32 Easy Meals for Families

Sure, eating meals as a family provides a wide range of benefits. Research shows it boosts kids' grades, leads to healthier eating habits, and (believe it or not) helps relieve parental stress. But making time to prepare, cook, and sit down to a delicious dinner can be difficult, especially when each family member has a busy schedule of his and her own. That's where these easy recipes come in to play. They require minimal prep, so you can spend dinner chatting it up with your loved ones—not slaving over the stove.

Whether you're serving up a braised fish meal full of vitamins and antioxidants or dishing out a kid-friendly favorite (hello, pizza!), these 26 recipes have a few things in common: they're easy to prepare and packed with flavor. Plus, we offer enough pizza and pasta dishes to keep the kids happy, yet offer interesting twists on old favorites will appeal to moms and dads, too.

Try this recipe: Lemon Chicken With White & Green Beans

Channel a traditional French dinner with this quick dish by sautéeing chicken, green beans, and white wine dish in a skillet.

Ingredients: chicken breasts, kosher salt, black pepper, olive oil, white wine, chicken broth, cannellini beans, haricots verts, cherry tomatoes, unsalted butter, capers, lemon juice

Calories: 378

Try this recipe: Red Grape & Chicken Salad

Add a touch of sweetness to your salad with some seedless grapes. Plus you'll have some crunchy celery and a salty layer from the blue cheese.

Ingredients: olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, spicy brown mustard, kosher salt, black pepper, baby spinach, chicken breast, celery, seedless red grapes, mayonnaise, blue cheese, sunflower seeds

Calories: 480

Try this recipe: Red Lentil Curry Soup

Your trusty multi-cooker will come in handy for this easy, one-pot soup that's as rich and satisfying as it is nutritious—lentils deliver a substantial portion of fiber and iron.

Ingredients: olive oil, yellow onion, garlic cloves, vegetable broth, diced tomatoes, red lentils, potatoes, curry powder, kosher salt, black pepper, baby spinach, plain whole-milk yogurt, cilantro

Calories: 280

Try this recipe: Maple-Glazed Salmon With Baby Bok Choy

This flavor-packed dish joins two nutritional heavyweights on one simple sheet pan—salmon, loaded with omega-3s, and vitamin-rich baby bok choy.

Ingredients: maple syrup, soy sauce, mustard, rice vinegar, crushed red pepper, salmon, orange slices, baby bok choy, olive oil, kosher salt, sesame seeds

Calories: 468

Try this recipe: Moroccan Lamb and Fig Stew

Use a Dutch oven to simmer this tasty lamb dish. Longer simmering builds bigger flavors and makes even tough cuts of meat super tender.

Ingredients: lamb, kosher salt, black pepper, all-purpose flour, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, beef broth, rosemary, coriander, cinnamon, butternut squash, figs,

Calories: 342

Try this recipe: Late-Summer Vegetable Lasagna

Using no-boil lasagna makes this dish quick and super-easy, and swapping meat for veggies gives it a big bump to the healthier side.

Ingredients: eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash, kosher salt, ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, fresh basil, mozzarella cheese, marinara sauce, no-boil lasagna noodles, black pepper

Calories: 330

Try this recipe: Braised Sweet and Sour Pearl Onions

Get your antioxidant on with this flavorful veggie dish. Pearl onions are chock-full of quercetin, an antioxidant that promotes healthy blood pressure and protects against cortisol release when you’re stressed. Besides offering these benefits, this onion recipe provides a tangy side dish to accompany your favorite cut of meat or another protein.

Ingredients: Unsalted butter, olive oil, pearl onions, chicken broth, sherry vinegar, raw honey, black pepper, chives, salt

Calories: 119

Try this recipe: Spicy Braised Carrots, Fennel, and Chickpeas

Sick of boring broccoli? Switch up your side dish game with this braised two-veggie dish instead. Shallots, garlic, and oregano add a flavorful kick to a combination of carrots, fennel, and protein-packed chickpeas. This dish tastes even better a day after cooking, so it’s the perfect make-ahead option for busy weeknights.

Ingredients: Fennel, carrots, shallots, chickpeas, harissa, garlic, white wine, chicken or vegetable broth, lemon juice, couscous, parsley, oregano, avocado oil

Calories: 218

Try this recipe: Sake-Braised Fish with Vegetables

Infuse Asian flavors into your dinner with this fish recipe that includes soy sauce, ginger, and garlic. Bok choy, carrots, and mushrooms keep the meal veggie-dense so you can fill up on vitamins and protein. And a little bit of sake adds a kick to the low -fat recipe.

