These healthy winter recipes are the best way to nourish your body and stay healthy when the weather starts getting colder and days shorter and shorter. In this collection of healthy winter meals you’ll find comforting dinner ideas like curries or soups, as well as nutritious breakfast recipes like oatmeal or pancakes, which are all perfect for cold weather.
If you’ve ever tried to eat healthy during winter, you know it’s not easy. Salad’s the last thing I want after a freezing day. Give me the cookies, that creamy pasta, give me anything that will provide the calories and make me sleepy right now.
Well, if you want to live a healthy lifestyle and eat healthy even during winter, don’t make excuses. You need these easy healthy winter meal ideas that will ensure you stay on track with your diet.
What Vegetables To Eat During Winter
To stay healthy during winter, fill your plate with seasonal vegetables to keep your body properly nourished. Not many plants grow during that season, but there are some that you can use to make simple healthy winter meals like the ones on this list. Some of my favorite winter vegetables include:
- cabbage
- cauliflower
- Brussels sprouts
- onions
- sweet potatoes
- kale
- beets
- carrots
- lettuce
- radishes
- spinach (grows slowly, but I had some luck with it last year!)
So, use what is available to you, focus on rest and restoration and make the most out of this season.
Healthy Winter Breakfast Ideas
Start your (cold) day right by enjoying these healthy winter breakfast recipes. From flourless oatmeal pancakes to breakfast apple crumble, these breakfasts are nutritious, cozy and delicious!
1. Fluffy Banana Oatmeal Pancakes
These healthy banana oatmeal pancakes make one of the best breakfast ideas for cozy winter mornings! All you need are some old bananas, yogurt, and oats and around 10 minutes to make them from scratch. Recipe here.
2. Apple Pie Oatmeal
Apples are a great fruit to enjoy during fall, but can also be found during winter. My favorite way to enjoy apples is sauteed in combination with some crunchy nuts like pecans. If you’re in the mood for a more filling warming healthy breakfast, you need to try this delicious apple oatmeal recipe that tastes like apple pie! Recipe here.
If you have more of a savory tooth in the morning, this crustless tuna and egg quiche can be a great winter breakfast option for you. It’s super easy, tasty and made with canned tuna, eggs, vegetables of choice and some cream cheese! You’ll love it! Recipe here.
4. Healthy Breakfast Apple Crumble
This healthy breakfast apple crumble is THE recipe I would make all winter long! Super sweet, crunchy with just the right touch of cinnamon, this is such a good sweet breakfast idea. Apples, oats and nuts come together to make a satisfying crumble that is healthy and not overly sweet. Serve warm with some milk of choice – it’s the most wonderful cold-weather meal to wake up to! Recipe here.
5. Caramelized Banana Oatmeal
Banana oatmeal is great, but caramelized banana oatmeal is out of this world! Add a pinch of salt on top and you’ll be amazed. Making this simple oatmeal recipe takes around 10-15 minutes and the main ingredients you need are oats and bananas. Recipe here.
6. Healthy Oatmeal Carrot Cake
This is a kid-approved lightened-up version of carrot cake that you can pack and eat on the go for breakfast any season, even during winter. You can make the flourless carrot cake with oats, carrots, some butter or coconut oil, eggs and dark brown sugar. It’s SO good! Recipe here.
Healthy Easy Winter Dinner Recipes
Filled with seasonal produce these easy healthy winter dinner recipes are a must-try!
7. Cabbage Ground Beef Stir-Fry
Got some cabbage, extra winter vegetables, tamari sauce and ground meat? Then you can easily make this tasty ground beef recipe for dinner. It takes around 20 minutes and is low carb, dairy- and gluten free. Recipe here.
8. Chicken, Bulgur and Sauerkraut
If you’ve never cooked with sauerkraut, winter’s the season to try some healthy recipes. Sauerkraut is a great source of probiotics, fiber and vitamins, that we need, especially when it’s cold. This chicken and sauerkraut recipe might not be what you imagine when you think of healthy winter meals, but you are going to love it once you give it a try. This healthy dish with bulgur, sauerkraut and chicken is super easy to make and is great for meal prep. You can find it here.
9. Easy Cauliflower Fried Rice
If you ever find yourself buying a huge head of cauliflower and don’t know what to do with it, you can always come back to this incredible, can’t-stop-eating-it cauliflower fried rice recipe. It’s a delicious one-pan dinner that you can make during winter and it’s ready in about 20 minutes. You can choose to keep it vegetarian or add some chicken or shrimp to it. Recipe here.
10. Chicken, Spinach and Rice
For many years I didn’t know that spinach can actually make it through pretty tough weather during fall and winter. Make the most of it and use this super healthy leafy green to make a healthy filling family dinner when the weather is cold. If you need some ideas, there’s nothing easier or more comforting than this high-protein chicken rice and spinach recipe during winter. All you need to do is add the ingredients to a large pan and cook for about 30 minutes. Recipe here.
11. Easy Korean Ground Beef Bowls
These Korean ground beef bowls are super satisfying and one of the most flavorful healthy winter meal ideas! You’ll need some ground beef (but you can do any type of ground meat), some tamari sauce and lots of garlic to make it. Serve with some green vegetables and avocado – you’ll love it. This dish is ready in 15 minutes. Recipe here.
