It’s a new year — a time for fresh starts and great intentions. But let’s be real — by 6 p.m. those resolutions to stay organized and eat healthy often collide with kids who are hangry and your zapped energy. But don't give up! We’ve got your back. With great smart planning tools, time-saving meal prep tricks, and a dash of fun, you can not only succeed at healthy weeknight dinners, but make it look easy. Here’s how:
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Plan Ahead Like a Pro
Meal Planning Made Easy with Plan to Eat
This year, take control of your weeknights by tackling dinner planning once and for all. With 365 dinners to plan for annually, it can feel overwhelming… unless you cheat a little. Plan to Eat helps you reduce those nightly stress-filled decisions to just 52 if you plan weekly, or even just 12 if you’re feeling extra ambitious and plan monthly! That’s a massive time-saver for parents like us who have approximately zero patience left by dinnertime.
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Here’s how it works: Plan to Eat provides simple tools to organize your recipes, plan your meals, and create grocery lists so you can shop once and know exactly what’s for dinner every night. (Spoiler: It’s not chicken nuggets. Unless you want it to be.)
The best part? Sign up with Plan to Eat now to take advantage of a 14-day free trial and 20% off. Make this the year you say goodbye to the dreaded “What’s for dinner?” question forever!
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Quick Wins for Busy Nights
Quick and Easy Dinner Solutions with Home Chef
Life doesn’t slow down after the holidays, but with Home Chef, you can stick to your New Year’s plan to enjoy more family dinners without the hassle. We love that Home Chef’s Family Menu features 18 weekly options, from classics like Taco Kits and Pizza Night to genius time-savers like Oven-Ready and Express Meals.
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These meals are picky-eater-approved (you know, for that kid who thinks “green” is a flavor) and come with fresh, family-friendly ingredients. Plus, you can Customize It to choose the proteins that work best for your crew. Less arguing, more eating.
And hey, Home Chef even has breakfast items and desserts because sometimes we just need a little extra help. With their exclusive offer, you’ll get 19 free meals when you use the code MACKID19!
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Skip the Store: Healthy Groceries Delivered To Your Door
Taking real steps to healthy eating with the help of Thrive Market
Tired of making resolutions about healthy eating, only to have them fall apart on nights when stopping at the store feels impossible? We are too. That’s why this year, we’re turning to Thrive Market, an online grocery store that makes healthy eating feel easy, fun, and guilt-free — without adding another errand to your list.
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With Thrive Market you can stock up on pantry staples, snacks, and even household essentials without ever leaving the house. Plus, it’s affordable, with savings of up to 30% off trusted brands, exclusive daily deals, and even free gifts.
You can also shop by diet (like gluten-free or keto) or values (organic or sustainable), so it’s easy to find exactly what works for your family.
Thrive Market makes eating better simple, affordable, and achievable — no matter how busy life gets.
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Kid-Approved Meal You Can Make Together
Fun Family Recipe: Veggie-Packed Mini Pita Pizzas
Kick off the new year with a fun family tradition: Cooking together! These Veggie-Packed Mini Pita Pizzas are not only delicious but also a great way to sneak in some extra nutrition while spending quality time as a family.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- Whole wheat mini pitas (a healthier base than English muffins)
- Low-sodium marinara or pizza sauce
- Shredded mozzarella cheese or a mix of mozzarella and cheddar for added flavor
- Toppings of your choice, with a focus on veggies: diced bell peppers, sliced cherry tomatoes, spinach, mushrooms, shredded carrots, or zucchini slices
- Optional: Cooked chicken or turkey sausage for protein
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Let your kids spread a spoonful of pizza sauce over each mini pita.
- Sprinkle cheese over the sauce.
- Encourage the kids to add a variety of colorful veggies as toppings. (Tip: Arrange them into fun shapes like smiley faces or flowers!)
- Optional: Add a sprinkle of Italian seasoning or a light drizzle of olive oil for extra flavor.
- Place the pitas on a baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Serve with a side of cucumber slices, baby carrots, or a mixed greens salad.
Dinner is done, and you’ve made eating veggies a fun experience. Nice work!
Make Healthy Dinner Time Easy This Year
This year, let’s make dinner easier, more fun, and less stressful. Between planning ahead with Plan to Eat, quick wins from Home Chef, and online grocery shopping made easy with Thrive Market, 2025 can be the year you finally conquer weeknight dinners. Now go forth and conquer the dinner hour ... one delicious bite at a time!
