Easy Dinners During the Holidays
- megan8808
- 8 hours ago
- 4 min read
We made it through Thanksgiving! I hope everyone enjoyed good food and company. Next up, Christmas, holiday parties, and New Year's.
During the holiday season, it can be hard to think of what to make for your weekly meals when you aren't preparing for holiday parties, making treats or planning for upcoming family gatherings. I'm sharing some recipes I typically make this time of year that help to keep weekly meals simple and delicious. Plus, tips to make the most of your meals. Hooray for leftovers!
My number one tip is to keep it simple! One-pot or one-pan recipes are great options. I always look for recipes that include both a protein and a veggie. That way, I don't have to think about another side dish for a complete meal. Easy, nourishing recipes that don't take too much effort are going to help keep you wanting to cook in your kitchen during a busy season.
When planning your meals this holiday season, keep a handful of recipes on rotation. Mixing and matching the same recipes will help keep it simple while also maintaining variety. Plus, if they are recipes everyone loves, that's even better. Once things settle down, start adding new recipes to the rotation.
I hope you find something to help during this holiday season. Be sure to leave a comment below!
This recipe is a favorite in our house! It's so easy to throw together in the slow cooker or make it on the stove top. There are Instant Pot instructions, too. Even if you don't like mushrooms, this recipe can change your mind! I use baby bella mushrooms to keep it more economical and it's delicious. Mushrooms roasted in butter are a perfect match. I like to mix them into the soup at the end, verse topping each bowl. You can leave the mushrooms out if you aren't a fan. It's still delicious! This recipe makes a good portion of soup, so you can enjoy leftovers.
I've been making this since my almost eight-year-old was a toddler. It's still one of our favorites, especially during the winter. It's vegetarian, but has a surprising amount of protein per serving. I make it with Jovial gluten-free noodles, and it turns out really well. If you want to add more protein, add one pound of ground beef. Shredded chicken could work too. Mix your additional protein of choice into your noodle mixture so the meat gets some saucy goodness. You will likely want a bit more sauce.
This easy skillet recipe is perfect for a busy week. It's delicious and full of nutrients. To have leftovers during the week for four adult-sized eaters, I recommend tripling the recipe. I love adding extra peppers and spinach to get my family another serving of vegetables. I know tomatoes aren't in season right now, but I have still found some delicious ones at the grocery store recently. Sometimes breaking the seasonal produce rule for a delicious, easy meal is worth it!
Trust me, you'll want to make these creamy eggs for dinner often! I don't make these for breakfast. In my mind, they're strictly a dinner recipe. Though they would be great for brunch too! It's an easy, protein-packed dish that's a hit with everyone in my family. My family especially gets excited when they see a fresh loaf of sourdough on the counter, paired with these eggs. For my family of 5, who are pretty big eaters, I do anywhere from 18 to 24 eggs when I do this recipe. Increase the add-ins to your increased recipe size. I like a good amount of extra spinach ( almost 16 ounces), 1 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes, 1 bunch green onions and 4-6 ounces goat cheese.
I love the simplicity of this recipe. It's delicious, but takes almost no effort. The longest part is passive time while your sweet potatoes roast in the oven. If you want, you can always roast them over the weekend and warm them up for your serving needs once you make the ground beef mixture. I like to double the recipe for leftovers using three pounds of hamburger. They will still be sloppy and delicious! I have even cut the tamari in half and still enjoyed the results.
Savory and a bit sweet! I came across this recipe by accident a few years ago. I wasn't sure what my then-toddler would think of it, but it was a hit. Now, it's on rotation. I use bone-in, skin-on thighs because that is what I have on hand. The extra flavor is worth it. To double this recipe, split your doubled ingredients between two pans and rotate the pans halfway through cooking. Save time by prepping your vegetables ahead of time. I don't keep them separated and mix them all, even on the baking sheet.
This taco recipe is a new favorite! I let it cook for 6-8 hours all day. It was perfectly tender and full of flavor. For toppings, we did a street taco night – pre-shredded cabbage, sour cream, cheese, hot sauce, and pickled jalapeños. The kids avoided the spicy toppings, but the parents were happy. The listed sauce is delicious, too, but sometimes you need simple topping options for your whole family. These make great tacos or taco bowls with tortilla chips for leftovers.
Be sure to let me know what recipes you try and what's working for you this holiday season in the comments! If you want to make it even simpler this season, check out our curated menus. Recipes, suggestions and grocery lists included in each meal plan.