Easy Family Meal Plan For February

Take some of the work out of feeding your crew this month with 4 weeks of meal ideas you can feed to your entire family—babies and toddlers included! The ideas include breakfast, snacks, lunch, and dinner, with easy methods and accessible ingredients.

Easy Family Meal Plan

I know this time of year can often feel…very, very long and cold (at least if you live in the Northern hemisphere), so I did my best to add in some new flavors to this month’s meal plan.

My hope is that this meal plan offers you approachable ideas to help you feed your family from breakfast through dinner, and reminds you that simple meals are often the best ones.

Use all of the ideas here, pick and choose a couple to try, or come back to this post throughout the month when you find yourself without a dinner plan. Whatever your approach to meal planning, I’m here to help!

Meal Rotation

I plan my months using the idea of a rotation that narrows my options for each week, but still offers flexibility. The breakfast and lunch categories stay the same throughout the month, the the dinners rotate every other week.

You can adjust this to work for your family, but not having to start from scratch each month is so helpful for my brain that I hope it helps you too!

February Week 1

I like to round out meals with a side of fruit or simple veggies, and milk or water.

Breakfast Ideas

Sugar-Free Banana Muffins

Be sure to use very ripe bananas (with lots of brown spots!) for the best flavor and natural sweetness. (I updated this recipe December 2020 to ensure the most reliable results. The original version of this recipe is the “Egg-free” option in the Notes if you loved that. In the main recipe, I reduced the oil, added an egg, increased the baking soda a smidge, and reduced the baking time. They’re great!)

Sugar-Free Banana Muffins

How to Make Eggs in the Microwave

You can season the cooked egg with a little salt, butter or cheese if you’d like, but it’s very good as is. See the Note about the heat setting when cooking in a microwave.

How to Make Eggs in the Microwave

Easy Carrot Cake Oatmeal

With the flavors of carrot cake, this Carrot Cake Oatmeal is a favorite breakfast to share with the kids. It's a good source of whole grains, fiber, and yummy flavor.

Easy Carrot Cake Oatmeal

Lunch Ideas

Easy Breakfast Burritos

With just 4 simple ingredients, these easy Breakfast Burritos can be made ahead and reheated, or made in minutes and served right away. They're a protein-packed breakfast to share with the kids.

Easy Breakfast Burritos

Sweet Potato Chicken Bowls (Easy Meal Prep)

You can meal prep this recipe to have ready for future lunches or dinners to share with the kids or you can make it as a family dinner. Add flavor to your bowl with the optional ingredients.

Sweet Potato Chicken Bowls (Easy Meal Prep)

Quick Sandwich Roll Ups (2-Minute School Lunch)

Pair a soft sandwich bread with your filling of choice to make this easy toddler lunch or school lunch. You can even make them the night before.

Quick Sandwich Roll Ups (2-Minute School Lunch)

Snack Ideas

ABC Baby Muffins (Apple, Banana and Carrot!)

These are deliberately very moist (and moister than regular muffins) to ensure they are easy for baby to chew and swallow, so expect that from the interior. They have three types of produce in the mix and are a yummy breakfast or snack.

ABC Baby Muffins (Apple, Banana and Carrot!)

Favorite Mango Smoothie Recipe

This fresh Mango Smoothie is thin enough to drink through a straw and thick enough to eat with a spoon. And of course, it's super creamy!

Favorite Mango Smoothie Recipe

Healthy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

These classic Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies have lower sugar but all the flavor and texture you crave. Choose your add-ins based on the kinds your family enjoys most.

Healthy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Dinners

Extra-Veggie Minestrone Baby Soup (for Big Kids too!)

With a streamlined method and a quick cooking time, this veggie-packed baby soup (that big kids and parents will also enjoy!) is filled with vegetarian protein and super yummy Italian flavors.

Extra-Veggie Minestrone Baby Soup (for Big Kids too!)

Instant Pot Chana Masala-Style Chickpeas

Try making a super easy Indian food recipe at home with this mild Instant Pot Chana Masala. It's easy to make, freezes beautifully, and packs extra veggies tucked right into the sauce. (This will likely make enough for two meals—I like to freeze the second half for a future week.)

