After a long shift, what you’re going to have for dinner is probably one of the last things on your mind. We know it’s important to take care of ourselves but with very limited time in our day, sometimes it’s easier to choose the speedy option and grab a ready meal or whack something in the oven. For many of us, the idea of cooking something healthy is the most difficult option because there’s usually a lot of ingredients and prep involved.

Nutritionally, we benefit the most from natural fresh and frozen ingredients. Processed foods can have things we don’t need, like added salt, sugars and fats, which contributes to poor diet and health. By selecting what individual foods you’re going to cook you can make sure your body and mind are better prepared for the next working day.

There are many delicious and easy-to-prepare ingredients you can add to your meals that release natural energy-boosting nutrients and vitamins. These include: Fatty fish, brown rice, whole wheat pasta, oats, eggs, leafy green vegetables (kale and spinach), sweet potatoes, beetroot, seeds, nuts, fruit (such as apples, bananas, oranges, strawberries, goji berries and avocados), beans and legumes (lentils, edamame and chickpeas), to name a few.

Here are five of our favourite easy-to-cook and quick meals. Click on the dish names to take you to the full recipe.