As we head into one of the busier months of the year, I hope these easy winter dinner ideas help you feed your family well. You’ll find quick dinners, make-ahead meals, freezer meals, and 4 weeks of dinners designed to feed your entire family!
Winter Dinner Ideas
As with all of my other meals plans, each dinner here can be customized as needed for your family. I usually add simple sides to round out any dinner and to ensure that my kids always have something on the table that they like—even if that’s a side dish of fruit or a veggie.
Feel free to simplify as needed since I am sure you have a lot going on!
Table of Contents
Free Meal Planning Rotation
You can download a copy of the free Meal Planning Rotation. I do my meal plans using the idea of a rotation where you use general categories every other week to reduce decision fatigue and also give the kids a chance to see foods regularly to help them learn to like the.
Above here is our rough meal plan for this month.
Yes, really, THIS IS IT. I have two options for breakfast and dinner that we can choose from—I usually alternate each week—then a set rotation of lunch ideas.
This allows me to the number of decisions I need to make since I’m starting with narrow categories, but still have flexibility, variety, and spontaneity with all of the choices available within a category.
So when you want to be having fun making salt dough or sugar cookies, you can also have a simple plan for the meals around those times.
TIP: Download the printable in my Resource Library.
December Week 1
Breakfast Ideas
Favorite Cranberry Orange Bread
This delicious Cranberry Orange Bread is flavorful and tender—and it works really well to bake ahead and store in the fridge or freezer until ready to serve it. We love it topped with cream cheese, but butter and honey also work.
Favorite Cranberry Orange Bread
Banana Oatmeal Muffins (SO Good!)
With just a handful of nutritious ingredients, you can bake up super easy Banana Oatmeal Muffins to share with the kids. For the best flavor and sweetness, use bananas with a lot of brown spots. Bonus: These store so well in the fridge for days!
Banana Oatmeal Muffins (SO Good!)
Favorite Sweet Potato Smoothie
With the comforting flavor of pumpkin pie and a healthy nutrient list, this Sweet Potato Smoothie is a yummy way to offer up veggies for breakfast.
Favorite Sweet Potato Smoothie
Lunch & Snack Ideas
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!)
Mini Egg Muffins with Cheese and Veggies
These tender Egg Muffins are packed with protein and vitamins—and can be made ahead of time! Add any veggie you like, whether carrots, butternut squash, broccoli, or spinach.
Mini Egg Muffins with Cheese and Veggies
Easy Sugar Cookies (Healthy and Delish!)
This makes a small batch of lightly sweet cookies. Double it to make more. If at any point the dough seems too sticky, pop it into the fridge for 5-10 minutes to firm up a bit. Or dust your parchment paper and cookie cutters with flour.
Easy Sugar Cookies (Healthy and Delish!)
Orange-Honey Fruit Snacks
These take at least an hour or two to set in the fridge, so plan to make them a little in advance of when you want to serve them.
Orange-Honey Fruit Snacks
Easy Sweet Potato Hummus
When I just need one sweet potato for a recipe, I often cook it in the microwave. Dice it, place it in a large 4-cup glass measuring cup, cover with two inches of water and cook for about 5 minutes or until soft. Roasted Sweet Potato or Crockpot Sweet Potato works well too!
Easy Sweet Potato Hummus
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
Dinner Ideas
Add simple sides of fruit, cheese, crackers or muffins to round out any of these easy winter dinner ideas.
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 Avocado Pasta
With a creamy, veggie-packed sauce, this easy Avocado Pasta is packed with kid-friendly flavor and nutrients. And the whole recipe can be made in about 10 minutes of cooking time.
Easy Avocado Pasta
Sweet Potato and Cheese Quesadillas
Serve these quesadillas with salsa, sour cream, and/or guacamole as desired. You can leave them as simple vegetarian quesadillas or add in a protein like chicken or beans.
Sweet Potato and Cheese Quesadillas
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
One-Pot Lentils and Rice
Serve this easy family meal with optional toppings according to what everyone likes.
