Some days, the hardest part of lunch isn’t cooking — it’s deciding.
By midday, your brain may already be full. Work, errands, thinking, doing. The last thing you need is another decision about what to eat or how to put it together.
That’s where simple midday meals come in.
Not meals that impress.
Meals that work.
A good midday meal doesn’t ask much of you. It’s warm, familiar, and steady enough to carry you through the rest of the day without weighing you down.
This is the kind of food that reheats well, doesn’t require focus, and uses ingredients you already trust. Nothing fancy. Nothing new. Just dependable fuel.
On days like this, I don’t look for inspiration — I look for relief.
A single bowl is often enough: soup, beans and greens, a simple rice or grain bowl, or leftovers you already know you like. One bowl. One plate. One less thing to think about.
Eating the same thing more than once isn’t boring — it’s efficient. When you already know a meal works, repeating it saves time, reduces mental fatigue, and keeps your energy steady.
Over time, I’ve built a small rotation of meals I come back to when I don’t want to think about food at all. They’re simple, repeatable, and easy to return to — especially on busy days.
A few of those live in Yum’s Favorites, a small collection of cozy, easy meals that just work when midday feels full.
You don’t need more ideas.
You need a few meals you can trust.
Yum’s Note
When midday feels full, I don’t reach for variety — I reach for ease. Simple food still counts. 💛