3 Low-Energy Meals for Parenting with Chronic Illness
Some days you have the energy to cook from scratch. Other days, just deciding what’s for dinner feels completely impossible.
When a chronic illness flare strikes or severe fatigue sets in, the best gift you can give yourself is a meal that requires zero mental load. In this post, I am sharing three of my go-to "good enough" family dinners—Apricot Chicken, Curried Sausage Stew, and Butter Chicken. Designed for a gluten-free household, these recipes are simple, forgiving, and rely on clever shortcuts to conserve your limited energy. Learn how to feed your family without the guilt, because sometimes the best meal is simply the one you had the capacity to make.
Some days I have the energy to cook from scratch. Other days, just deciding what’s for dinner feels impossible.
One of the biggest gifts I can give Future Me is a dinner that doesn’t require much thinking.
On days then my chronic illness flares or parenting takes all the energy I have, these are the meals I come back to. They’re simple, affordable, and forgiving. They’re not about cooking from scratch or creating the perfect family dinner - they’re about making sure everyone gets fed without adding more mental load and conserving whatever energy I have left.
These 3 low energy dinner recipes - Apricot Chicken, Curried Sausages Stew, and Butter Chicken - are designed for those exact days.
EASY APRICOT CHICKEN
This is one of my favourite dump and cook meals. It only uses three main ingredients, there’s very little chopping (alternately, if you buy pre-diced there’s none), and the leftovers make an easy lunch the next day.
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients:
1kg Diced Chicken
2 Heaped Tablespoons Gluten-Free French Onion Soup Mix
2 Cans Apricot Nectar
Microwave Rice (1 Packet Per Person)
Method:
Place diced chicken, French onion soup mix, and apricot nectar into large saucepan or deep frying pan.
Stir well to combine.
Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through and sauce has thickened slightly.
Microwave rice according to packet instructions.
Serve apricot chicken over rice.
CURRIED SAUSAGES STEW
This recipe makes a large batch and freezes beautifully, making it ideal if you have the energy to cook once but also want future meals.
Serves: 6-8
Ingredients:
1 value pack (24-26) thin beef sausages
1kg frozen mixed vegetables (peas, carrot, corn)
2 packets curried sausages recipe base
About 2 cups of water
Rice, mashed potatoes or toast (to serve)
Method:
Pour both packets of recipe base into a large stock pot.
Refill empty packets with water, shake to rise, and add to pot. Stir well.
Add frozen vegetables and heat over medium.
Cut sausages into bite sized pieces using kitchen scissors.
Cook sausage pieces in batches in a frying pan until browned on the outside.
Transfer sausages to the stock pot using a slotted spoon, leaving behind excess fat.
Stir everything together and simmer for 30-60 minutes.
Cook until sausages are done, vegetables are soft, and sauce has thickened.
Serve over rice, mashed potatoes, or toast.
BUTTER CHICKEN
Using a recipe base keeps this meal quick and predictable; saving energy. It’s mild enough for many children and freezes well for another low-energy day.
Ingredients:
1.5kg diced chicken
2 packets butter chicken recipe base
About 1 cup water
Naan bread or pita pockets (to serve)
Microwave rice (1 pack per person)
Method:
Place diced chicken and butter chicken recipe base into a large pan,
Add a little water to empty packets, shake, and pour into the pot. Stir well.
Cook over medium heat until chicken is cooked through and sauce has thickened.
Microwave according to packet instructions.
Warm naan or pita in oven, air fryer or toaster.
Serve butter chicken over rice with bread on the side.
SHOPPING LIST
2.5 kg diced chicken
Gluten-free French onion soup mix (bulk of possible)
2 cans apricot nectar
Microwave rice (approximately 1 per person per meal)
1 value pack (24-26) thin beef sausages
1kg frozen vegetables (peas, carrot, corn)
2 packets curried sausages recipe base
2 packets butter chicken recipe base
Naan bread or pita pockets
MONEY SAVING & LOW-ENERGY COOKING TIPS
If energy allows, to save money buy chicken breast and dice it yourself
To save energy you can ask a butcher to dice the chicken.
Stock up on recipe bases when they’re on special to reduce future cooking effort and cost.
Cooking rice from a bulk bag (jasmine rice or long grain) is usually cheaper than microwave packets.
Always check ingredients labels for allergies, as formulations can change.
This version is written for a gluten-free household due to celiac disease.
Parenting with chronic illness often means choosing meals that are “good enough” rather than perfect and that’s ok. Feeding your family doesn’t have to look like a home-cooked feast every night. Sometimes the best meal is the one you have the energy to make.