When you’re brainstorming weeknight dinner recipes for the family every week and you’re trying to maximize your time OUT of the kitchen, you should focus on healthy meals that are easy to make. Easy recipes should be your best friend. Don’t make meals that require a lot of equipment, techniques, or even an advanced skill set.
Weeknight dinner recipes for families should be simple, with minimal ingredients. They should be quick to assemble and hands-off in the cooking process. Focus on pasta dishes, casseroles, stir-fries, soups, and salads for dinner ideas. You’ll also want to get in the habit of using the Instant Pot or Crock Pot.
By using a slow cooker, you’ll be able to minimally prep your ingredients, dump them into a crock pot, turn it on, and leave it alone until it’s done cooking. As for the pressure cooker, it significantly reduces your cooking time for meals that would originally take hours to make.
In this article, we’ll give you the best weeknight dinner options and nutritious meals the whole family will love. You won’t find recipes for chicken nuggets, macaroni and cheese, and other low-nutrient meals. But rather, you’ll find healthy, flavorful food inspiration that will get the whole family in the habit of eating better – while saving you so much time!
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25 Healthy Weeknight Dinner Recipes for Families
1.Chicken Green Bean Mushroom Stir Fry
This Chicken Green Bean Mushroom Stir Fry is a great Asian-inspired weeknight dinner option if you want to pull together a hugely flavorful, quick, and easy dish.
It’s a one-skillet dinner that will require minimal cleanup! Serve with a side of rice, kimchi, or pickled cucumbers.
This should be one of your go-to weeknight dinner recipes for families.
2. Veggie Fajita Tacos
An easy and vegetarian Tex-Mex meal that’s ready in less than 30 minutes!
Vegetarian fajita tacos are tender and meaty thanks to portobello mushrooms, with a slight crunch from the peppers and onions, and finished with creamy avocado and fresh cilantro.
Serve with some rice and black beans.
3. Creamy Sausage Asparagus Pasta
This Creamy Sausage Asparagus Pasta is a healthier and lighter take on a cream-based vegetable-packed pasta dish.
Using light dairy products, Italian sausage, and fresh asparagus, it will be a tasty, well-rounded meal for the whole family.
4. Slow Cooker Vegetarian Sweet Potato Chili
This Slow Cooker Vegetarian Sweet Potato Chili provides a healthy and tasty substitution for the typical meat-based meal with all the flavors of a classic chili, but with sweet potatoes.
It’s a meal that only takes 15 minutes of hands-on prep time, so you can maximize the time spent outside of the kitchen. One of those winter dinner recipes for families that everyone will love.
5. Crock Pot Vegetable Soup with Lentils (Vegan)
This Crock Pot Vegetable Soup is a classic dump-and-go meal that’s super healthy and hearty.
It’s full of protein-rich lentils and beans paired with flavorful ingredients including rosemary, red chard, lemon, and mushrooms.
Plus, it has the added benefit of being vegan, for those households that want to eat more plant-based meals.
6. Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad
This super simple Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad is easy and delicious!
This tasty pesto pasta salad is made with mascarpone cheese, spinach, bacon, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, and fresh basil. It’s light, fresh, and comes together in less than 20 minutes! Recipes for families should be quick and delicious just like this one.
7. Keto Sheet Pan Creamy Tomato Basil Chicken
This high-protein dish is a perfect quick meal to throw together during the week.
Pair it with your favorite sides or a salad for a complete dinner.
8. Ground Beef and Quinoa Skillet
This meal is tasty and full of healthy ingredients like beef, quinoa, and spinach.
It’s full of herbs and spices like garlic, sage, and fresh thyme to make it pop with flavor, and add excitement to your meal plan. It can be made in under 30 minutes!
9. Instant Pot Bruschetta Chicken Pasta
This Easy Instant Pot Bruschetta Chicken Pasta recipe is probably one of my favorite weeknight dinners!
This quick pasta dinner turns boneless, skinless chicken breasts into a delicious pasta dinner in no time.
Full of canned and fresh tomatoes, it’s a light and protein-rich meal that will be highly satisfying and nutritious for the whole family.
10. Sheet Pan Greek Chicken and Vegetables
Enjoy all of the Mediterranean flavors that you love with this easy Sheet Pan Greek Chicken and Vegetables recipe.
This quick meal has everything you need for dinner in just a few simple steps.
11. Egg Roll in a Bowl Skillet – Whole30, Low Carb
This Low Carb and Whole30 Egg Roll in a Bowl is made in under 20 minutes using just one skillet.
It’s made with ground turkey, shredded cabbage, fresh ginger, garlic, a variety of vegetables, and healthy protein.
