Over 85 healthy dinner recipes with options for everyone! Vegetarian, seafood, beef, and chicken, including budget-friendly and kid-approved nutritious meals.
These healthy dinner recipes will have you and your family eating so good, for weeks! This recipe collection isn’t just about keeping things healthy; it’s about enjoying every bite.
What Qualifies as a Healthy Dinner Recipe
Complete meal. These healthy dinners are well-balanced, including a source of protein, carbs, and fiber. In the case of a few individual recipes that are just too good to pass up, I included a simple pairing so you’re well-equipped to make a full meal.
Lots of vegetables. Veggies are the unsung heroes of a healthy dinner. Packed with fiber, minerals, and vitamins, they offer vibrant colors, texture, flavor, and nutrition to the plate.
A meal all would enjoy. These healthy dinner options are family-friendly, satisfying a wide range of taste palates. I also have a separate list of healthy dinner ideas for kids of all ages to enjoy!
Variety of options. Variety is key to a sustainable and enjoyable dinner time. Therefore, there are many healthy dinner recipes with beef, chicken, and seafood, or skip the meat altogether and serve up a hearty vegetarian dish. Lots of options to choose from!
Tips for Making Healthy Dinner Recipes
Plan ahead. It’s true that they say: if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Take a few minutes at the beginning of the week to plan out your meals. This will help you avoid impulse buying or ordering takeout. For a complete guide, be sure to brush up on how to meal prep efficiently.
Shop your fridge and pantry. Some of my favorite easy healthy dinner recipes came from ingredients I already had on hand. Before buying more groceries, take stock of what you have and use that up to avoid food waste.
Eat the rainbow. While these healthy dinner recipes for the family are already well-rounded, an additional side of veggies never hurts. Ensure your plate has various colors that indicate various nutrients, and learn how to roast vegetables to apply to any veggie!
Know your grains. If your dinner requires an additional side dish, be sure you know how to cook pasta, quinoa, farro, or couscous so that part of your meal comes together easily.
Have healthy condiments on hand. An easy way to encourage littles (and adults, too!) to try new foods is to serve it with their favorite condiments. Whether it’s ranch dressing, chimichurri, spicy mayo, or au jus – it instantly adds flavor and moisture to any dish.
Batch cook. For those recipes that you know will be a hit with your family, consider doubling up and freezing half for an easy meal in the future. It’s also one of the easiest ways to get healthy meals on a budget.
Best Healthy Dinner Recipes
Healthy dinners have never been more approachable than they are today. With this collection of over 85 easy healthy dinner recipes, you’ll be well-equipped to feed your family and friends with meals that are flavorful and nourishing.
Healthy Meals on a Budget
Eating healthy on a budget is totally doable and super satisfying, and you don’t have to compromise taste or nutrition to save money. With some creativity and thoughtful planning, you can create wholesome meals that are gentle on your wallet and will have you saying, “So good!”
Garlic Lemon Tuna Pasta is a 10-minute meal loaded with Mediterranean flavor. You can make it with basic pantry ingredients – a meal the family will love!
This unstuffed peppers bowl is loaded with flavor and is a great well balanced meal. With all the flavors of stuffed peppers, but so much quicker to make!
This BBQ Chicken Pizza is savory, slightly sweet and tangy and herby! It's easy to throw together with store-bought pizza dough, chicken and barbecue sauce!
This Sweet Potato Chili is basic in ingredients but sophisticated in flavor – it has a sweet smoky flavor & packed with a healthy dose of protein and fiber!
This Easy Chicken Noodle Soup recipe is my all-time favorite winter soup, made with simple ingredients and stocked with nutrients for the cold season!
45 minutesminutes
5 from 34 votes
Healthy Dinner Ideas for Kids
Find meals your kids already love and swap in healthy ingredients to keep everyone happy and well-fed! Making small changes can go a long way in keeping mealtime both nutritious and delicious!
Cast Iron Pizza is an easy way to make homemade pizza with crispy golden edges and delicious chewy dough – made with an oven-safe skillet in just 30 minutes
This healthy lasagna recipe without ricotta cheese is a wholesome dinner with layers of tangy, creamy Greek yogurt filling, beefy marinara, pasta, and melty cheese.
This Homemade Spaghetti and Meatballs recipe is full of juicy, tender and delicious meatballs- it's a wholesome, hearty and easy dinner for the whole family.
40 minutesminutes
4.6 from 9 votes
Healthy Dinner Recipes for Family
These healthy dinner recipes aren’t just family favorites—they’re also incredibly easy to make and so good! Think one-pot soups and sheet pan meals.
This Sheet Pan lasagna is a quick, delicious twist on the classic. Made on a sheet pan with a meaty marinara sauce and topped with creamy spinach ricotta.
These chicken fajitas are baked in the oven on a sheet pan for a fuss free family meal that is full of flavor. Made with an easy homemade fajita seasoning.
Sheet Pan Lemon Garlic Parmesan Salmon – healthy family weeknight dinner baked to perfection in one pan for easy prep, easy baking and easy clean-up!
30 minutesminutes
5 from 185 votes
Healthy Vegetarian Dinner Ideas
Try a meatless Monday meal with this list of deliciously healthy vegetarian dinner ideas. These meals are all about simplicity and flavor! Find even more vegetarian dinner ideas here!
Full of flavor and quick to make, these tempeh tacos are a delicious meat-free alternative. Load them with your favorite toppings for a vegan taco that the whole family will love.
Add this Butternut Squash Lasanga to your fall dinner lineup! It's a hearty lasanga recipe with the most delicious creamy butternut squash sauce infused with sage and layered between pasta and cheese.
This stuffed acorn squash recipe is filled with Mediterranean flavors from sun-dried tomatoes, chickpeas, and spices. Perfect for a easy weeknight dinner!
