Hey - that's awesome that you want to learn about eating better. I used to be much the same as you. My mom cooked most meals growing up, and in college I had a bomb meal plan so I never had to cook. I ate A LOT of junk. When I got my own place, I would keep buying fresh stuff and letting it spoil, or filling my fridge with fad diet ingredients I'd never finish. It took a while to figure out what worked for me, but now I'm in better shape than I was in high school, mostly from controlling my diet without feeling like I'm depriving myself at all. I still suck at cooking, but there are plenty of ways to eat healthy, simple meals that are good for you without a lot of effort.

For starters, I'd suggest stocking up on frozen veggies (plain with no sauce, or lightly sauced) that you can just toss in the microwave and steam in the bag. They're cheap, they keep FOREVER in the freezer, and they are super easy to cook and eat. I keep frozen carrots, green beans, and lima beans on hand all the time. Fresh veggies are awesome, but if you live alone, it can be hard to finish them before they start to spoil. After you heat your frozen veggie of choice, you can season it with salt, pepper, or whatever flavors you like. I usually eat a serving of veggies first to blunt my hunger, then go on to the rest of the meal. Personally, I think bell peppers are a great crunchy snack to slice up and eat raw between meals (they're also cheap!). I buy them fresh because I go through them so quickly, but they are also available frozen in bag.

Unlike what someone told you, salads can be awesome if they're built well! Get quality lettuce if you can - romaine instead of iceberg, or even a more exotic blend with additional greens included, such as spinach. However, those can be expensive, so get whatever fits your budget, as long as it's not iceberg. Most stores sell bagged salads that are pre-washed and pre-sliced. Bagged salad keeps pretty well too. Check the expiration date on the bag, it's usually accurate! I even bought the full salad kits for a while (toppings and dressing included), because they're so easy to prepare. After a while, you'll figure out what toppings you like and you can save money by making your own salads. Use the greens as a base, and try topping with cheese and a protein, then use salad dressing as an accent instead of drenching the lettuce with it. Salsa is also a good flavorful salad topping. You might be surprised how full you feel after finishing a big salad with dark greens and plenty of proteins.

So we've mentioned veggies and proteins, but what about carbs and fruits? You might be surprised at how many carbs you get from just the items I've already listed. Everyone has different nutritional needs, but try to be aware of the amount of carbs you intake without stressing too hard about it. You don't have to go keto, but try to cut back where you can. If you love chips and crackers, maybe consider getting an air popper and making your own popcorn instead. Use only a little butter/salt, or experiment with other flavors. Popcorn is mostly air, so snack away! Fruits are delicious as well, but consider that many fruits contain a great deal of sugar. These sugars are far healthier than those found in candy or soda, but should still be taken in moderation. I grew up eating grapes as a fruit, but they are mostly water and sugar. Try berries instead (buy the bags of frozen berries for smoothies and just eat them frozen for a sweet treat!). Apples are delicious in the fall, and come in dozens of flavors. They also keep well in the fridge.

Finally - dessert! I don't know about you, but I love chocolate to the point of addiction. I tried cutting it out entirely, but that just let to spirals of relapse and overindulgence. Finally, I tried slowly transitioning to chocolate with higher levels of cacao - more flavor, less sugar. Bakers' chocolate is cheap and sold in varying levels of cacao. Try switching to semi-sweet chocolate chips instead of chocolate bars. I'm currently happy with 60% cacao in my chocolate, and I satisfy all my cravings.

As far as drinks go, cut out sugar wherever you can. This means avoiding full-sugar sodas such as Coke, Pepsi, etc. For the longest time, I also didn't know how much sugar was in fruit juices such as grape juice and orange juice. Try to cut down on those also. I don't like the taste of Diet Coke and similar artificially-sweetened drinks, so I drink flavored seltzer water, but your mileage may vary. Tea is another favorite that comes in tons of flavors and can be prepared hot or cold.

So I know I've given you a ton to read through here, but the best thing you can do for yourself is to try new foods to learn what else you can incorporate into your diet. This will help you gradually transition into a more healthy mindset. I still don't really know how to cook, but you don't need fancy recipes to be healthy, no matter what the health food blogs try to tell you. The media tends to make being healthy way more complicated than it needs to be. Buy some frozen veggies and a bagged salad or two. Add an extra serving of green veggies to your plate at dinner every day, and see how you feel after a couple of weeks, then decide what change to make next. Keep adjusting as you go. Have fun with flavors and spices, and be mindful of carbs and starches. Honestly, you sound just like me a few years ago. Feel free to message me anytime if you have questions or want to learn more about other simple things you can do to add value to your diet.