Skip the Drive-Thru: “Food Near Me” You Can Cook at Home Tonight
By Rossi Voss • Author of the $0.99 Cookbook Series
If you just typed “food near me” or “easy meals near me”, I get it — you’re hungry, you’re busy, and you want dinner now. Here’s the truth: with a few pantry staples and a basic cooker (Instant Pot, air fryer, stockpot, or Ninja Speedi), you can have a hot plate on the table in the time it takes to wait for delivery.
This page gives you 10 faster-than-takeout dinners you can make with what you probably have at home. I’ll also point you to step-by-step options in my $0.99 cookbooks so you can keep dinner easy all week.
How to Use This Page
- Pick your tool: Instant Pot • Air Fryer • Stockpot • Ninja Speedi
- Pick your time: 15 minutes • 20 minutes • 30 minutes
- Pick your goal: High-protein • Budget • Kid-friendly • Comfort
Want full weekly menus? Check out: Meal Prep, Instant Pot, Air Fryer, and the series: “What should I cook today?” (see Week 1 • Week 2).
10 “Food Near Me” Dinners You Already Have at Home
1) 15-Minute Red Lentil Dal (Instant Pot)
Why it beats takeout: Protein, fiber, and zero waiting. Serve over rice or with flatbread.
You’ll need: Red lentils, onion, garlic, turmeric, cumin, broth, splash of coconut milk.
Steps: Rinse lentils ➜ pressure cook 10 min ➜ quick release ➜ stir in coconut milk & lime.
From: 100 Beginner’s Instant Pot Bean and Grain Cookbook (Kindle) • Paperback
2) Cuban Black Beans & Rice (Instant Pot, One-Pot)
Why: Pantry-only hero. Add avocado or hot sauce if you have it.
Steps: Sauté onion/pepper/garlic ➜ add black beans (canned or soaked), rice, spices ➜ pressure cook ➜ fluff.
From: Instant Pot Bean & Grain
3) Air Fryer Rotisserie-Style Chicken Bites (20 min)
Why: Crispy edges, juicy middle, minimal oil. Toss on a salad or grain bowl.
You’ll need: Chicken breast or thighs, rotisserie seasoning or shawarma spice, a little oil.
From: 100 Beginner’s Air Fryer Rotisserie Recipes (Kindle) • Paperback
4) 25-Minute Turkey Chili (Stockpot or Instant Pot)
Why: High-protein, freezer-friendly, and cheaper than ordering chili bowls for the family.
Steps: Brown ground turkey with onion/pepper ➜ add tomatoes, beans, chili powder ➜ simmer 20–25 min.
Try also: 100 Instant Pot Turkey Recipes (Kindle) • 120 Air Fryer Turkey Breast Recipes (Paperback)
5) 18-Minute Shawarma Chicken Bowls (Air Fryer)
Why: “Takeout-style” flavor at home. Serve with rice, cucumbers, and yogurt.
Boost it: Finish with a spoon of homemade shawarma sauce.
Sauces from: 90 Beginner’s Shawarma Sauce Recipes • 100 Beginners Instant Pot Sauce Recipes
6) Speedi/Vortex Sheet-Pan Pasta Bake (30 min)
Why: Dump-and-bake comfort with minimal dishes. Add chicken sausage or keep it veggie.
From: 142 Instant Pot Vortex Plus Cookbook • 100 Ninja Speedi Rapid Cooker Recipes
7) Black-Garlic Butter Shrimp (Air Fryer or Skillet, 12–15 min)
Why: Restaurant flavor at home. Toss with quinoa or zucchini noodles.
Flavor from: 100 Beginner’s Black Garlic Sauce Cookbook • Black Garlic Hot Sauce
8) Pizza-Night Flatbreads with 5-Minute Sauce
Why: Friday “pizza near me”… but faster. Use pitas or tortillas + stove/air fryer.
Sauces: 90 Beginner’s Pizza Sauce Cookbook
9) 20-Minute Stockpot Tortellini Soup
Why: Cozy, budget-friendly, and stretches to feed a crowd.
More hearty bowls: Stockpot Cookbook: 139 Simple and Hearty Recipes
10) Dessert Save: Air-Fryer Apple Pies or Quick Bread
Why: A sweet ending without turning on the oven.
From: Pie & Bread Perfection (Kindle) • Paperback
High-Protein, Beginner-Friendly Meal Prep (Start Here)
If you’re ready to stop searching “food near me” every night and want a simple routine, begin with these $0.99 guides:
- 100 Beginner’s Instant Pot Bean and Grain Cookbook — beans, lentils, and grains that actually taste amazing.
- 100 Beginner’s Air Fryer Rotisserie Recipes — juicy, crispy proteins in minutes.
- 100 Beginners Instant Pot Sauce Recipes — turn “meh” into “wow” with 1 spoonful.
- 100 Ninja Speedi Rapid Cooker Recipes — weeknight wins with one appliance.
- Stockpot Cookbook — big-batch soups and stews for real life.
FAQ: Make “Food Near Me” Work at Home
What if I only have 15 minutes? Choose the dal (Instant Pot), rotisserie chicken bites (air fryer), or shrimp (skillet/air fryer).
What if I’m on a budget? Beans & rice, stockpot soup, and pizza-night flatbreads win every time.
High-protein ideas? Turkey chili, shawarma chicken bowls, black-garlic shrimp. See High-Protein label.
What about meal prep for beginners? Start with one batch cook + 2 quick recipes. See Meal Prep for Beginners.
Cook once. Eat well. Feel better.
— Rossi