Here's How To Make No-Cook, Cold-Weather Meals That Are Still Comforting

Cooking always feels like more of a hassle on dark, winter weeknights. Before we even have a chance to leave the damn office, bam, it's bleak out there. At the end of these long, cold days, the last thing we really want is to spend another hour on our feet in the kitchen. Even though colder weather calls for comforting food, those hot dishes equal too much time and energy that we just don't want to muster. But what if we could quickly throw together a week’s worth of no-cook, cold-weather meals in one sitting? We're not talking about sad salads or mediocre ham and cheese sandwiches, either. We mean seasonal meals that are festive and comforting AF — all achieved easily without any prolonged stovetop, crockpot, or oven meddling.

I myself wondered how such a food feat would even be possible — as my past no-cook meal experiments always synced up with cool dishes and warmer weather. But with a little seasonal ingredient creativity and a solid game-plan for ingredient overlap (a rotisserie chicken is your best friend), pre-planning a week’s worth of inventive fall and winter dishes was an achievable reality.

Scroll on to watch me assemble the seven recipes ahead that are grab-and-go, cold-weather dining goals: from Thanksgiving leftovers-themed sandwiches and wraps, to pumpkin puree zoodles, microwave soups, cranberry walnut tuna salads, and more. Get geared up to fill your favorite Tupperwares with a week's worth of comforting, no-cook lunches and dinners — no stove, crockpot, or oven necessary.