45+ Healthy Dinner Ideas made from scratch including healthy dinner for kids, for weight loss, and affordable recipes for your budget.
Feeding your family healthy dinner is so important. Generally chicken and seafood are healthier meat choices or choose vegetarian recipes (especially those with lots of vegetables) to pack in the nutrients.
Healthy Dinner Ideas
I love the start of a New Year. I especially love the chance to reset my priorities and make resolutions for a better and more balanced year. Many people have weight loss goals and goals to feed their family Healthy Dinners. Having the right recipes in your healthy dinner arsenal is key to cooking healthy for your family, If you have a goal to cook healthier dinner for yourself and your family, this post is especially for you!
The Best Healthy Dinner Ideas on the List:
- Asian Style-Lettuce Wraps
- Taco Soup
- The Best Black Bean Burger
- One Pan Garlic Parmesan Chicken and Vegetables
- Roasted Tomato Basil Soup
- Spinach Chicken Bowtie Pasta Salad with Teriyaki Vinaigrette
- Asian Chicken Stir Fry
- Skinny Chicken Divan
What should I eat for a healthy dinner?
A healthy dinner always focuses on vegetables. Vegetables are such a nutrient dense food that give you a huge bang for your buck in terms of the high amounts of vitamins and minerals and fiber they provide with a low calories count. As a general rule of thumb, a healthy dinner means half the plate is vegetables.
What should I eat for dinner to lose weight?
Nutrition and exercise are the keys for weight loss, however nutrition matters most! Some studies suggest the key to healthy weight loss is 80% nutrition and 20% exercise. So eating a healthy dinner is essential to your weight loss success.
This list includes many healthy meals that can support you in your weight loss goals. But remember, at the end of the day, it’s calories in vs. calories out; so watch your portion size!
The BEST Black Bean Burger is much healthier than a beef hambuger and tastes great too! This is a healthy recipe that even my kids devour! Dozens of people have given this healthy dinner recipes 5 STARS!
This Healthy Dinner Idea includes grains, veggies, protein and a healthy sauce. Most of the elements of these Chicken Shawarma bowls can be prepared ahead of time, including marinating the chicken shawarma, chopping the vegetables and making the sauce, so that dinner is a breeze!
Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas are another healthy dinner idea! A simple one pan dinner that includes seasoned chicken and vegetables roasted all on one pan and served in warm flour tortillas with your favorite toppings.
You just can’t go wrong with fresh, flavorful, and healthy Grilled Fish Tacos. These fish tacos are loaded with all the best toppings, including cabbage, pico de gallo and a simple homemade white sauce, or “crema”, and they can be ready in less than 30 minutes.
BBQ Chicken Tacos are one of my go-to healthy dinner ideas. Marinated bbq chicken is served in a warm tortilla topped with black beans, corn, onion, cilantro, avocado and a creamy cilantro lime sauce.
Healthy Asian-style Lettuce Wraps made ground chicken (or turkey), fresh chopped vegetables and a delicious stir-fry sauce, served in a cold and crisp lettuce leaf. I love this healthy dinner idea because even though lettuce takes the place of carbs, it still tastes amazing.
Cedar Plank Salmon with brown sugar and dijon glaze that you can cook on the grill or in the oven. This healthy dinner recipe is loaded with good omega 3’s and protein!
Quinoa tossed with a medley of fresh, crunchy veggies and drizzled with a delicious peanut sauce. This healthy recipe packs in the whole grains and fiber!
Chili Lime Chicken Wraps with Mango Avocado Salsa
Grilled and blackened Chili Lime Chicken topped with a fresh mango avocado salsa and served in a cheesy tortilla. A healthy dinner that your kids will love.
These super filling, protein-packed quinoa veggie burgers are for EVERYBODY! This is a healthy dinner idea that my entire family loves! Made with quinoa and brown rice, and easily adaptable to mix in your favorite veggies.
This Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos recipe makes delicious chicken that can be used in tacos, burritos, tostadas, enchiladas, and more. I’ve also included instructions for making these chicken tacos in the instant pot. This is a healthy and easy recipe that is perfect for busy families who love their crockpot or instant pot.
