Top 10 easy cheat’s recipes (2024)

Break with tradition and try our incredible two-ingredient cheat's Spanish omelette. Serve up wedges of this Mediterranean-inspired treat with salad or in a chunky sandwich for a filling lunch. It's also delicious as part of a tapas platter. The secret ingredient? The humble crisp. Try it now, thank us later. Try even more Spanish recipes and put together a colourful sharing spread.

2. Spinach gnudi

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Turn four key ingredients into a mouth-watering Italian dinner for two. Make our cheat's gnudi in just 25 minutes using a bag of spinach, cheese and some breadcrumbs. Serve these delicious dumplings with a generous grating of parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil. Try our best ever gnocchi recipes for even more satisfying platefuls. Perfect even more popular Italian recipes with our all-time favourite dishes.

3. Black dhal

4. Quick sticky toffee puddings

You can make one of our favourite classic puds in 15 minutes flat with our shameless recipe hack. Try our quick sticky toffee pudding the next time you need a family-friendly dessert in no time. Use crumbled chocolate muffins for your base, then whip up a simple toffee sauce and top with ice cream. Alternatively, grab a bar of milk chocolate and make our 5-minute mocha pots. Peruse our best ever quick dessert recipes to satisfy your sweet tooth in a pinch.

5. Easy laksa

Craving something comforting that packs in plenty of flavour? Make a batch of our easy laksa, with aromatic Thai spices and a creamy coconut soup. You'll have one pan to wash up and a filling dinner on the table. Use a ready-made spice paste for a speedy shortcut. Find more comforting bowlfuls with our top chicken noodle soup recipe collection.

6. Super quick ramen

Rustle up a warming veggie supper in fifteen minutes flat with super-quick sesame ramen recipe. This healthy twist on a fast-food favourite is budget-friendly and perfect for a no-fuss dinner. Turn a packet of instant noodles into something special with the addition of some fresh veg, a runny boiled egg and a drizzle of chilli sauce. Try some more classic noodle soups with our top ramen recipes.

7. Aubergine Parmigiana

Hack your way to a classic Italian dish with just four ingredients and our cheat's aubergine Parmigiana. Assemble this hearty meal for two in minutes, leave in the oven and enjoy a bubbling, cheesy beauty. Serve with hunks of crusty bread or a homemade focaccia and a simple green salad. You're one step away from no-fuss dining perfection.

8. Chicken tikka masala pizzas

Skip the time it takes to make pizza dough from scratch and try our alternative pizza base recipes. Try our chicken tikka masala pizzas, loaded on fluffy naan breads. The combination of spicy chicken, cooling yogurt and sweet mango chutney is hard to beat. Use up a plain tortilla and try our , or try a pitta, puff pastry or a halved baguette.

9. Cheat's katsu curry

Switch up boring breaded chicken and create a cheat's katsu curry with a moreish peanut sauce. Served with crunchy pickled cabbage, fresh salad and fluffy rice, this is an instant winning dinner. Want a speedy lunch? Shun soggy sarnies and try our katsu curry wrap. Satisfy your cravings for crispy chicken and curry spices with our best ever katsu curry recipes. Treat your tastebuds to more curries for when you're in a hurry with our quick curry recipe collection.

10. Microwave chocolate cake

You can make a mouth-watering array of sweet treats using one of our favourite pieces of kitchen kit. Make a squidgy microwave chocolate cake in just 15 minutes, complete with silky smooth ganache. Need a homemade gift in a hurry? Try our fast truffle fudge, made with just four ingredients. Or if you need a chocolate fix for one, whip up our innovative microwave mug cake and serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Whip up even more creative, no-fuss dinners with our top microwave recipes.

Enjoyed these recipes? Try our easiest ever dinner ideas...

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FAQs

Are chicken nuggets a good cheat meal? ›

While they aren't the unhealthiest of cheat meals, they definitely don't come with as much nutritional value as other options. What's worse, many popular restaurants don't make nuggets with pure chicken, and the breading can be questionable as well.

How to compensate cheat meal? ›

You are entitled to a cheat meal but not to a cheat week. So, enjoy your cheat meals, but resume your healthy diet plan as soon as possible. Eating enough protein and veggies, drinking lots of water, and adding a few extra sets to your usual weight-training routine can help you compensate.

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What is a proper cheat meal? ›

“Cheat meals” are meals that contain foods that aren't on your current diet plan or are considered indulgent with a calorie count that would throw off your plan. But the idea that a cheat meal includes unhealthy foods (like a fast-food burger or milkshake) isn't always the case. It's about what's on your health plan.

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What is the easiest food to eat a lot of? ›

Foods that are easier to digest include toast, white rice, bananas, eggs, chicken, salmon, gelatine, applesauce, and oatmeal. Symptoms of digestive problems include acid reflux, bloating, or abdominal pain.

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Can I eat pizza on my cheat meal? ›

For many people following low calorie diets, “cheat meals” are a must. A cheat meal is essentially one planned meal (or meal deviation) a week where you can eat anything you want that you wouldn't normally eat as part of your diet — pizza, burger and fries, tacos, whatever you have a hankering for.

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Will one cheat meal ruin me? ›

If you're healthy, your body knows how to regulate itself after a cheat meal. Aside from feeling bloated, less active, and a temporary increase in water weight (excess sodium in many processed foods means you'll hold on to more water) a cheat here or there won't do much harm.

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Can I eat whatever I want on a cheat meal? ›

Cheat Meals vs Cheat Days

On a cheat day, you are allowed to eat whatever you want. It is possible that you may not count the calories as on a normal day. While some choose to go all out, some choose a less extreme version and increase their daily calorie intake with healthy, high-calorie foods.

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What is the 90 10 cheat meal rule? ›

While a good diet is crucial for health, bending the rules on occasion probably won't hurt. A tip you can try is the 90-10 rule. "Eat a healthy diet 90% of the time and splurge 10% of the time," McManus says. "Eating three meals a day for a week means 21 total meals: avoid splurging for more than two of those meals."

Will one cheat meal ruin my weight loss? ›

While your metabolism may go up in the immediate aftermath of a splurge, it doesn't stay that way for long enough to make a significant difference. “Cheat day calories can add up fast and bring your weight loss progress to a screeching halt — or even reverse it,” Taylor warns.

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Is it OK to have a big cheat meal? ›

If you plan to consume a larger amount of calories, try to do it on a day you can burn them off. Nutritionists agree that you should indulge in your cravings, but if you do, do it on the day of an intense workout. Even better, choose a meal that's high in protein to rebuild muscle mass and satiate hunger.

Can you really eat anything on a cheat day? ›

He says letting off steam through a cheat day can work, as long as your cheat diet is sensible and doesn't include lots of high-calorie or unhealthy foods, such as those high in saturated fat, salt or sugar.

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What not to eat on a cheat day? ›

Worst choice cheat day meals

Aim to avoid foods such as pizza, burger and chips from a fast food chain or Chinese takeaway. These meals are often easy to overeat and will most likely take you well over your recommended calories.

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