One-Pot Lentils and Rice
Vegetarian Bean Chili (Big Batch)
When serving this to a little one, I like to drain off much of the broth. This makes it a little easier (and less messy) for them to eat. If your family likes spice, add in a dash or two of cayenne pepper.
Vegetarian Bean Chili (Big Batch)
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!)
December Week 2
Breakfast Ideas
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
Healthy Pumpkin Bars Recipe
You can quickly stir together this Healthy Pumpkin Bars recipe (with oatmeal and low added sugar) for breakfast, snack time, or even dessert. The method is so quick and easy and the result is moist and full of pumpkin goodness. Win, win!
Healthy Pumpkin Bars Recipe
Easy Pumpkin Oatmeal
You can make this in about 15 minutes on any morning, or make the whole recipe ahead and simply warm right before serving. See the Notes for variations to make it with other types of oats.
Easy Pumpkin Oatmeal
Lunch & Snack Ideas
Vegetarian Rice and Beans Burritos
You can make and serve these at the same time, or prep them ahead of time and warm up quickly for an easy meal. You can vary the beans in these simple burritos. Serve them with salsa and/or sour cream.
Vegetarian Rice and Beans Burritos
Cauliflower Mac and Cheese (5-Ingredient)
With a simple cheese sauce—no standing and stirring over the stove here!—a solid dose of veggies, and a super creamy final result, this Cauliflower Mac and Cheese is a fast lunch or dinner option for toddlers. (And the rest of the family, too!)
Cauliflower Mac and Cheese (5-Ingredient)
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
Soft Roasted Chickpeas with Cinnamon
This roasted chickpeas recipe is an easy and delicious way to add nutrition to your toddler’s diet. If you start with dried beans in this salty-sweet snack, make sure to cook them until they are very tender. If making these for a kiddo under one, use maple syrup instead of honey or skip the sweetener altogether.
Soft Roasted Chickpeas with Cinnamon
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
Easy Gingerbread Cookies
Flavorful, whole-wheat gingerbread cookies with just a hint of natural sweetness are a perfect holiday treat to make with the kids. Double the batch to make more.
Easy Gingerbread Cookies
Dinner Ideas
Make a double batch of the meatballs and stash them in the freezer for a future easy meal.
Healthy Meatballs (with Hidden Vegetables)
With the texture you expect from a traditional meatball but added nutrition from three types of veggies, your whole family will love these.
Healthy Meatballs (with Hidden Vegetables)
Quick Teriyaki Shrimp with Zucchini and Rice
We like this with rice or rice noodles, but you can adjust how you serve it to fit your family!
Quick Teriyaki Shrimp with Zucchini and Rice
Roasted Sweet Potato Tacos
You can try serving this to your toddler with the components separated if they aren’t quite up to holding and eating a regular taco. Simply arrange the filling, the tortillas, and toppings on a plate and let them eat them however they like!
Roasted Sweet Potato Tacos
Easy Spaghetti with Sausage
With veggies, complex carbs, and protein all in one bowl, this super quick family dinner of Spaghetti with Sausage is made for weeknights…or weekends when you want to eat well without the fuss in the kitchen!
Easy Spaghetti with Sausage
One-Pot Pesto Chicken and Rice
With a quick cooking time and easy method, this Pesto Chicken and Rice is a delicious family meal to share. It's flavorful, versatile, and just so delish.
One-Pot Pesto Chicken and Rice
Easy Snack Dinner (to Share with the Kids!)
You can do a big family-style platter or individual ones for the kids depending on your preference. Add anything else that sounds appealing and know that the nutrition info will vary according to what you use.
Easy Snack Dinner (to Share with the Kids!)
Easy Sweet Potato Brownies
Plan to make the sweet potato ahead of time or use canned puree. Otherwise, this one-bowl recipe is super simple!
Easy Sweet Potato Brownies
December Week 3
Breakfast Ideas
Slow Cooker Steel Cut Oatmeal
You can make this overnight Slow Cooker Steel Cut Oatmeal and enjoy it for breakfast the following day—or make a whole batch ahead to eat throughout the week. (*To do this overnight, choose the LOW option and cook time.)
