A common misconception among people who are trying to lose weight is that it's fine to skip a meal (or simply not eat enough) because it'll help you operate at a calorie deficit, which in turn will help you see faster results. This is categorically false. Regardless of whether or not you're trying to shed pounds, it's crucial that you give your body the calories and nutrients it needs in order to function and feel its best. But the busier life gets, the harder it can be to make sure you're not only eating all of your meals but also consuming food that is healthy and nutritious on a consistent basis. If you have trouble finding the time and energy to make dinner on busy weeknights, read on to get inspired with 65 easy, healthy meals that will support your weight loss goals.
How To Make Healthy Weight Loss Dinners
According to Dr. Lisa R. Young, Ph.D., RDN, author of Finally Full, Finally Slim and The Portion Teller Plan, there are several guidelines you should follow to keep your weight loss goals on track when it comes to preparing a healthy dinner:
- Try to fill half your plate with colorful vegetables. Include your favorite non-starchy vegetables like broccoli, spinach, cauliflower, red pepper, and/or Bok choy.
- Include healthy proteins such as fish, chicken, beans, tofu, tempeh, and eggs. This should be 1/4 of the plate.
- Grill or bake your fish or chicken instead of frying it.
- Include a healthy starch for 1/4 of your plate, such as sweet potato, brown rice, quinoa, kasha, farro, or a baked potato. Limit white flour and practice portion control—you can still include some starch and lose weight, just don't eat too much of it.
Now that you have a better understanding of some of the ways you can make a healthy dinner on even your busiest nights, check out some of these recipes for inspiration.
Chicken Burger with Sun-dried Tomato Aioli
Mitch Mandel and Thomas MacDonald
Total time: ~30 minutes
For those nights when you're craving a burger, a chicken burger can be an easy (but still delicious) alternative with far less saturated fat than a beef burger. This healthy dinner recipe is ideal because it can be made in 30 minutes or less. You'll have a protein-rich, lower-fat meal on busy nights and you'll still be satisfied.
Get our recipe for Chicken Burgers.
Asian-Inspired Tuna Burger with Wasabi Mayo
Mitch Mandel and Thomas MacDonald
Total time: ~45 minutes
Much like the chicken burger, our recipe for tuna burgers with wasabi mayo makes for a great weight-loss-friendly meal. Tuna is packed with lean protein, which will help you stay full and maintain lean muscle mass, and the wasabi mayo is so flavorful that you won't need to use that much at all.
Get our recipe for Tuna Burgers.
Grilled Mahi-Mahi with Salsa Verde
Mitch Mandel and Thomas MacDonald
Total time: ~30-45 minutes
Mahi-Mahi is another protein-rich fish you can cook in less than 30 minutes, and because it's high in protein and lower in fat, it makes for a great weight-loss dinner item. You can pair it with some sautéed vegetables or your choice of a salad.
Get our recipe for Grilled Mahi-Mahi.
Scallops with Chimichurri
Mitch Mandel and Thomas MacDonald
Total time: ~30-45 minutes (allows you to let the chimichurri sit for at least 20 minutes)
Scallops are not only full of flavor and nutrients, but they're extremely easy to cook. Just a few minutes on each side in the skillet, and you'll have perfectly cooked scallops in no time.
Get our recipe for Scallops with Chimichurri.
Simple Chicken Scaloppine
Mitch Mandel and Thomas MacDonald
Total time: ~20-30 minutes
Scaloppine is most often made from a thin slice of chicken or beef and is served with some sort of reduction sauce. This chicken scaloppine recipe uses white wine and is great for those looking for a healthy weight-loss dinner for super busy evenings because it can be made in under 30 minutes.
Get our recipe for Chicken Scaloppine.
Spicy-Sweet Grilled Chicken and Pineapple Sandwich
Mitch Mandel and Thomas MacDonald
Total time: ~20-30 minutes (doesn't include marinade time)
When searching for a healthy meal for weight loss that you can make in a short amount of time, you'll want to look for things high in protein, on the lower end calorie-wise, and ideally low in added sugars, too. This chicken and pineapple sandwich is ideal because it not only provides protein with very little fat and a moderate amount of calories, but it also provides a tangy sweetness with very little added sugar. The jalapeños also offer up a nice spice to balance out the sweetness.
