The solution is simple. Make thick soups, casseroles, vegetable pies and fruit pies ahead of time. Microwave ovens make a big difference; cut a slice of vegetable pie, and a slice of apple pie, and heat.
Vegetable soups have more water than casseroles and are often blended, but other than that there is not much difference between a pumpkin/potato soup and a vegetable and meat casserole. My wife sometimes adds macaroni, but not blended, to soup.
A spoon of the curry sauce Rogan Josh (not curry powder) makes a difference, as does chopped bacon.
Pastry is frozen puff pastry, readily available. In a pie dish, start with sliced potato, sliced carrot, chopped bacon, green beans. Top with cauliflower and broccoli, and top that with frozen grated cheese. The potato carrot and cauli and broccoli are partly cooked, the other ingredients are raw. Add a layer of puff pastry, and cook for about 40 mins, or until brown. The cheese melts and soaks into the convolutions in the cauli and broccoli
Eat toasted bread with the soup, from your home bread maker machine, of course.
The bread maker machine can be loaded and set to ‘Dough’. This will make dough in about an hour and a half. Pour the dough on to an oiled baking tray, top with whatever you like, olives, chopped meat, cheese, and bake for about 45 minutes. This is focaccia and will last for days.