100+ Light Dinner Ideas That Are Easy and Delicious
Every healthy (and family-friendly) recipe takes under an hour.
It can be hard to come up with a varied list of delicious and light dinner ideas for your family, especially when your goal is to prepare healthier meals that you and your kids will actually want to eat.
Fortunately, there are plenty of options out there that offer healthy meal solutions that are light on the things you want to avoid feeding your family while remaining heavy on taste. From giving your favorite types of pizzas, tacos, and salads a gourmet glow up, to coming up with new takes on typically heavier fare like pastas and steak, there are plenty of healthy dinner ideas that are sure to be crowd pleasers with your family.
These meals also make sure to keep your busy schedule in mind as well, with each taking under an hour to prepare and serve. That means you’ll have more time to enjoy your family as you sit down to eat. It also means, if you're preparing for guests, the meal will be one less thing to worry about.
But don’t just take our word for it, test out one of these great dishes for dinner tonight.
Asparagus, Potato & Spinach Galette
Loaded with ingredients that are full of vitamins C and K, this healthy and balanced dish is as easy to make as it is delicious.
Katsu Pork Cutlet
A fresh take on an old favorite, this crispy, juicy pork is topped with ginger-lime cabbage salad, and it's easy to make.
Chicken Kebabs
These juicy lemon chicken kebabs are a fan favorite that will have everyone who tries them saying "Bon Appétit."
Lemon-Thyme Chicken
Try this gluten-free dish that's packed with tasty and good-for-you ingredients, like green beans and artichoke hearts roasted with Parmesan and thyme.
Apricot-Glazed Chicken and Corn
Everything about this dish will please even the pickiest eaters. The apricot-lime glaze has a touch of hot sauce, making it sweet, sour, spicy, and delicious.
Mâche, Beet, and Orange Salad
Toss four cups of mâche, baby greens, or spinach leaves with this homemade lemon-herb dressing, and add in a few colorful fruits and veggies to make your new favorite meatless salad.
Hot Honey-Roasted Salmon and Radishes
Looking to add a little kick to your healthy dinner tonight? Try these jalapeño-infused honey and spicy radish greens that put a new twist on your typical roasted salmon.
Thai-Style Peanut Chicken Wraps
Skip your go-to flour tortilla and opt for Swiss chard for a lighter meal. The leafy green is sturdy enough to act as a wrap without falling apart when you dip it in the homemade honey-ginger peanut sauce.
Chickpea, Spinach, and Quinoa Patties
This feta, garlic, and jalapeño loaded patties are so flavorful, even the meat-lovers in your family will devour this vegetarian dish.
Oven-Roasted Salmon with Charred Lemon Vinaigrette
Salmon is always an easy and healthy option for dinner. This recipe only takes half an hour, and it tastes great with a side of veggies or grains.
Get the Oven-Roasted Salmon with Charred Lemon Vinaigrette recipe.
Thyme- and Sage-Roasted Turkey
This recipe is proof that turkey shouldn't just be reserved for Thanksgiving, offering up a woodsy roast that'll give you plenty of leftovers for the rest of the week.
Bell Pepper Nachos
This is nacho traditional look at the Mexican staple: Switch out the tortilla chips for vitamin C and beta carotene-packed bell peppers which are crucial to good immune function.
Fresh Corn, Tomato, Herb, and Israeli Couscous Salad
Seasonal veggies get a chance to shine with this pasta salad that goes perfectly with grilled zucchini and onion. And an added bonus? It only takes 20 minutes!
Get the Fresh Corn, Tomato, Herb, and Israeli Couscous Salad recipe.
Quick Chickpea and Kale Stew
You'll want to leave your crockpot in the cupboard for this 25 minute stew recipe. The chickpeas in it serve as a lighter replacement for potatoes or other carb-heavy foods that often go in stews.
Tomato & Watermelon Salad
You can bring a little taste of summer home with you at any point in the year with this light and delicious salad. Paired with basil and feta, this salad makes for a standalone meal or side dish.
Roasted Chile Lime Chicken Legs
This five-ingredient chicken and broccoli dinner is easy to assemble and doesn't skimp on flavor.
Moroccan Meatballs with Roasted Tomatoes and Chickpeas
Pair these Moroccan meatballs with couscous and feta for a flavor that will take your tastebuds on a journey.
Get the Moroccan Meatballs with Roasted Tomatoes and Chickpeas recipe.
Ham and Spinach Pizza
Satisfy your pizza craving with some lighter fare with this tasty twist. With spinach, red onions, and thinly sliced ham, all topped with a half-dozen eggs, this pizza will become a family favorite.
Balsamic Steak with Eggplant and Peppers
Your steak dinner doesn't always have to be heavy when you try this lighter version. Served with a vegetable medley of peppers and eggplant, this recipe is sure to please.
Pork and Peach Kebabs with Grilled Green Beans
This unexpected combo of pork and peach is juicy, delicious and easy. All you need to do is throw these skewers on the grill, and you'll have a flavorful dinner in no time.
Get the Pork and Peach Kebabs with Grilled Green Beans recipe.
Lauren Wellbank is a freelance writer based in the Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania. Her work has appeared in The Washington Post, Huffington Post, Martha Stewart Living, and more. She has three small children, a husband, and an over eager dog at home. When she's not writing she likes to work in her garden with her family.
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