Instant Pot Chana Masala-Style Chickpeas

Quick and Easy Shrimp Tacos

With just 10 minutes of cooking time, you can serve up these Easy Shrimp Tacos with sweet bell peppers to the whole family. Add some simple sides and everyone is sure to be happy!

Quick and Easy Shrimp Tacos

4-Ingredient Sausage Pasta (with Broccoli)

This pasta recipe is quick and delicious and the flavor from the sausage is really key. (Just a heads up that you'll need to reserve a little of the pasta cooking water, so keep that in mind BEFORE you drain the pasta.) Chicken sausage is usually leaner than pork, so when making this with chicken sausage, I like to add butter or olive oil before serving.

4-Ingredient Sausage Pasta (with Broccoli)

Easy Sausage Meatballs

Add more flavor to your next batch of meatballs with this easy Sausage Meatball recipe. (Feel free to freeze half of the batch to use in a future meal.)

Easy Sausage Meatballs

February Week 2

When serving family meals, I aim to include 1-2 foods the kids usually like to ensure that there’s always something on the table that they like. This helps to prevent making them something separate—and me having to get up 17 times during a meal!

Breakfast Ideas

Mini Cinnamon Muffins

Made with a base of applesauce and whole grain flour, these easy mini muffins are sweet enough to taste like a treat!

Mini Cinnamon Muffins

Favorite Chocolate Pancakes

These Chocolate Pancakes are both easy and flavorful, with just a hint of cocoa flavor. See the Notes at the end for variations and serving suggestions.

Favorite Chocolate Pancakes

Best Chocolate Smoothie (with Veggies!)

Be sure to blend this super smooth for the best texture. Use any or none of the optional ingredients. See the Notes for how to make this with regular milk.

Best Chocolate Smoothie (with Veggies!)

Baked Raspberry Donuts

These bright and fresh baked donuts have the texture of a cake donut but with a zing of fresh fruit. I like my Wilton Donut Pan for this recipe, though you can bake them in a mini muffin pan with the same timing.

Baked Raspberry Donuts

Snack Ideas

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Energy Balls

These no-bake bites taste like a cross between oatmeal raisin and peanut butter cookie dough. I use natural creamy peanut butter (like the kind from Smuckers), and it works really well.

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Energy Balls

Favorite Banana Bread Muffins

Transform pantry staples and ripe bananas into the very best Banana Bread Muffins with this tried and true recipe. Plus, they're lower in sugar and store so well!

Favorite Banana Bread Muffins

Easy Chocolate Cupcakes

This Easy Chocolate Cupcake recipe is a lower-sugar take on a classic dessert—but it's filled with chocolate flavor and creamy frosting that the kids will totally love. (This recipe makes a dozen modest-size cupcakes or 9 more standard cupcakes.)

Easy Chocolate Cupcakes

Lunch Ideas

Easy Spinach Grilled Cheese

You can also do this with full size spinach if that's what you're able to find. Just discard any stems before starting the recipe.

Easy Spinach Grilled Cheese

Pizza Muffins (with Veggies!)

These work well to make ahead and warm up for an easy lunch or dinner. These taste best served warm.

Pizza Muffins (with Veggies!)

Favorite Pizza Rolls (with Veggies)

This Pizza Rolls recipe is packed with nutrition—and even greens!—but the cheese and silly spiral shape makes them much more appealing to toddlers and big kids. Be sure to grease your pan well and roll the dough up fairly tightly around the fillings for best results. (But it's okay if they don't look perfect when they go into the pan!) 

Favorite Pizza Rolls (with Veggies)

Dinners

Easy Red Lentil Soup

With plant-based protein and Vitamin C-rich veggies, this brightly flavored Red Lentil Soup—with sweet potato, ginger, and coconut— is a perfect fast family dinner ready in less than 30 minutes.

Easy Red Lentil Soup

Easy Sweet Potato Mac and Cheese

Friends, meet my new favorite lightning fast dish. This Sweet Potato Mac and Cheese requires just 5 simple ingredients, zero prep work, and is just the yummiest pasta recipe! 