Slow Cooker Chipotle Chicken Fajita Soup
This “dump it and forget it” Slow Cooker Chipotle Chicken Fajita Soup is loaded with crazy delicious flavor and one of the easiest healthy dinner ideas on the list.
Better than takeout Thai Peanut Chicken Pasta – The perfect easy and healthy dinner recipe that’s bursting with flavor and uses simple pantry ingredients with sautéed veggies, chicken and a creamy thai peanut sauce.
This easy and healthy Taco Soup recipe is one of my favorite dinner solutions when I want something healthy, quick, and tasty. And it’s a slow cooker or stove top recipe that my family will LOVE!
Slow Cooker Cashew Chicken is homemade Chinese food at it’s best. It’s coated with a simple homemade sauce and served over brown or white rice. For an even healthier dinner, substitute brown rice and add your favorite vegetables!
One Pan Garlic Parmesan Chicken and Vegetables
This easy and delicious One Pan Garlic Parmesan Chicken and Vegetables includes tender breaded chicken tenders and fresh seasonal vegetables all roasted on just one pan. An easy and healthy dinner recipe your entire family will love!
Korean Bulgogi Bowls are marinated pork served over kimchi fried rice with leafy greens and a fried egg on top. This healthy recipes is packed with flavor and absolutely delicious!
One Pan Lemon Basil Chicken and Rice
One Pan Lemon Basil Chicken and Rice is a simple 30-minute meal the whole family will love! Plus, it’s made in one pan, making clean-up a cinch! To make it even healthier, serve it with a side of your favorite roasted vegetables!
One-Pan Skinny Chicken Alfredo
One-Pan Skinny Chicken Alfredo Pasta has all of the yummy flavor of traditional Alfredo, without all the calories! Plus, it’s made in ONE PAN–super easy, and even easier clean-up.
Easy homemade Kimchi Fried Rice
Kimchi Fried Rice is full of fresh and bold flavor. This is my favorite type of fried rice that takes just 5 minutes to make! For a healthier version, use brown rice!
Better than take-out Ham Fried Rice Recipe that takes less than 20 minutes to make! For a healthier version, use brown rice!
These Fresh Spring Rolls are even better than you’d find at a restaurant, and they’re incredibly easy and healthy! Served with a delicious homemade peanut sauce, these rolls are perfect for a fresh and light lunch, dinner or appetizer.
Easy and delicious healthy Roasted Tomato Soup, just like my favorite soup from Panera!
Spicy Ancho Turkey Chili has easily becomes a new favorite chili recipe! It’s bursting with bold, spicy flavor, and only takes 30-minutes to make!
Spinach Chicken Bowtie Pasta Salad with Teriyaki Vinaigrette
Serve this spinach chicken bowtie pasta salad as a main dish or a delicious side! It’s a healthy dinner recipe that is a definite crowd pleaser.
This delicious Chicken Divan casserole is made with rice, broccoli, chicken and a creamy curry sauce. It’s a healthier version of the traditional chicken divan casserole, and your family will LOVE it!
The BEST chicken noodle soup you’ll ever make, starts with a simple homemade chicken broth, and the option of making your own egg noodles!
Slow Cooker Apple Cinnamon Pork Loin
Slow Cooker Apple Cinnamon Pork Loin served with cranberry sauce and sweet potatoes. This slow cooker pork is the BEST easy dinner.
Skinny Asian Chicken Stir-Fry with Honey Roasted Cashews is an easy, healthy, flavorful meal packed with protein and veggies and served over brown rice.
Healthy food has never tasted so AMAZING! These Thai chicken lettuce wraps are bursting with bold flavor, and fresh ingredients. They can be enjoyed as a main dish or served as an appetizer.
Avocado Chicken Salad Lettuce Wrap
If you love chicken salad and avocados you will go crazy for these AVOCADO CHICKEN SALAD WRAPS! They make a healthy and delicious dinner that I can’t get enough of.
Cashew Chicken Lettuce Wraps that are better-than-take-out and made from scratch in less than 30 minutes! Grilled chicken smothered in the tastiest general-tso’s inspired sauce with crunchy cashews, spooned into a crisp green lettuce cup.
Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps
These Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps make the perfect light lunch or dinner. They are great for serving at parties too!
Coconut Curry Chicken and Veggie Bowls
Coconut Curry Chicken and Veggie Bowls made with coconut rice, roasted autumn vegetables and a delicious sweet curry sauce.
Chile Verde Soup you can make in the slow cooker or on the stove! Such an easy and delicious soup. My family rates it 10/10!
Chicken Gyros include delicious marinated chicken, grilled and layered on a pita with yogurt sauce, lettuce, tomato, onion and cucumber. This fresh and healthy meal idea is one of our family favorites!
These delicious Caribbean Jerk Chicken Bowls start with a layer of coconut rice and red beans topped with jerk seasoned chicken, mangos, mashed avocado and a sweet and spicy pineapple sauce.
All of the flavor you love from fresh spring rolls, transformed into delicious Spring Roll Bowls with Sweet Chili Peanut Sauce. This healthy dinner packs in the vegetables!
BBQ Ranch Grilled Chicken and Veggie Bowls
BBQ Ranch Gilled Chicken and Veggie Bowls served over black bean rice with delicious grilled veggies, marinated and grilled chicken, and a delicious Hidden Valley® Honey BBQ Ranch® Dressing.
One Pan Veggie Burrito Bowl is rice and black beans with a mixture of vegetables including squash, zucchini, bell peppers, and avocado.
Healthy Chicken Pasta Salad loaded with spinach, mandarin oranges, craisins, almonds and parmesan cheese, tossed together with a light and healthy creamy citrus dressing.
This simple PASTA PRIMAVERA is bright, fresh, healthy, and ready on your table in 20 minutes. A simple and healthy dinner recipe.
Grilled Hawaiian Chicken Teriyaki Bowls
These Grilled Hawaiian Chicken Teriyaki Bowls could be my all-time FAVORITE summer meal! The bowls start with a layer of coconut rice, topped with grilled pineapple, zucchini, bell peppers, and onions. Then, we add grilled teriyaki chicken and an extra drizzle of homemade teriyaki sauce over the top of everything. This healthy dinner recipe is one rice bowl that is sure to be your new favorite dinner!
Honey-Lime Chipotle Chicken Fajita Bowls
These Honey-lime chipotle chicken fajita bowls belong on a restaurant menu! An all-in-one-meal with chicken, veggies and rice, that’s bursting with bold flavor and all the good stuff.
This “dump it and forget it” Slow Cooker Chipotle Chicken Fajita Soup is loaded with crazy delicious flavor, it couldn’t be easier to make, and it’s another of my favorite healthy dinner recipes!
One Pan Roast Chicken and Vegetables
One Pan Roast Chicken and Vegetables is a super easy sheet pan dinner with chicken pieces smeared in an herb butter and roasted with your favorite vegetables. One pan, minimal prep, easy clean-up, and a healthy dinner that will please the whole family.
You really wont miss the meat in these flavorful, filling, and healthy Instant Pot Lentil Tacos! Ready in 20 minutes, and easily adaptable to use ingredients and toppings you already have, this vegetarian instant pot recipe is a WINNER.
Also, check out my posts:
- How Sugar Can Make or Break Your Healthy Lifestyle
- 50 + Healthy Snack Ideas
- Back to School Lunch Ideas
mohit verma says
YES to all the easy-peasy dinners! I want to add pretty much every single one of these winners to my menu! Pretty much nothing beats a simple weeknight dinner. Brb, gonna go make ALL of these!
James Elizaworth says
To be honest these recipes are to easy too make. Love that chicken paste salad! Look so delicious, soon i will try that!
Jenn says
Could you please explain to my why on earth that would be a problem?
Elaine R. Meyer says
I am very excited to try all of these! They look beautiful & tasty & healthy! Thanks a lot for sharing these healthy dinner recipes with us!!
ruchi rai says
thamks for it
Lauren Allen says
I have tried several of these. Our families favorites include the jerk chicken bowls, the coconut curry chicken bowls, and ALL of the lettuce wrap recipes!!! Thanks so MUCH!!