12. Coconut Lentil Curry
When it comes to easy winter meals, curries are a pretty obvious healthy choice, aren’t they? And, there’s a good reason for that. Curries are filling, nourishing, spicy and warming – all things we want when the weather is frightful, but the fire, oh so delightful…Name that song! And while we’re at it, how about a meatless curry for dinner? Like this lentil coconut curry…It is absolutely delicious, takes 30 minutes to prepare and it’s spicy, sweet and savory all at the same time in a very wonderful way. Recipe here.
13. Ground Beef and Quinoa Recipe
If you need some quick winter meal ideas to make on busy evenings, save this healthy quinoa and ground beef recipe! You need some cooked quinoa or another cooked grain, ground beef and broccoli to make this super tasty 20-minute dish! Recipe here.
14. Healthy Cabbage Tofu Stir-Fry
Have you ever had tofu before? Maybe this is your sign you need to try it! This quick stir-fry recipe will actually make you like it. This is an easy and addictive vegan stir-fry that you can make in about 15 minutes using seasonal vegetables! Recipe here.
15. Healthy Chicken Fried Rice
Fried rice has my heart, no matter the season. To make a healthy, more winter friendly version of this takeout recipe, use lots of cabbage, carrots, chicken and leftover rice. While this recipe for fried rice is better for you, it is super addictive as well, so watch out. Recipe here.
16. 20-Minute Healthy Ground Beef and Cabbage
Got a ton of cabbage and don’t trust it in salads? Make this healthy winter stir-fry recipe with cabbage and ground beef. It’s quick, made with few ingredients, in one pan and tastes SO good. Recipe here.
17. Spicy and Cheesy Cauliflower Rice
Another opportunity to use up a huge cauliflower head! Make your cauflower rice cheesy and spicy with this simple vegetarian recipe. Recipe here.
18. 15-Minute Red Curry Noodles
Load up on vegetables and use tofu or other source of lean protein to make this 15-minute noodle recipe with red curry and coconut milk. This is a super comforting dish that you can make for dinner during any season, but it’s perfect for winter time! Recipe here.
Healthy Winter Soup Recipes
Warming, healthy soups are among my go-to winter meals when it’s cold outside. The winter soups you’ll find in this collection are low in calories, nutrient-dense and super filling.
19. Homemade Chicken And Rice Soup
This homemade chicken soup recipe with rice is an easy healthy option for dinner or lunch on a cold winter day. Use boneless, skinless chicken thighs, vegetables and rice to make this simple, comforting 30-minute soup. Recipe here.
20. Easy Meatball Soup with noodles
This meatball soup recipe is one of my favorite winter dishes that I grew up with. It’s super comforting and really easy to prepare, even if you’ve never made soup, or in particular – meatball soup before. Use whatever ground meat you have to make the meatballs, add them to a large pot with soup vegetables, stock or water and cook. In about 30 minutes you will be enjoying a bowl of hot meatball soup. Recipe here.
21. 20-Minute Simple Chickpea Soup
Canned chickpeas to the rescue! You will welcome this healthy winter meal idea with open arms if you ever find yourself without anything cooked in your fridge after a long day at work. Why? Because with this recipe you will cook a batch of delicious chickpea soup faster than you can imagine. It all takes one cooking pot and about 20 minutes and the result is SO tasty! Recipe here.
22. Easy Lentil Vegetable Soup
You need to add this easy lentil soup to your collection of super healthy winter recipes! Filled with fiber-packed protein-rich lentils and a variety of winter vegetables this lentil vegetable soup is surprisingly tasty and wonderfully filling. Recipe here.
23. Ground Turkey and Mushroom Soup
You can make this small-batch soup on a cold night using some mushrooms, whatever vegetables you have in your home, dried and fresh herbs and some ground turkey. Recipe here.
24. Protein-Packed Chicken and Chickpea Soup
Make your homemade chicken soup more filling by adding some chickpeas to it! This delicious chicken and chickpea soup is the perfect high-protein winter meal to keep you warm and fueled! Recipe here.
25. Healthy Ground Beef and Cabbage Soup
Cabbage soup has never tasted this good! But, let’s admit it, there are more vegetables in this healthy winter recipe than just cabbage…There’s also the red pepper, mushrooms, carrots, ginger, garlic and lots of healing spices . Last, but of course not least, there’s the ground beef that makes this soup more filling and satiating. Rich in protein, iron and fiber this healthy winter soup is ready in about 30 minutes and is flavorful and wholesome. Recipe here.
26. Homemade Lentil Soup
Lentils are cheap, tasty and amazingly easy to prepare. One of my favorite recipes to make with lentils, especially when winter rolls around is this healthy homemade lentil soup. Made with pretty simple ingredients, cooked in one pot and in around 30 minutes, this delightful meatless soup will not disappoint! Recipe here.