My vegetable stew is made in one pot with classic vegetable pairings potatoes, mushrooms, carrots, onions and celery. Plus add whatever else in the fridge!
Oven roasted chickpea shawarma is dairy-free and full of plant-based protein. Prepped and roasted in one pan, it's an easy weeknight dinner!
45 minutesminutes
5 from 32 votes
Quick and Easy Healthy Dinner Recipes
You’ll find some one-pan dishes ready in under 30 minutes, as well as some oven-baked recipes that you can simply toss in a baking dish and then go about your evening routine. And if you’re looking to pair some of these with an equally quick and easy side dish, these air fryer vegetables check off all the boxes.
This is a healthier version of a popular restaurant recipe for Chicken Lettuce Cups. It’s loaded with vegetables for added nutrition and full of flavor!
This Easy Skillet Shrimp Fajitas recipe is a quick and easy meal you can whip up in one pan in under 20 minutes; includes a flavorful avocado tomato salsa!
This 5-ingredient Cottage Cheese Alfredo Pasta is so creamy and makes for a great vegetarian option, or paired with chicken or fish for a heartier meal.
Homemade cashew chicken is a quick, flavorful takeout favorite you can easily make at home. Tender chicken, crunchy cashews, and colorful veggies come together in a savory sauce, perfect over rice.
Teriyaki beef stir fry with flank (or skirt) steak, homemade teriyaki sauce, broccoli, onions, and red bell peppers! Easy weeknight dinner for the family!
30 minutesminutes
5 from 103 votes
Healthy Dinner Recipes with Chicken
Chicken is a household favorite for good reason. It’s versatile, quick to prepare, and so delicious. It’s often my go-to protein for quick weeknight meals and weekend dinners alike.And if you want more healthy dinner recipes for your family with this popular bird, check out these chicken recipe ideas here!
These Stuffed zucchini boats are easy, Keto friendly and low carb. Stuffed with chicken, marinara and topped with cheese, they make a quick and easy meal
Instant Pot Butter Chicken is a quick, creamy, and flavorful Indian-inspired dish with tender chicken in a tomato-based sauce. Perfect over white rice!
Easy to prep, this one pan chicken and potatoes is a delicious family meal that everyone will love. Simple, juicy and so tasty!
1 hourhour5 minutesminutes
5 from 787 votes
Healthy Dinner Recipes with Beef
When it comes to healthy dinner ideas, beef is always a satisfying and hearty option. The rich, hearty flavor really stands out in stews, stir-frys, and salads and makes any meal extra special.
This Beef Barley Soup is comfort in a bowl. Rich beef flavor paired with tomatoes, spices, veggies, and nutty, chewy barley makes for the perfect stew!
Easy Sheet Pan Steak Beef Fajitas with bell peppers, and onions. Made in the oven in 12 minutes. Minimal cleaning & no fuss. An easy weeknight Tex-Mex dish!
This Easy Eggplant Moussaka recipe is a quick version of the Greek dish made with layers of eggplant and spiced ground beef and topped with a bechamel sauce
2 hourshours10 minutesminutes
5 from 128 votes
Healthy Dinner Recipes with Seafood
If you’re looking to switch up your dinner routine, seafood offers a fresh alternative. I always like to include this powerhouse in my weekly menu because it cooks incredibly quickly and is super versatile.
A light, bright and completely flavor-packed Pan Seared Scallops with Pasta – perfect for summer days when you're craving carbs but want something unique
Try this one-pan Shrimp and Brown Rice Bowl recipe for an easy weeknight dinner! This shrimp bowl comes together quickly with a handful of ingredients!
Easy and quick to make, these tuna stuffed bell peppers are a delicious and healthy weeknight dinner option. Low carb and ready to serve in less than half an hour.
A quick and easy summer recipe, this Mediterranean Couscous dish is made with shrimp, tomatoes, feta, olives and capers – it’s fresh, healthy & irresistible
Easy and simple to make, pesto grilled salmon is cooked on the grill and then served on a bed of creamy pasta for a delicious summer time meal
30 minutesminutes
5 from 34 votes
Healthy Lebanese Dinner Recipes
One of my favorite dinners to make for my family is a traditional Lebanese meal with my Midwestern twist added to it! If you enjoy trying out recipes with new flavors, check out my complete list of Lebanese-inspired recipes.
This authentic Lebanese Chicken Fatteh is an amazing combo of flavors made with yogurt, spiced shredded chicken, chickpeas, toasted pine nuts & pita bread!
Freekeh with chicken is a delicious and well-balanced meal made with the ancient grain and served with toasted nuts & herbs. It's a popular Lebanese recipe!
Moghrabieh is a traditional Lebanese stew and is a firm family favorite. High in protein, this hearty, healthy stew is wonderfully spiced and full of flavor
1 hourhour15 minutesminutes
5 from 102 votes
Frequently Asked Questions
What are some of the healthiest foods to eat for dinner?
Some of the best easy and healthy foods to make for dinner include a combination of vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein. By incorporating this trifecta, you can create a well-rounded and satisfying dinner that not only nourishes you but also keeps you full and energized.
What are easy healthy meals on a budget?
The most affordable meals are those with a focus on staples like beans, lentils, rice, pasta, and seasonal vegetables. These ingredients form the foundation of healthy, satisfying, and budget-friendly meals.
How can I make these recipes more kid-friendly?
Many of these healthy dinner recipes are already favored by kids. However, don’t underestimate the value of their involvement in meal prep. When we include children in the cooking process, not only do they get to customize the dish to suit their preferences, but it will also help them develop an appreciation for the variety of flavors and textures, enticing them to actually eat their culinary creations.
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