While any time is the perfect time to eat right, the start of a new year is a good time to reset and commit to eating well. But where do you start? Don’t get overwhelmed or feel like you have to eat chicken breasts and broccoli for all your New Years meals. Replacing a few unhealthy meals here and there can go a long way towards eating healthier. Don’t sacrifice flavor for health either. Healthy can also be yummy. Check out these 15 healthy and delicious New Years meals to start the year off right.
Healthy Breakfast Options
Banana Baked Oatmeal
This Banana Baked Oatmeal is the ideal healthy breakfast recipe to start off your New Years meals. This simple recipe is wholesome and filling. Plus, it’s made mostly of oats and bananas which are especially good for you. There are only 10 ingredients in this dish: oats, ripe bananas, pecan pieces, cinnamon, allspice, vanilla, salt, baking powder, milk, and maple syrup. You can use regular milk or your preferred dairy-free version to make your Banana Baked Oatmeal vegan. You can also substitute the pecans for your other favorite nuts like walnuts or almonds.
Top your baked oatmeal with nut butter and banana slices and you will have a decadent breakfast that will feel more like a treat than a healthy breakfast. Get the recipe from A Couple Cooks.
Whole Wheat–Oat Waffles
These waffles are sugar-free and whole-grain, so they are the perfect addition to everyone’s collection of healthy New Years meals. They are made with whole wheat flour, old-fashioned oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt, plain yogurt butter, and an egg. The thing that makes this recipe even better is that you just need one bowl and a whisk. No kitchen equipment required.
You can top your healthy waffles with the accompanying blueberry syrup recipe or use your favorite maple syrup. Get the recipe at Bon Appétit.
READ MORE: HOW TO MAKE A BREAKFAST CHARCUTERIE BOARD
The New Avocado Toast
In this version of avocado toast, the avocado is coated with homemade garlic breadcrumbs before being topped with a perfectly fried egg. Don’t be scared away from this avocado toast for your New Years meals because of the homemade garlic breadcrumbs. They are so simple! All you have to do is throw the ripped up bits of two pieces of bread into a food processor and pulse until you have fine crumbs. Thrown them into a pan where you have browned some garlic. Cook until golden brown and crispy, and season with salt.
Top the egg with some scallions, radishes, and a drizzle of hot sauce and you have the perfect breakfast (or the perfect lunch even)! Get the recipe from Food Network.
Breakfast Blondies
Forget breakfast muffins or bars. These grab-and-go Breakfast Blondies are chock full of chopped nuts, almond butter, and maple syrup. Think of them like a good-for-you muffin in bar form. These bars have a cake-like texture, but are grain-free and packed full of protein. While these Blondies make great New Years meals they make great snacks too! Check out the recipe on Bon Appétit.
Loaded Cauliflower Breakfast Bake
Swapping riced cauliflower in place of the traditional hash browns lightens up this savory and endlessly customizable breakfast bake. Grate cauliflower and add cheese, bacon, green onions, eggs, milk, garlic, and paprika. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes before garnishing with hot sauce and green onions and serving.
This one dish translates into multiple New Years meals because you can swap out or add in different ingredients to make your perfect breakfast bake. Get the recipe from Delish.
READ MORE: A HEALTHY BREAKFAST: PROTEIN VS CARBOHYDRATES
Healthy Lunches
Buffalo Chicken Grain Bowl
Get the flavors of spicy Buffalo chicken wings without frying in this nutritious couscous bowl loaded with protein and crisp veggies. Not only are they super healthy, these bowls make super simple New Years meals too. Combine couscous and honey-mustard vinaigrette in a medium container. Top it with chicken, celery, carrot ribbons, and blue cheese. Then drizzle with a little more vinaigrette and top with hot sauce.
These bowls can be made in advance and refrigerated for up to five days. Get the recipe from EatingWell.
Sweet Potato Taco Bowls
Start these Sweet Potato Taco Bowls by making a seasoning mix to toss with the sweet potatoes. Then while the sweet potatoes are getting roasted, make the base of your bowls – either rice or quinoa. Once the sweet potatoes are ready, it is just a matter of assembling the toppings and whisking together the sauce. The sauce uses the same spice mixture used with the sweet potatoes, a little lime, and some hot sauce. For the toppings, pick your favorite taco accompaniments. Some good ones to consider include black beans, fire-roasted canned corn, tomatoes, sliced avocado, fresh cilantro, jalapeño, and diced green chiles.
Make these taco bowls for your New Years meals by getting the recipe on Chelsea’s Messy Apron.