Slow Cooker Steel Cut Oatmeal
Favorite Gingerbread Muffins
With mellow yet flavorful warm spices and a super easy method, these Gingerbread Muffins are (dare I say it) perfect.
Favorite Gingerbread Muffins
Banana Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies
You can use peanut butter, almond butter, or Sunbutter in this recipe. Choose creamy unsweetened if possible.
Banana Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies
Favorite Banana Oatmeal Pancakes
Very ripe (with brown spots) bananas will give these Banana Oatmeal Pancakes the best flavor. Dice them up or serve whole, according to how the kids prefer to eat them.
Favorite Banana Oatmeal Pancakes
Lunch & Snack Ideas
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)
Quick Yogurt Parfaits
Try serving these parfaits for a fun breakfast or snack. Adjust the amount as needed for your child.
Quick Yogurt Parfaits
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)
Veggie Grilled Cheese Sandwich (to Share with the Kids)
With just 4 ingredients, including a veggie that blends right in, this Veggie Grilled Cheese Sandwich is a yummy kids lunch to share. It packs extra nutrition in the filling, yet only takes a few minutes to make. Such a great easy meal!
Veggie Grilled Cheese Sandwich (to Share with the Kids)
Healthy Pumpkin Cookies (with Chocolate Chips)
Light, tender, and bursting with cozy flavor, these Healthy Pumpkin Cookies are a yummy snack or dessert. (These fluffy cookies are not super sweet, so you can add 1-2 tablespoons granulated sugar to the batter if desired. We like them just fine as is with the chocolate chips for sweetness!)
Healthy Pumpkin Cookies (with Chocolate Chips)
Easy Pear Sauce
Transform fresh pears into the most delicious fruit sauce with this simple method. It's a delicious fruit puree to share with a baby or toddler that you can serve on its own or mixed with yogurt or oatmeal.
Easy Pear Sauce
Dinner Ideas
Use the leftover black bean soup as taco filling for an easy lunch, or as enchilada filling for another easy winter dinner idea.
Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup
Use the crock pot to cook up a hearty and nutritious Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup with veggies and lots of kid-friendly flavor. It's easy, versatile, and a great freezer meal
Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup
Extra-Veggie Baby Pasta (with Iron)
Adding beans and extra veggies helps make this easy baby pasta satisfying, nutritious, and yummy. Serve it more or less saucy as you like. (You can even freeze the sauce for easy future meals.)
Extra-Veggie Baby Pasta (with Iron)
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
Shortcut Butternut Squash Risotto
You can cook the rice ahead of time and do Step 1 ahead. Or make the whole dish ahead and warm to serve when needed.
Shortcut Butternut Squash Risotto
Favorite Healthy Toddler Smoothie (with Veggies!)
Learn to customize yummy smoothies for your toddler by starting with one simple recipe, then adjusting based on which fruit and veggies you'd like to use.
Favorite Healthy Toddler Smoothie (with Veggies!)
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
Easy Greek Pita Pizzas
Serve these assembled as shown, or with the toasted pita bread alongside the hummus and toppings depending on how your child will prefer it.
Easy Greek Pita Pizzas
Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
With a simple stir-together method, these easy Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting are a perfect fall dessert to share with the kids! They have less sugar than similar cupcakes yet deliver big time on both texture and flavor.
Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
December Week 4
Breakfasts
Healthy Pumpkin Muffins
With just a handful of nutritious ingredients and an easy method, these Healthy Pumpkin Muffins are a perfect treat to share. We love to make and enjoy these each fall for breakfast, snack time, or as a simple side dish for dinner. (This recipe has very little flour—that is not a mistake.)
Healthy Pumpkin Muffins
Eggnog French Toast Sticks
This easy Eggnog French Toast is a yummy breakfast to share with the kids on a holiday or any day. You can make this recipe ahead of time and warm up a few sticks for a quick breakfast on future days or make the whole batch as a family breakfast.
Eggnog French Toast Sticks
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!)