Ingredients: Avocado oil, mushrooms, salt, scallions, carrots, bok choy, pepper, ginger, garlic, sake or white wine, chicken or vegetable broth, soy sauce, mirin, halibut or sea bass, sesame oil

Calories: 330

Try this recipe: Braised Chicken with Peppers, Tomatoes, and Olives

For a satisfying, hearty meal, try this braised chicken served alongside brown rice or baby red potatoes. The salty flavors of capers and Kalamata olives make this chicken dinner anything but average. Plus, it only takes 35 minutes to put together.

Ingredients: Chicken leg quarters, salt, pepper, avocado oil, yellow onion, bell peppers, capers, garlic, orange zest, red wine, diced tomatoes, kalamata olives, Italian seasoning, bay leaves, parsley

Calories: 422

Try this recipe: Braised Belgian Endive

This isn’t your typical veggie dish. For a versatile vegetable that goes well with chicken, pork, or fish, try this braised Belgian endive. It can be served hot immediately after you prepare it, but tastes just as yummy at room temperature the next day.

Ingredients: Olive oil, unsalted butter, Belgian endive, salt, pepper, low-sodium vegetable broth, raw honey, lemon juice, nutmeg

Calories: 137

Try this recipe: Coconut-Caramel Pears

Satisfy your sweet tooth with this fruity, tropical dessert. Pears pack a vitamin C-filled punch and promote heart health. Top this warm and gooey dish with toasted coconut or almonds for a crunchy add-on.

Ingredients: Unsalted butter, pears, coconut palm sugar, salt, coconut milk, sliced coconut or almonds

Calories: 276

On a cold night, this quick recipe is a crowd-pleaser for a family meal. Hearty and seasoned to perfection, the kids will love the wagon wheel pasta and spaghetti sauce, while lean ground round provides a rich salty flavor.

Ingredients: Wagon wheel pasta, ground round, onion, beef broth, spaghetti sauce, kidney beans.

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here for the full recipe and directions.

This classic comfort food is perfect for using up chicken leftovers. With egg whites, reduced-fat milk, and a small amount of butter, it has just half the fat and sodium of frozen varieties. And it's ready in less than 40 minutes!

Ingredients: Leftover chicken, leftover root vegetables, frozen puff pastry dough, egg white, 2% milk, all-purpose flour, unsalted butter.

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here for the full recipe and directions.

Get the cheesy goodness of pizza, plus iron, fiber, and plenty of protein. Sautéed mushrooms add an earthy flavor (as well as phytonutrients) to this familiar favorite. Although you can make your own homemade dough and sauce, store-bought will work in a pinch.

Ingredients:Basic Pizza Dough, Basic Pizza Sauce, turkey pepperoni (such as Hormel), mushrooms, part-skim mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese.

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here for the full recipe and directions.

This is a longtime family favorite, but the preparation time can sometimes be a deterrent on a weeknight. This streamlined version of the classic Chicken Parm will be on the table in less than 30 minutes.

Ingredients: Chicken breasts, breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, oregano, an egg, low-fat mozzarella cheese, marinara sauce.

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here for the full recipe and directions.

So long, Hot Pockets! These homemade roll-ups are packed with flavor and look appealing on the plate, yet they contain just five ingredients. The picante sauce provides just enough kick for the parents, but not too much for the kids.

Ingredients: Chicken breasts, low-fat cream cheese, picante sauce, cilantro, Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs

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here for the full recipe and directions.

Great for picky eaters—and busy parents—this pizza recipe is simplicity at its best. Just make the basic pizza dough ahead of time, use bottled sauce, and sprinkle on the cheese. After 20 minutes in the oven, it's done.

Ingredients:Basic pizza dough, pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese.

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here for the full recipe and directions.

Everyone loves pasta, but some dishes pack more calories than you—or your kids—need.

The hearty meatballs in this crowd-pleasing recipe use a combination of turkey sausage and lean ground sirloin, which keeps the dish under 300 calories per serving.

Ingredients: Spaghetti, tomatoes, tomato paste, beef broth, ground sirloin, sweet Italian turkey sausage, egg (or substitute), onion, garlic, basil, parsley.

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here for the full recipe and directions.

Your kids will gobble up this delicious Greek pasta dish without realizing all the antioxidant-rich bell peppers and tomatoes in the bowl. Ready in about 35 minutes, this filling recipe—full of rich feta cheese—is perfect for a weeknight dinner.

Ingredients: Angel hair pasta, boneless chicken breast, red onion, yellow bell pepper, diced tomatoes (canned), lemon juice, feta cheese.