This Egg Roll in a Bowl is lightly spicy and drizzled with a cooling, creamy sweet pineapple mayo. It’s a budget-friendly dinner your whole family will love!
12. Chicken and Broccoli Casserole
This easy, healthy, and complete meal is perfect for busy weeknights.
It’s a simple meal that is made with cheddar cheese, broccoli, chicken, and rotini, it’s a family-friendly dish that your kids will keep asking you to remake!
Plus, it’s the perfect comfort food!
13. Crock Pot Healthy Butter Chicken
If you love traditional Indian butter chicken, it’s never been easier to make it right at home for dinner.
Full of flavor on top of rice, with a side of naan, or whole-wheat roti.
By making this classic dish in the crock pot, you don’t have to spend hours by the stove.
14. Easy Vegan Slow Cooker White Bean Chili
This might be the easiest chili you will ever make.
Take just five minutes in the morning to assemble it into the slow cooker, and turn it on for four hours on high or eight hours on low while you’re out at work.
Then, come home to enjoy this flavorful, healthy chili with your family in the evening.
15. Curried Coconut Quinoa Bake
Curried Coconut Quinoa Bake makes for another easy, weeknight meal full of plant-based protein.
It’s gluten-free and vegan for those who have dietary needs and preferences, or just want to be extra healthy during the week.
16. Ground Beef Veggie Stir Fry
This Ground Beef Stir Fry recipe is easy to make with fresh or frozen vegetables and a delicious brown sauce!
Serve with rice or noodles for a healthy 30-minute meal!
17. Easy Sopa de Frijoles (Pinto Bean Soup)
This Sopa de Frijoles is inspired by the bold flavors of Northern Mexico.
Creamy pinto beans are seasoned with cumin, Mexican oregano, and chipotle peppers, creating a spicy, smoky, and earthy dish. Pair with tortillas, rice, or a chicken salad!
18. White Chicken Chili
If you’re looking for even more protein content in your white chili, then this may be the dish you need to make this week.
Cooked in one pot with staple pantry ingredients, this White Chicken Chili is packed with flavor and cooks mostly hands-off.
19. One Pot Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya
This jambalaya is easy and flavorful, and it’s on the table quickly.
Made with a mixture of cheap and pantry-staple ingredients, it cooks in one pot for minimal cleanup!
20. Indian Pumpkin Butter Chickpeas
Indian Pumpkin Butter Chickpeas are mixed with an exotic blend of Indian spices, pumpkin puree, and rich coconut milk.
It’s a great seasonal dish made in an Instant Pot and only takes 20 minutes to prepare.
Serve it with naan, roti, or basmati rice and sprinkle with fresh cilantro. This dish is also vegan, gluten-free, and low-calorie.
21. Cheesy Chicken Burrito Skillet
Only made with six ingredients, this Cheesy Chicken Burrito Skillet is a one-pan meal that takes less than 30 minutes to make!
It’s another dish that uses pantry staples so you don’t have to spend time going to the grocery store and making it too.
It’s perfect for the whole family on a busy weeknight.
22. Jerk Chicken Tacos
These Jerk Chicken Tacos are delicious and full of fresh ingredients.
Made with a sweet and spicy Jamaican seasoning blend, and paired with a creamy citrus dressing, it’s going to fill your mouth with a pop of dynamic flavors.
Made in under 30 minutes, they are another perfect meal for a busy night and one of the best dinner recipes for families.
23. Creamy Lemon Broccoli Pasta with Shrimp
This healthy Creamy Lemon Broccoli Pasta with Shrimp is bright, flavorful, and only takes 30 minutes!
Garlic butter shrimp, fresh broccoli, and an easy lemon cream sauce – all it takes is 8 ingredients!
Now, that is one easy weeknight dinner!
24. Chinese Black Pepper Chicken
A family’s favorite – Black Pepper Chicken – with juicy chicken breasts and crisp vegetables.
This easy, one-pot chicken stir fry comes together quickly for a healthy and delicious dinner and is one of the best weeknight dinner options. It is one of those perfect dinner recipes for families.
25. Sweet and Spicy Noodles
These Sweet and Spicy Noodles are an Asian-inspired, fast, easy weeknight dinner that can be ready and on the table in just 20 minutes.
Add shrimp, chicken, or tofu for added protein.
6 Tips to Save Time in the Kitchen
Making weeknight dinner recipes for families can be time-consuming. Below are some of my favorite tips for saving time in the kitchen.
1. Clean As You Go
This is a skill you develop over time. It requires you to be mindful of what you’re doing in the kitchen and requires you to multitask. However, it can save a lot of time.