Easy Sweet Potato Mac and Cheese

Easy Zucchini Burgers

Stretch your ground beef and add a veggie right into moist burger patties with this simple family dinner recipe.

Easy Zucchini Burgers

February Week 3

We do oatmeal twice a week to keep it in regular rotation, which I find helps the kids be open to eating it–but it’s not enough that they have a chance to get bored of it!

Breakfast Ideas

How to Make Oatmeal with Fruit

The base recipe makes a large amount so you can use it throughout the week. Feel free to cut it in half to make less, or just make one serving at a time using the instructions in the NOTES section below.

How to Make Oatmeal with Fruit

How to Cook Eggs (10 Kid-Friendly Ways)

This is meant to be a cheat sheet for the best basic ways to cook eggs. Refer back to the body of the post for links to making egg muffins.

How to Cook Eggs (10 Kid-Friendly Ways)

Blueberry Banana Muffins

Like a cross between a fluffy blueberry muffin and baked oatmeal, these Blueberry Banana Muffins are moist and packed with yummy nutrition.

Blueberry Banana Muffins

Master Trail Mix Recipe

Mix and match ingredients to customize this mix for your kids.

Master Trail Mix Recipe

Snack Ideas

Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins (Little Bites Copycat)

Moist tender Mini Chocolate Chip Muffins that taste as good as store bought, but have a little extra nutrition? Sign. Me. Up. These muffins are seriously delicious and are a must-make if you have fans of Little Bites in your house!

Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins (Little Bites Copycat)

Creamy Vanilla Cottage Cheese Dip

With a smooth and creamy texture and a nice amount of protein and fats to fuel little bodies, this cottage cheese blend is perfect for spreading or dipping.

Creamy Vanilla Cottage Cheese Dip

So Good Chickpea Blondies

These blondies are packed with just-sweet-enough flavor and nutrition.They are delicious chilled right out of the fridge with a glass of cold milk.

So Good Chickpea Blondies

Lunch Ideas

10 Easy Wraps for Kids

Try these easy wraps for kids as an easy lunch or meal when you want to change up the usual sandwich options. Nutrition info will vary according to the ingredients you use.

10 Easy Wraps for Kids

Chocolate Protein Muffins (With Veggies!)

These simple blender muffins pack a serious nutrition punch and are dairy-free, with a nut-free option. I prefer the flavor of these once they are fully cooled and chilled in the fridge.

Chocolate Protein Muffins (With Veggies!)

Mac and Cheese with Peas (Fav Shortcut Toddler Meal)

With an easy method and a yummy, satisfying result, this quick toddler meal is one of our go-to shortcut kids meals.

Mac and Cheese with Peas (Fav Shortcut Toddler Meal)

Dinners

Favorite Alphabet Soup

You can use ABC pasta, orzo, pastina, or ditalini—or any other very small pasta shape in this Alphabet Soup recipe. And you can start with fresh or frozen veggies. See below for options.

Favorite Alphabet Soup

Easy Instant Pot Butter Chicken

Forget takeout—deliver this popular Indian dish to your table instead. Shredded chicken thighs are coated in a rich, buttery sauce with hints of tomatoes, ginger, and garam masala—a messy but very flavorful finger food. Adapted from The Multi-Cooker Baby Food Cookbook.

Easy Instant Pot Butter Chicken

Easy Spinach Quesadillas

Try these healthy Spinach Quesadillas for an easy kids meal or family dinner. These are easy to make, perfect to make ahead, and a nice way to serve spinach to kids packaged in a familiar food!

Easy Spinach Quesadillas

Easy Citrus Shrimp and Noodles

With a quick 20-minute cooking method perfect for a weeknight dinner, this easy Shrimp and Noodles recipe has a flavorful (yet kid-friendly!) Asian sauce with a refreshing hit of citrus. You can use fresh or frozen shrimp in this recipe. If using frozen, defrost according to package directions.

