Kid-Friendly Recipes & Tips to Help Your Family Stick to Their New Years Resolutions 

Creating good eating habits starts as soon as your kids start eating solid foods. If you’ve noticed that your family’s meals are becoming hectic, scattered, and not as healthy as you’d prefer, now is the perfect time to set some realistic New Years resolutions for the whole family.  

Here are a few fun ways to set — and stick to — a resolution to eat better as a family. From fun themed cooking nights to tips for getting the little ones involved with the meal prep, these just may transform the way you approach mealtime for the rest of the year. 

1. Plan a healthier pizza night. 

Instead of the usual pizza delivery, plan one night a week for the whole family to make homemade pizza together. You can choose ingredients you trust, save some money, and let the kids help out with the prep work. Try this grain-free pizza, this vegan pizza, this fun skillet pizza, or if you’re short on time, one of these healthier frozen pizzas.  

2. Make your favorite takeout with better-for-you ingredients. 

If you often find your family ordering takeout because of the convenience factor, commit to replacing one night with a homemade version of your favorite dish. We like this Thai red curry that’s mild enough for little palates or or this quick beef stir fry that takes just 30 minutes from start to finish. 

3. Get little hands involved in the cooking. 

Want to teach your little ones to cook alongside you in the kitchen? Try a recipe with kid-friendly steps, like these baked fish sticks, these teriyaki chicken lettuce wraps, or these baked falafel pitas.   

4. Make your weekend brunch a healthier morning meal.

Tired of trying to wrangle the whole family for a breakfast outing — or skipping that first meal altogether? Carve out some quality time during one weekend morning to prepare a healthy brunch that leaves everyone feeling fueled and ready to take on the day. We like this Whole 30-approved breakfast casserole; these pumpkin muffins that use common pantry staples; or this overnight French toast recipe that cuts down on time by showing you how to do the prep work the night before. 

5. Revamp your go-to comfort meals. 

If you have a tried-and-true recipe that the whole family loves, but you don’t love the ingredients, look for some healthy tweaks or a new way to make it. This vegan shells and cheese recipe nixes the dairy from your usual mac and cheese; this kid-friendly meatball recipe adds quality protein to your favorite pasta; and this grilled cheese and tomato soup recipe includes a homemade soup that’s loaded with fresh tomatoes. 

6. Make one day meat-free.

If you’d like to cut down on the meat from your family’s diet, start with committing to one plant-based day. This oven baked chickpea falafel recipe is great in a wrap or salad; these vegan nachos are perfect for a family movie night; and this matcha sobu with spicy tofu nuggets makes a filling meat-free dinner for the whole family. 

7. Meal prep as a family. 

Meal prep doesn’t have to be a boring, time consuming process. By choosing meals together as a family, dedicating a whole Sunday to prepping, and getting creative with fun sauces and ingredients, you can make the most of meal prep — and make weeknight meals a breeze. 

8. Save time with the slow cooker. 

You can make cooking at home much less intimidating by using your slow cooker to cut down on time. This classic pot roast will feed the whole family; these short ribs taste gourmet, but take no time at all; and this white chicken chili uses coconut milk to make it extra creamy. 

9. Make dessert sweet — but not too sugary. 

We’ve all been there: you prepare a healthy meal, but go a bit overboard with a sugary dessert. If you’re trying to limit your family’s sugar intake, go for a better-for-you dessert like this honey sweetened no-bake cheesecake; these skillet brownies that are made with maple syrup; or this these cake pops that start out simple with a gluten-free yellow cake mix.  

10. Invest in kid-friendly cookware. 

If you plan on having your kiddos help out with as much cooking as they can, you may want to invest in kid-friendly knives, cutting boards, pots, and pans. If they can safely and comfortably share the responsibility of cooking, the whole family can make meals (and memories!) together.