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here for the full recipe and directions.

This is a less fattening (but equally cheesy) alternative to mac and cheese. Swapping full-fat mozzarella for a part-skim milk variety sheds 15 grams of fat, while plenty of fiber-rich spinach lurks beneath the layers of cheese and pasta.

Ingredients: Manicotti pasta, part-skim mozzarella cheese, cottage cheese, Parmesan cheese, frozen chopped spinach, pasta sauce.

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here for the full recipe and directions.

This recipe takes a simple linguine dish and kicks it up a notch with a sprinkle of bacon bits—yes, bacon bits!

The bacon adds a salty, savory flavor to complement the olive oil and garlic, and the tomatoes are a rich source of antioxidants.

Ingredients: Linguine, bacon pieces, onion, tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, Parmesan cheese.

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here for the full recipe and directions.

Bacon's not just for breakfast. And Canadian bacon is lower in fat than other varieties, so you can enjoy this cheesy dish guilt-free. The side salad rounds out the meal for dinnertime.

Ingredients: Flour tortillas, Canadian bacon, shredded mozzarella cheese, yellow bell pepper, arugula, vinaigrette dressing.

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here for the full recipe and directions.

If your kids are old enough to help in the kitchen, this recipe is great for getting them involved. The recipe calls for pitas and precooked chicken breast to cut down on prep time. Be sure to pick out plenty of veggies, and let your children sprinkle the cheese—they'll get a kick out of making their own dinner.

Ingredients: Pitas (or flatbreads), tomato sauce, chicken breast, part-skim mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, assorted vegetables.

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here for the full recipe and directions.

Chicken is a quick and healthy way to get dinner on the table, but there's only so many grilled chicken breasts you can eat.

This classic Italian dish has plenty of vegetables, and the dry red wine sauce is surprisingly light. Pair it with whole-grain pasta.

Ingredients: Olive oil, chicken breasts, green bell pepper, cremini mushrooms, dry red wine, tomato-and-basil pasta sauce, fresh parsley.

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here for the full recipe and directions.

A traditional Mexican favorite typically served at breakfast, this hearty-yet-light dish is a perfect way to mix up your family's dinner routine. The black beans provide a healthy dose of fiber.

Ingredients: Onion, garlic, cooked chicken breast, black beans, chicken broth, salsa, corn tortillas, queso blanco.

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here for the full recipe and directions.

This is a grown-up pasta dish that kids will love too. The splash of lemon provides a surprisingly tangy taste—and a nice change of pace from red sauce.

Ingredients: Whole-wheat penne, rotisserie chicken, broccoli rabe, olive oil, garlic, crushed red pepper, preserved lemon, Parmesan cheese.

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here for the full recipe and directions.

Give pasta night an Asian makeover with this saucy chicken dish. Flavored with sesame oil and sake, this sauce will give your favorite marinara a run for its money. The recipe calls for bean sprouts and carrots, but feel free to add your favorite veggies.

Ingredients: Linguine, chicken breast, bean sprouts, green onions, carrot, fresh ginger, soy sauce, sake, dark sesame oil, cornstarch, sugar.

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here for the full recipe and directions.

Because of all the cream it contains, this classic dish is usually a no-no for people trying to eat healthy. Substituting low-fat or fat-free milk for cream creates a lighter sauce without compromising too much on flavor, and using whole-wheat pasta makes the dish even more wholesome.

Ingredients: Whole-grain penne, bottled marinara sauce, 1% low-fat milk, crushed red pepper, vodka, Parmesan cheese.

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here for the full recipe and directions.

The egg whites in this breakfast-for-dinner favorite provide lean protein, while black beans add fiber and iron. Add broccoli or red peppers to sneak in a serving of veggies.

Ingredients: Cilantro, eggs, black beans, green onions, reduced-fat cheddar cheese, salsa.

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here for the full recipe and directions.

Sandwiches for dinner is almost as underrated as breakfast for dinner. Pesto adds a rich flavor (and heart-healthy fats) to this crunchy chicken salad.

Ingredients: Low-fat mayo, pesto, lemon juice, chicken breast, cucumber, grape tomatoes, whole-grain bread, alfalfa sprouts.

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here for the full recipe and directions.

Kids and adults alike will love this simplified pizza from celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck. Rotisserie chicken breast is significantly lower in saturated fat than meat toppings like pepperoni or sausage, and fresh bell peppers add a healthy dose of vitamin C and beta carotene.

Ingredients: Basic pizza dough, mozzarella cheese, Fontina cheese, rotisserie chicken, barbecue sauce, yellow and red bell peppers.

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