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    Home » Meal Planning » Seasonal Meal Plans

    Updated: Dec 10, 2023 · Published: Dec 10, 2023 by Cassie Waltman · This post may contain affiliate links · 1 Comment

    20 Warming Winter Recipes for Family Friendly Meals

    We haven't hit deep winter yet, but I know I'll be ready with this seasonal meal plan list of warming winter recipes on hand! These are the cozy and delicious recipes you'll reach for all season long, with quick dinners and more leisurely weekend meals as well as snacks and treats. Every recipe here is family friendly to keep your whole bunch fed for all of the winter fun!

    Candles wrapped in cinnamon sticks, bay leaves, and evergreen stems sit on a wooden surface. The words, "20 warming winter recipes for family friendly meals" and "winter 2023 seasonal meal plan" are in two boxes overlaid on the image.
    Jump to:
    • Why Use Seasonal Meal Plans?
    • Warming Winter Recipes to the Rescue!
    • Luxurious Main Dishes
    • Bright Flavors to Perk Up the Menu
    • Weeknight Favorites
    • Snacks for Sharing
    • Sweet Treats
    • Past Winter Seasonal Meal Plans
    • Share Your Favorites
    • Comments

    Why Use Seasonal Meal Plans?

    Having a seasonal meal plan in place is a game changer for family meal planning. First, it's easier to create weekly plans and shopping lists from a curated set of recipe ideas. Second, it adds built-in variety throughout the year, avoiding the dreaded dinner rut. Finally, a seasonal meal plan means you take advantage of seasonal foods and products.

    If you're not sure about meal planning or how to incorporate it into your week, check out this Family Meal Planning Strategies post! There are loads of ideas, tips, and sample meal plans to get you started.

    Warming Winter Recipes to the Rescue!

    There are classic recipes I want to make sure I cook each winter. Fondue, beef stroganoff, and braised short ribs are just a few of them. What do all of these warming winter recipes have in common? They have rich flavors, hearty ingredients, and a little nostalgia that will warm both your bellies and your hearts. These are the meals you want after a day of sledding or a snowman building session!

    Check out the lineup of recipes for the 2023 winter seasonal meal plan below!

    Luxurious Main Dishes

    This group of recipes is perfect for weekend dinners, with slow braises and rich flavors. Soups, casseroles, and pasta dishes will warm you up from the inside out.

    Oven Baked Short Ribs Braised in Cranberry Red Wine Sauce
    Baked short ribs are braised in a cranberry red wine sauce that reduces to a rich and glossy glaze over tender, succulent beef.
    Click here for recipe
    Prepared short ribs are bathed in a glossy sauce in the bottom of a large pot.
    Bistro French Onion Soup with Croutons
    Bistro French Onion Soup with Croutons has deeply caramelized onions forming the base of a hearty soup topped with croutons and melty cheese.
    Click here for recipe
    A black handled bowl is filled with soup, croutons, melted cheese, and thyme sprigs.
    Meatball Stroganoff
    Meatball stroganoff turns frozen meatballs and mushrooms into a hearty meal with a nutmeg and sour cream gravy perfect for a bowl of noodles.
    Click here for recipe
    A gray plate is piled with noodles and then the meatballs in a pale brown gravy are ladled over the top.
    Cheese Fondue
    Try this indulgent blend of three cheeses and wine for a cold weather treat!
    Click here for recipe
    Sausage, Kale, and White Bean Soup with Farro
    A sausage, kale, and white bean soup with nutty farro is a hearty and cozy meal that can easily be prepared in the Instant Pot or stovetop.
    Click here for recipe
    The overhead view of three bowls of soup on a wood table with bread and butter.
    Baked Gnocchi with Sun Dried Tomato Cream
    Tender gnocchi are baked with a sun dried tomato cream, spinach, and cherry tomatoes and topped with a crunchy and cheesy breadcrumb topping for a delicious main or side dish.
    Click here for recipe
    Three bowls of gnocchi are displayed on a blue background.

    Bright Flavors to Perk Up the Menu

    It's great to have a batch of recipes with brighter flavors and lighter textures to help balance out the richer meals. These recipes will serve as perfect palate cleansers in your meal planning!

    Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas
    Flavor-packed and juicy chicken fajitas can be yours with easy prep and minimal clean up. Add in tortillas and all of the toppings and you've got a mid-week fiesta!
    Click here for recipe
    Cashew Nut Mango Stir Fry
    This recipe for a speedy stir fry pleases picky palates with a sweet and savory balance of flavors. Juicy mango and crunchy water chestnuts provide texture contrast that is hard to beat.
    Click here for recipe
    Garlic Paprika Shrimp Bowls with Chickpeas and Lemon
    Garlic Paprika Shrimp Bowls are full of warm spices and fresh flavors with chickpeas and lemon to make a hearty and quick meal suitable for company or weeknight meals.
    Click here for recipe
    Shrimp, chickpeas, and diced red pepper sitting atop a bed of cous cous garnished with cilantro leaves and lemon.
    Roasted Carrot and Chickpea Grain Bowls
    These Roasted Carrot and Chickpea Grain Bowls are a hearty vegetarian meal with sweet, tangy, salty, and nutty flavors everyone will enjoy.
    Click here for recipe
    Extra toppings for the grain bowls sit alongside a serving on a white surface.

    Weeknight Favorites

    Quick and easy dinners are still important in winter! Try any of the recipes below for low-stress weeknight meals all season long.

