Sometimes we get stuck in that loop of looking at food blogs, trying to imagine making a gourmet lunch with 18 different ingredients, then deciding that we liked the idea more than the execution. (I am we, but you might be too.)

Here are some super delicious, easy lunches that combine fresh produce, frozen Trader Joe’s delicacies, and and finding new uses for kitchen scissors.

1. Half Sandwich and Ultra-Lazy Chopped Salad

Aldi has surprisingly delicious sourdough bread, like, actual sourdough. I usually cut a single slice in half, which brings it down to the size of standard white bread. In this photo, I used smoked Gouda and smoked turkey from the grocery store deli, green leaf lettuce, cherry tomatoes, green onions (because they’re easy to snip with scissors and they don’t hurt my eyes) and mayo. (I add vinegar + black pepper + oregano if I’m feeling fancy.)

For the salad, I stood at the counter with my kitchen scissors and snipped the lettuce, mini sweet peppers, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, and green onions directly onto the plate, (that’s one less dirty cutting board).

I drizzled some Trader Joe’s sweet chili sauce on top, and threw in some Autumn Crisp grapes and raspberries, because once you commit to buying fruit, you have to sneak it in wherever you can.

2. Vegetable Fried Rice and Salmon.

The vegetable fried rice from Trader Joe’s does not disappoint. It cooks up perfectly on the stovetop, and no wok is required. I usually doctor mine with a bit of sesame oil, soy sauce, and an egg for the authentic-ish experience.

The salmon was just as low-effort. I grabbed a small portion from the grab-and-go section in the seafood department and made a quick single-serving glaze in a soy sauce dish, stirred with a chopstick, of course.

For the glaze, I used honey, soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger. I threw the salmon in the air fryer, and it was done by the time the rice was ready.

I will always preach the good word of meat thermometers. For some reason, I’ve found that people think owning one means they aren’t that good of a cook? Um, have you had overcooked salmon? It’s not good.

A meat thermometer helps you get the perfect temp, which, in my opinion, can be the difference between succulent and inedible salmon. I usually pull mine around 130°F.

3. Chicken Cobb-ish Salad

I snatched up a Whole Foods produce bag from Too Good To Go for $6.99. It came with a delicious blue cheese cornbread crunch salad mix that I never would have bought of my own volition, but it was a total win. I added a hard-boiled egg, some shredded Monterey Jack, and a mini cucumber that was just chilling in my crisper waiting to be used. The chicken was just frozen strips (the Real Good brand is my go-to when they’re on sale) tossed in the air fryer. This salad felt gourmet, and very un-salady, which is my favorite kind of salad.

4. Summer Rolls with Sweet Chili Sauce

I first had these from my local grocery store sushi chef (he was the real deal, trust), and fell in love instantly. I can’t make them look as nice as he does, but they taste exactly the same. I use Trader Joe’s imitation crab, a red cabbage slaw, cucumbers, and avocado here, but you can put just about anything in them.

If you’ve never worked with rice paper, there’s a slight art to it. The sheets are stiff until they hit the water, then they turn malleable pretty quickly. Then, you just lay your ingredients in, wrap them up, and dip them in the sweet chili sauce.

5. Super Lazy Gyros

This is one of my all time favorites. I use the Trader Joe’s gyro meat, which is surprisingly good (even microwaved). I topped it with cherry tomatoes, mini cucumbers, (you guessed it, cut with kitchen scissors directly over the naan and gyro meat), and a very lazily-made halal cart-style white sauce. I whip the sauce up as a single serving in a soy sauce dish (stirred with a chopstick, of course) using mayo, a drop of lemon juice, a splash of vinegar, dill, and garlic powder.

Don’t try these with pita pockets. They aren’t the same. Greek pita is closer if you can find it, but I actually love using the Stonefire naan rounds. They have the right texture, they aren’t too thick, and they’re small enough that having two feels like a nice lunch.

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At the end of the day, a lunch assembled and enjoyed in your own kitchen (even if it is feet away from your bed) is better than a gourmet recipe that stays in your bookmarks folder.

What is the one lazy meal you find yourself making on repeat?