Easy Citrus Shrimp and Noodles

Easy Chicken Noodle Soup for Kids

This easy recipe makes a big pot of comforting soup to feed the whole family—babies, toddlers, and big kids included. The leftovers store nicely so you can enjoy it for a few days!

Easy Chicken Noodle Soup for Kids

February Week 4

Add in some other favorite meals or takeout, leftovers, or snack dinners as you like.

Breakfast Ideas

Best 2-Ingredient Baby Pancakes

Blend up a fruit or veggie with an egg for the fluffiest, easiest, healthy baby pancakes. These use just 2 ingredients, have four flavor options, and are a perfect texture for both babies and toddlers. See the NOTES at the bottom for the flavor variations.

Best 2-Ingredient Baby Pancakes

Easy Vegan Banana Muffins

These taste best with a very ripe banana with brown spots, as they will have the most natural sweetness and flavor.

Easy Vegan Banana Muffins

Baked Oatmeal Cups

Transform plain oats into a yummy and easy-to-eat finger food with this baked oatmeal cups recipe. You can double the recipe to make more if desired.

Baked Oatmeal Cups

Snack Ideas

Favorite Yogurt Melts (Easiest Yogurt Bites!)

These melt-in-your mouth yogurt bites are a fun way to serve yogurt. Plan to make them at least 2 hours before you want to serve them.

Favorite Yogurt Melts (Easiest Yogurt Bites!)

So Easy Sliced Baked Apples

Transform fresh apples into Sliced Baked Apples as a simple snack, side dish, or as baby led weaning apples. The super simple method takes just 5 minutes to prep, and they work as a topping for oatmeal, yogurt, pancakes, and more!

So Easy Sliced Baked Apples

Peanut Butter Rice Crispy Treats

With the exact texture and a similar flavor to classic Rice Crispy Treats, this version boasts only 3 ingredients and a natural sweetener. Plus, these Peanut Butter Rice Crispy Treats take only minutes to make AND they’re so super yummy!

Peanut Butter Rice Crispy Treats

Lunch Ideas

Easiest Homemade Uncrustables

You can make one sandwich at a time, or make a batch of a few to stash in the freezer. Adjust this as needed for your preference.

Easiest Homemade Uncrustables

Easy Bento Lunch Box Ideas

Make packing lunches so much easier with these easy bento lunch box ideas. Bento boxes are an awesome way to pack a mix of nutritious foods together in one lunch box—and the options for what to pack is almost endless!

Easy Bento Lunch Box Ideas

10-Minute Flatbread Pizza (Just 3 Ingredients!)

For delicious homemade pizza without the work and in a lot less time, Flatbread Pizza to the rescue. Adjust this for allergies as you need.

10-Minute Flatbread Pizza (Just 3 Ingredients!)

Dinners

Favorite Vegetarian Lentil Soup

With a quick method and a variety of vegetables packed into the soup, this vegetarian Lentil Soup is a perfect weeknight family dinner—especially when you're craving comfort food.

Favorite Vegetarian Lentil Soup

Crispy Baked Chicken Nuggets

These baked chicken nuggets have simple ingredients and a pleasantly crispy exterior. Aim to cut the chicken into similarly sized pieces so they bake evenly.

Crispy Baked Chicken Nuggets

Easiest Homemade Refried Beans

This recipe makes enough for 2-3 meals depending on the size and appetites of your family. See below for storage information!

Easiest Homemade Refried Beans

5-Ingredient Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

Use your family’s favorite shape and type of pasta in this recipe. (We like elbows or mini shells!)

5-Ingredient Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

Baked Sheet Pan Nachos

These Baked Sheet Pan Nachos have a tender potato base and are topped with black beans, cheese, salsa and veggies. They're a total family dinner hit. (You can add some of the ingredients to some of the areas—leaving the spinach off, adding more salsa or spice—to customize for everyone at the table.)

Baked Sheet Pan Nachos

You May Also Like

• Shortcut Toddler Dinners
• Easy Snack Dinner
• Master List of Healthy Family Meals
• Extra-Veggie Baby Pasta

If you have any questions or comments about this plan, please comment below! I’d love to chat.

This post was first published February 2020.