Get our recipe for Grilled Chicken and Pineapple Sandwich.
Grilled Caesar Salad
Mitch Mandel and Thomas MacDonald
Total time: ~30 minutes
This is close to your typical Caesar salad—but better. The lettuce, croutons, and chicken are all grilled, providing a mouthful of flavor in just a little over 400 calories. This is also a great weight loss meal idea because you're giving your body a nice boost of protein and keeping calories, fat, and sugars on the lower end.
Get our recipe for Grilled Caesar Salad.
Sweet and Spicy Beef Stir-Fry
Mitch Mandel and Thomas MacDonald
Total time: ~20 minutes
Stir-fry is one of the easiest and most versatile dinners you can make, and this beef recipe can be made in about 20 minutes. Another perk apart from being delicious and healthy? You'll only have a couple of dishes to wash.
Get our recipe for Sweet and Spicy Beef.
Greek Salad with Chicken
Mitch Mandel and Thomas MacDonald
Total Time: ~30 minutes (if you want the salad chilled)
This salad has everything you could want in a healthy meal: loads of vegetables, healthy fats, and lean protein, all without adding high-calorie ingredients—the perfect combination! Plus, you can mix it up within minutes. If you don't feel like waiting for the salad to chill, you can go ahead and dive right in. It'll taste just as good!
Get our recipe for Greek Salad With Chicken.
Chicken Fajita Burritos
Mitch Mandel and Thomas MacDonald
Total Time: ~10-15 minutes
This protein-packed burrito comes with loaded chicken and beans with cheese on a whole-wheat tortilla. Plus, buying an already-cooked rotisserie chicken will save you a bunch of time. They're super easy to make, so why not have them at home instead of opting for a giant takeout burrito loaded with calories?
Get our recipe for Chicken Fajita Burritos.
Rotisserie Chicken Tacos With Salsa Verde
Mitch Mandel and Thomas MacDonald
Total Time: ~10-15 minutes
This quick and easy weight loss dinner uses store-bought everything, so little to no prep is necessary (only if you're heating the tortillas). A recipe so easy, and you'll end up having rotisserie chicken leftovers that you can use for all sorts of things for days!
Get our recipe for Rotisserie Chicken Tacos with Verde Salsa.
Butter-Baked Salmon and Asparagus
Waterbury Publications, Inc.
Total Time: 20 minutes
This is one of the easiest weeknight meals you can make thanks to the minimal prep required. If you like a simple salmon, this will do the trick. Plus, it's keto-friendly.
Get our recipe for Butter-Baked Salmon and Asparagus.
Salsa Chicken
Kiersten Hickman/Eat This, Not That!
Total Time: 20 minutes
Such an easy protein-packed meal. All you have to do is pick your favorite salsa to smother the chicken in, and top with cheese (The freshly grated stuff is always better than the packaged, so if you have the time to shred, then go for it.)
Get our recipe for Salsa Chicken.
Keto Cheeseburger Casserole
Carlene Thomas/Eat This, Not That!
Total Time: ~20 minutes
Mark our words: This healthier version of Hamburger Helper is going to become your new comfort food dinner staple. This fresh version includes a hearty helping of beef as your protein and no-sugar-added sauce, so you know you're getting a good quality dinner. Plus, this is keto-friendly, making it a great addition to your diet.
Get our recipe for Keto Cheeseburger Casserole.
Pesto Chicken
Waterbury Publications, Inc.
Total Time: 30 minutes
As you may have noticed, chicken is all over this list, because it's so versatile, and as we already said, it's an ideal protein source for anyone trying to lose weight. The pesto is the perfect topping as it provides tons of flavor. Fill the other side of your plate with some leafy greens to make a salad, and you've got yourself a filling dish in a flash.
Get our recipe for Pesto Chicken.
Lemon Chicken