Healthy Winter Bowl Recipes
If you’re like me, salad probably doesn’t come to your mind when you’re picturing healthy winter meals. But sometimes, winter blues take over and it happens – you find yourself looking for healthy salad recipes during winter. Nobody knows why, you just know you need a salad. I know, because it happens to me, every winter after I spend too much time indoors. Well, this is the collection of healthy bowl and salad ideas to make when it’s winter.
27. Healthy Mediterranean Salmon Bowls
Cook up some salmon, some broccoli and make a tasty healthy winter salad and hummus to go along in this recipe! It’s so fresh, full of flavor and a nice change up from eating all-cooked meals. Recipe here.
28. Healthy Winter Rice and Tuna Salad
If you love salads for lunch, you need to try this healthy runa recipe, especially during winter. You’ll need canned tuna, some leftover rice and winter vegetables to prep this easy filling salad! Recipe here.
29. Spicy Chicken and Roasted Vegetable Bowls
I absolutely love, love, love these healthy winter bowls! You will appreciate the combination of flavors here: spicy chicken, spicy roasted vegetables, a garlicky sauce and some fresh salad all go into the same bowl! And it’s SO incredibly good. Recipe here.
30. HEalthy Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
Beets, cabbage and chickpeas meet avocado and feta cheese to make this crunchy salad recipe. This is one of the best no cook, healthy Mediterranean diet recipes to enjoy during winter. Recipe here.
31. HEalthy Chicken and Pumpkin Salad
Got some roasted pumpkin and leftover chicken and don’t know what to make for dinner? Well make this easy salad! It is a delightful cold-season meal idea to make with salty feta cheese, sweet pumpkin or sweet potatoes and umami-rich chicken. Recipe here.
33. Meal Prep Tuna Chickpea Bowls
So we established what vegetables you can find during winter. But do you know what else is available during this cold season? Canned food! And when I hear easy healthy winter recipes, I think of these tuna meal prep bowls. Canned tuna, cabbage, chickpeas and hummus all make it into one and the same bowl and it’s a surprising combo, yet super, super tasty! Good for meal prep too. Recipe here.
HEalthy Winter Side Dish Recipes
Healthy side dishes can be a great vitamin and fiber provider during the cold and long winter season! These are just a few simple healthy vegetable side dish winter recipes that seriously anyone can make.
34. Easy Fermented Vegetables
Now, yes, you will need to wait for a few weeks for these vegetables to ferment, but once they’re ready, this healthy winter recipe makes a great vegetable side dish. Similarly to sauerkraut, this recipe can provide your body with good gut bacteria and vitamins. All you need to do is serve them alongside a protein of choice at dinner. Recipe here.
35. Healthy Roasted Vegetables
The prep for these roasted vegetables will take no longer than 5-10 minutes. Then it’s off to the oven. Recipe here.
36. 10-Minute Brussels Sprouts
I’m convinced this is the most delicious easy way to roast Brussels sprouts! Chop the sprouts in halves and pan-roast them with some olive oil, salt and garlic. You’ll have your healthy winter side dish ready in about 10 minutes. Recipe here.
More Healthy Recipes:
I hope you enjoy the recipes in this collection of easy healthy winter meal ideas! If you need even more inspiration in the kitchen, make sure to check out these other healthy recipes as well:
- 10 Easy Healthy Cookie Recipes
- 12 High-Protein Chicken Recipes
- 10 Easy Healthy Wrap Recipes
30+ Healthy Winter Recipes
Yield: 3-4
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
A collection of tasty easy and healthy winter recipes that you will love during the cold weather season. This roundup of winter meals includes healthy soups, dinner recipes, salads and bowls and easy breakfast ideas!
Ingredients
- 8oz / 220g ground beef
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 4 cups cabbage
- 1 red pepper, grated
- 1 carrot, grated
- ½ onion, chopped
- 1 tbsp ginger, grated
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp crushed pepper flakes
- 1 tsp mint, dry
- 1/2 tsp coriander, ground
- 1 tsp turmeric (optional)
- 2 scallions, thinly chopped
- 2 mushrooms,chopped
- 2 tbsp chopped herbs of choice
- 4 cups water
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the ground beef with olive oil, dry mint, crushed red pepper, cumin, coriander, turmeric (optional) and some salt. Stir for 2-3 minutes, add in the onions and garlic and cook for 2-3 more minutes.
- During that time, grate the red pepper, carrot, ginger and chop the mushrooms, scallions, herbs (I used basil, mint and parsley) and cabbage.
- Add the cabbage to the meat and cook for 3 minutes until the cabbage has softened and reduced its volume.
- Stir in the shredded carrot, pepper and ginger, add in salt and water to cover then cover the pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat and let the soup cook for 8-10 minutes.
- In the last minutes, add the chopped mushrooms, scallions and herbs, add salt and pepper to taste and cook for about 2-3 more minutes.
- Serve immediately and garnish with some thinly sliced red pepper or jalapeno for some heat and some thinly chopped parsley.
- Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Notes
Original recipe from Beuty Bites.
Nutrition Information
Yield 4 Serving Size 1
Amount Per Serving Calories 252Total Fat 13gSaturated Fat 4gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 8gCholesterol 49mgSodium 230mgCarbohydrates 17gFiber 5gSugar 7gProtein 18g
Last updated on November 23rd 2022.