Easy Bacon and Egg Muffins
I like adding the thyme in these for extra flavor, but it's optional! Be sure to grease your muffin tin well with nonstick spray to help prevent these from sticking to the pan. A nonstick mini muffin pan works best here.
Easy Bacon and Egg Muffins
Lunch & Snacks
Fluffy Sweet Potato Muffins
Tender and moist, these muffins are lightly sweetened with warm spices. Plan to prepare the sweet potatoes at least an hour—and up to 3 days—before you start making the muffins to allow time to cool. You can make these plain, with chocolate chips, or with lemon zest.
Fluffy Sweet Potato Muffins
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)
Easy Vegetarian Burrito Bowls
Transform pantry staples into the yummiest homemade Vegetarian Burrito Bowls with this easy recipe. (Prep the rice, beans, and veggies ahead if you can or want to. They store well in the fridge and simply need to be reheated.)
Easy Vegetarian Burrito Bowls
Healthy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Try these Healthy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies the next time you're looking for a classic cookie that's a little less sweet and still SO good. They're soft-baked, and so yummy.
Healthy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Dinner Ideas
Since each family has its own unique traditions, I don’t expect to tell you what to have for Christmas, but these meals is what my family likes to have in case if gives you some ideas!
Easy Snack Dinner (to Share with the Kids!)
You can do a big family-style platter or individual ones for the kids depending on your preference. Add anything else that sounds appealing and know that the nutrition info will vary according to what you use.
Easy Snack Dinner (to Share with the Kids!)
One-Pot Broccoli Mac and Cheese
The method on this recipe is streamlined to cut down on dish washing. Add the optional spices for more flavor if you like! Double it to make more.
One-Pot Broccoli Mac and Cheese
Vegan Tomato Soup (5-Ingredients!)
Taste the soup after pureeing and add a little more salt if needed. The sweet potato adds creaminess without dairy—and so much flavor!
Vegan Tomato Soup (5-Ingredients!)
Quick Butternut Squash Pasta with Sausage
This easy skillet dinner is super cozy and super versatile. You can use freshly diced butternut squash or precut squash from the store and frozen peas or broccoli according to what you have or prefer. See the Notes for vegetarian options.
Quick Butternut Squash Pasta with Sausage
Best Boiled Green Beans
You can break or cut these into any size you prefer. I usually just break them in half.
Best Boiled Green Beans
Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes
Creamy, easy to make, and so delicious, these Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes are a favorite for holidays and family meals. (I prefer to use Yukon Gold potatoes in this recipe. They are usually widely available at grocery stores.) Double or triple this recipe as needed.
Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes
Veggie-Packed Potato Ham Soup
Since the saltiness of your ham may vary, taste at the end and adjust the salt and pepper as needed. You can add more ham if you prefer more.
Veggie-Packed Potato Ham Soup
Healthy Chocolate Cake (Lower Sugar)
This Healthy Chocolate Cake is egg-free, dairy-free, and SO darn delicious. It's lower in sugar, but delivers that classic chocolate cake flavor you expect. (I use two 6-inch cake pans to make this cake, which is a perfect size for a small gathering or even to use as a smash cake. See the Notes for how to make this recipe as a 9-inch cake or as cupcakes.)
Healthy Chocolate Cake (Lower Sugar)
Favorite Cranberry Apple Pie
With sweet-tart flavors and an easy method, this pie is perfect for the winter holidays! Use fresh or frozen cranberries in this recipe for the best results. Discard any that are blemished or shriveled.
Favorite Cranberry Apple Pie
You May Also Like
- Favorite Toddler Stocking Stuffers
- Make-Ahead Christmas Breakfasts
- Easy Cut-Out Cookies
- Easy Christmas Activities
I’d love to hear if there’s a recipe you’re especially excited to cook this winter so please comment below to share!
This post was first published November 2020.
Thanks for the recipes.
http://www.fooddoz.com
Hi, the Easy Teriyaki Shrimp and Rice, link you posted for week 2 dinners, doesn’t work.
Sorry, it’s fixed and thank you!