    Frozen Burrito Casserole with Green Enchilada Sauce
    This frozen burrito casserole is a weeknight warrior, upgrading simple frozen burritos with a quick and easy green chile sauce.
    Click here for recipe
    The finished casserole sits on a white table next to a white and green striped towel, a stack of plates, and a spatula.
    Mild Coconut Curry with Turkey and Potatoes
    This Indonesian-inspired mild coconut curry with chunks of turkey and potatoes is boldly flavored yet mild enough for picky eaters to enjoy.
    Click here for recipe
    A white bowl containing rice, a golden sauce with potatoes and meat, and green chopped herbs.
    Quick Ground Pork Tacos with Corn and Cabbage Slaw
    Savory ground pork cooks up in minutes with pantry spices and an orange juice slurry for a delicious filling topped with crunchy corn and cabbage slaw.
    Click here for recipe
    A gray plate with tacos in charred tortillas with pork, avocado, jalapeno, and slaw filling.
    Charred Broccoli Tacos with Honey Chipotle Sauce
    Oven roasted broccoli gets an upgrade with a tangy honey chipotle sauce in these filling vegetarian broccoli tacos.
    Click here for recipe
    A blue plate is filled with bean and broccoli tacos in charred tortillas topped with radishes and crumbled cheese.
    Vegan Chili Mac
    All of the cheesy goodness and none of the cheese, this Vegan Chili Mac uses cashews and spices to flavor tender pasta tomatoes, and black beans.
    Click here for recipe
    A pot of Vegan Chili Mac sits on a black surface next to a stack of white bowls and a serving of pasta garnished with chopped fresh tomatoes.

    Snacks for Sharing

    Have friends over to brighten the mood on the gloomiest of winter days. Prep any of the recipes below to share with a group at a happy hour, enjoy as a game time snack, or gobble up at any casual gathering.

    Caramelized Onion Dip
    Here's the perfect recipe for a creamy, dreamy, savory dip that you can use for chips, veggies, or as a sandwich topping.
    Click here for recipe
    Muhammara
    Sweet, sour, and warmly spiced, this spread is perfect for your mezze platter.
    Click here for recipe
    Warm Buffalo Chicken or Turkey Dip with Ranch
    Buffalo Chicken Dip is a crowd pleaser for good reason! A creamy, cheesy base gets a flavor boost from hot sauce, ranch dressing mix, and shredded chicken or turkey.
    Click here for recipe
    An oval dish of browned cheese dip arranged next to a bowl of carrot and celery sticks and a plate of pretzels.

    Sweet Treats

    Warm up winter mornings with freshly baked muffins or classic pancakes to fuel a day of cold weather fun!

    Simple Bakery Style Banana Carrot Muffins
    A quick one-bowl prep will yield banana carrot muffins with subtle spice and perfectly golden muffin tops just like your favorite bakery muffin!
    Click here for recipe
    A baked muffin and a second muffin split in half sit on a white plate over a blue and white plaid cloth.
    Diner Pancakes
    This Diner Pancake recipe delivers subtly sweet and fluffy pancakes with crispy edges, destined to be weekend favorites.
    Click here for recipe
    A plate of Diner Pancakes garnished with blueberries and strawberries sits on a red surface.

    Past Winter Seasonal Meal Plans

    • The Plan. Eat. Post. Repeat Logo next to the words "seasonal meal plan winter 2022" and above the words "25 cozy and simple family dinner recipes".
      25 Cozy and Simple Family Dinner Recipes For Winter 2022
    • The Plan. Eat. Post. Repeat Logo next to the words "seasonal meal plan winter 2021".
      Seasonal Meal Planning: Winter 2021
    • The Plan. Eat. Post. Repeat Logo next to the words "seasonal meal plan winter 2020".
      Seasonal Meal Planning: Winter 2020

    Share Your Favorites

    I'd love to hear what cozy warming winter recipes your family loves! Comment below and share. If you make one of the meals linked above, I'd be thrilled to see it. Snap a photo and share it on Instagram or Facebook. Mention me @planeatpostrepeat or tag your photo with #planeatpostrepeat so I see it and can give you a virtual high-five for your mealtime win. Comments, recipe ratings, and social media shares are so important in helping me continue my work on the blog and I appreciate them!

    More Seasonal Meal Plans

    • The Plan. Eat. Post. Repeat. logo is next to the words, "seasonal meal plan spring 2024" at the top of the image and the words, "25 recipes to shake up your spring meal plans" are below.
      25 Recipes to Shake Up Your Spring Meal Plan
    • The Plan Eat Post Repeat logo next to the words "seasonal meal plan 2023" and "20 recipes for summer fruits and vegetables" over a white background.
      20 Recipes for Family Friendly Fall Meals
    • The Plan Eat Post Repeat logo next to the words "seasonal meal plan 2023" and "20 recipes for summer fruits and vegetables" over a white background.
      20 Recipes for Summer Fruits and Vegetables
    • The Plan. Eat. Post. Repeat Logo next to the words "seasonal meal plan spring 2023" and above the words "20 delightful spring flavors to add to your meal plan".
      20 Delightful Spring Flavors to Add to Your Meal Plan

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Cassie says

      December 12, 2023 at 9:53 am

      What are you making now that the winter temperatures have arrived?

      Reply

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    Candles wrapped in cinnamon sticks, bay leaves, and evergreen stems sit on a wooden surface. The words, "20 warming winter recipes for family friendly meals" and "plan. eat. post. repeat." are in two boxes overlaid on the image.