “Bacon” Soup

Simmer veggie broth with celery, carrots, potatoes, and broccoli, a touch of soy sauce, and salt and pepper to taste until the veggies are tender.

Add the veggies and broth to your blender and pour in a cup of cool water. Mix on high until well blended, and transfer to a thermos.

Cut a strip of tempeh “bacon” into small pieces and add to the thermos while the soup is still really warm. Close the lid, give the thermos a little shake, and store it for your next meal.

• Avocado Kale Soup

Cook a pound of chopped kale in a couple cups of water until very tender. Drain and let cool, then add to your blender.

Also add an avocado, a cup of soy or almond milk, two tomatoes, a tablespoon of dried Italian herbs, a clove of garlic, and salt and pepper to taste. Blend on high until creamy and then fill your thermos with it.

Just about any soup that you cook can be blended and turned into a nutritious meal on-the-go, so don’t be afraid to experiment.

Mixing and matching these meal ideas throughout the week should help you to stay on track when it comes to fueling your body, mind, and soul.

See more of our blended soup recipes here. 

There are lots of ways to make your meals healthy and convenient when you use simple ingredients, and take a new spin on how you eat your food. Get creative and make use of what you have. Let us know if you have any ideas you’d like to share too!

Lead Image Source: Chocolate Chip Granola Bites