Greek Healthy Meal Prep
This riff on a Greek sampler has all of the staples you want: baked chicken, tabbouleh made with cauliflower rice, hummus, olives, and a creamy tzatziki sauce. The recipe makes five bowls and takes about an hour to prep and cook the ingredients. You might want to eat these for your healthy New Years meals every day! If nothing else, this recipe will have you looking forward to lunch all morning. Get the recipe on 40 Aprons.
READ MORE: SCHOOL LUNCHES: 18 OF THE BEST LUNCHBOXES AND SNACKS TO MAKE YOUR CHILD HAPPY
Chickpea & Roasted Red Pepper Lettuce Wraps with Tahini Dressing
A tangy, nutty tahini dressing brings together no-cook ingredients like canned chickpeas and roasted red peppers for these easy Chickpea & Roasted Red Pepper Lettuce Wraps. There is literally no cooking involved with this recipe. These yummy, healthy wraps can be made ahead of time for easy grab-and-go New Years meals. A few wedges of warm pita finish off the meal perfectly. Get the recipe on EatingWell.
Crunchy Roasted Chickpea Pitas
Roasted chickpeas absolutely make these pitas a must add to your New Years meals. You can make your own whole wheat pita according to the recipe or you can use store-bought if you don’t have the time. Spread your favorite hummus on a pita, load it up with the garlic and paprika roasted chickpeas, and top it all with tomatoes, feta, and a sprinkle of fresh dill and oregano. They are filling and delicious. Check out the recipe on How Sweet Eats.
READ MORE: TOP 5 HEALTHY EATING TIPS FOR GETTING KIDS TO EAT BETTER
Healthy Dinner Ideas
Sheet Pan Chickpea Chicken
This delicious one-pan dinner combines chickpeas, sweet peppers, and spicy harissa sauce for a chicken dinner that is full of flavor. It is full of heart-healthy protein and vitamins, plus it all gets cooked – in only 25 to 30 minutes – on one sheet pan which means fewer dishes to clean up and more time to enjoy the new year and your healthy life. Get the recipe on Woman’s Day.
Tofu Stir-Fry
Stir-fries are great because you can put almost whatever you want in it and it makes a quick, healthy meal. Follow the recipe and use the vegetables listed or substitute whatever vegetables you have on hand from cauliflower or bok choy to onions, thin slices of potato, celery, or corn. For best results, use extra-firm tofu that has been frozen so it can absorb flavors more readily, and simmer the tofu in salted water briefly to make it hardier and less likely to crumble in the pan. Find the recipe and read more about the tofu tip on Delish.
Hot Honey-Roasted Salmon and Radishes
Fresh jalapeño-infused honey and spicy radish greens give this flaky roasted salmon a real punch. Salmon is great for New Years meals because it is the perfect addition to a healthy diet.
Start by making the jalapeño-infused honey. Next, toss radishes with oil, salt, and pepper. Place the salmon in the center of a sheet pan, drizzle with half of the honey, and season with salt and pepper. Roast 15 to 20 minutes until the radishes are tender and the salmon is opaque. Drizzle with the remaining honey. Toss the radishes with some chickpeas and radish greens before serving. Delicious! Get the recipe on Woman’s Day.
READ MORE: DESSERT IDEAS: HELPFUL TIPS TO MINIMIZE YOUR CHILD’S FIXATION
Spicy Kale and Corn Stuffed Chicken Breasts
Superfood kale and sweet corn create a duo rich in vitamin A, perfect for New Years meals. The pepper jack cheese in these stuffed chicken breasts adds a ton of spice while binding the stuffing for the chicken. However, if spicy is not your thing, try Monterey Jack or Havarti cheese instead for all the same creamy benefits without the heat. On top of all the deliciousness of this recipe, it only takes ten minutes to prep and is ready to eat in 24 minutes. Get this delicious recipe from Food Network.
Lemon Garlic Butter Chicken and Green Beans Skillet
This paleo, low carb, keto-friendly Lemon Garlic Butter Chicken and Green Beans Skillet is a snap to fix. Chicken thighs and green beans are cooked in one skillet for easy prep and the flavor combination is spot on. Hot sauce and crushed red chili pepper flakes give the chicken a nice little kick. While you can use different cuts of chicken for this recipe, boneless and skinless chicken thighs are a good healthy choice because they render less fat and cook quicker than bone-in cuts. Plus, it is easier to rub the spice mixture deep into the chicken meat!
With only 25 minutes of total work, this nourishing chicken meal makes weeknight New Years meals a breeze. Get the recipe on eatwell101.
From breakfast to dinner, these New Years meals will make starting your healthy new year so easy. They are delicious and quick to make. They are all full of vegetables and lean protein. Most of them are customizable too. You can add in or swap out different components to make them exactly what you want. Start your new year off right with any and all of these amazing meal options.
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