While you are waiting for something to bake, simmer, or heat up in a pan, take a couple of extra minutes to put ingredients you don’t need any more away.
- Clear the counter, and put any used dishes in the sink.
- Wipe down the counter.
- Put dirty dishes used to make the meal (cutting board, knife, spoons, etc.) in the dishwasher.
When your food needs your attention again, just drop what cleaning you’re doing, and go back to the cooking process. Go back and forth between cooking and cleaning as you go through waiting periods in the cooking process.
By the time you’re done cooking your meal, you will have less to clean up afterward.
2. Get Your Kids Involved in the Cooking Process
The benefits of having your kids help you in the kitchen are endless. You can even argue that there are more benefits for your kids than there are for you!
Having your kids help you out in the kitchen can allow you to teach them how to cook, and give them the practice to learn this essential skill.
You’ll be able to show them the process of how meals come together. You’ll get to share more quality time with them and allow your kids to do something interactive with you before you all sit down for dinner.
Have them get ingredients out of the pantry and fridge, chop vegetables (if they’re old enough to handle a knife), measure out ingredients, and more. If you have little ones, using a toddler tower is the perfect way to get your kids involved and is one of our favorite products for parents.
It will save you a ton of time in the kitchen while creating fun memories with your kids.
3. Consider Meal-Prepping
Meal prepping can save a lot of time, hassle, and stress for busy parents who need to put a meal on the table most nights. Pick one time during the week when you have a couple of extra hours to spend on prepping food. Plan out what meal you want to have every night with your family, and then prepare in advance what you can beforehand.
For example, if you’re planning to have crock pot meals, you may want to put all of the ingredients for that crock pot meal into a gallon Ziploc bag, and store it in the fridge or freezer until you’re ready to use it. If you’re making a baked casserole dish or roasted meat, you may want to assemble all of the ingredients in the baking dish in advance, cover it with foil, and store it in the fridge until you’re ready to use it later that week.
Meal prepping can be as extensive or as minimal as you want it to be. It encourages you to be proactive and prep your food when you have more time. You can even meal prep a whole month’s worth of food in advance by preparing freezer meals. If you want to learn more about meal prepping for your family, then check out these famous YouTube moms, Jamerrill Stewart, Our Tribe of Many, and Amy Maryon.
4. Buy Ingredients Pre-Cut
Consider buying your fruits and vegetables pre-cut, as that can save a lot of prep time in the kitchen. Unfortunately, buying produce pre-cut can be more expensive. If you don’t have the budget for this, then I recommend meal prepping and cutting all of your produce at one time in the week, so it’s just ready to use when you need it.
5. Find Staple Meals That Are Quick to Make
If you’re most worried about time, then find those healthy meals that you know don’t take a lot of time to make and that your family loves, and put them on rotation! This will save you the headache and stress of what to make while ensuring your family is eating healthy and staying satisfied.
6. Double Your Recipes for Leftovers
You’re already in the kitchen making a meal and a mess. Why not make some extra food for later in the week, so you don’t have to over-extend your time and effort? Doubling or even tripling your recipes can allow you to properly batch cook and have extra food in the fridge.
Make two casseroles instead of one. Make your soup or stew in a 10-quart pot instead of a 5-quart pot, or make an extra pound of pasta. You’ll save yourself the headache later.
Bottom Line
Finding weeknight dinner options and preparing meals for your family doesn’t have to be time-consuming, expensive, and boring. You can keep a lot of variety in your recipes when you know what kinds of meals to make and have the right equipment to make them.
Parenthood can be hard, especially when you are working all week. Time is limited and you don’t want to be stuck in the kitchen all evening making dinner. With these recipes and time-saving tips, you will have more time to spend with your family.
Take those extra hours and plan fun activities for you and your kids this fall and winter. While the pumpkin patches are still open, pick out pumpkins and carve them with spooky faces. Decorate your house with fall decor or make s’mores around a fire.
Take the time you save to spend quality time with your family and bond with them in unique ways. If you’re looking for ideas on what you can do, check out these lists of fall and winter activities.
If you found this article on healthy weeknight dinner recipes for families helpful, bookmark and reference it for later. Leave a comment below on what meal you want to try from this list and what tip resonated with you the most. Don’t forget to sign up for the Luke Knows newsletter, and get regular email updates when new content is published.
Audrey Sommer
Audrey Sommer is a recipe developer, food photographer, and digital marketer. She is the creator and food blogger of Audreythena Food Goddess. Audrey loves creating healthy recipes and teaching others about how they can easily incorporate healthy eating and living into their daily lives. You can follow her on Instagram at @audreythena_foodgoddess.
Are these healthy meals? Or just suggestions for meals?
Both- they are healthy and suggestions.