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    Home » Healthy Dairy and Gluten-Free Recipes

    Best Healthy Recipes For Busy Moms

    Modified: Apr 17, 2024 · by Shelby Stover · This post may contain affiliate links · 22 Comments

    Pin image with text: three images, a pesto pasta, steak fajitas on a baking tray and a chocolate chip energy ball with text about meals for busy moms

    Stop rushing and save some sanity with these recipes for busy moms! These easy, healthy recipes are made with SIMPLICITY in mind. Easy ingredients and easy instructions. They're exactly what busy moms need to feed their families fueling, healthy meals.

    Choose from busy weeknight dinners, make-ahead breakfast recipes, and indulgent but fueling healthy snacks. As a Certified Nutrition Coach, these recipes are everything you need to make your week easier.

    Pin image with text: four images of steak fajitas on a baking tray, chocolate protein bars, a quinoa and veggie wrap and teriyaki chicken with text about dairy free recipes for moms

    Making sure your family has healthy, nourishing food is a priority. But so is saving your sanity.

    Trying to think up new dinner ideas or healthy snacks week after week can be both draining and overwhelming.

    But there's a delicate balance between ultra-easy (hot dogs and mac and cheese!) and healthy. So here's a bit of both!

    These busy mom recipes will help make cooking dinner and grabbing snacks a bit easier and faster.

    All the recipes are broken up into categories so you can find what you're looking for, FAST.

    Plus, all the busy mom recipes come with the perk of being dairy-free, gluten-free and protein-packed too! Learn more about the benefits of a high protein diet and why you want to amp it up!

    So, scroll through these healthy recipes and I've no doubt you'll add a few favorite meals to your repertoire.

    Slow Cooker Weeknight Dinners

    Slow cooker meals save your butt when you need to walk in the door and have everything on the table!

    Many people think the slow cooker is just for the winter months but that couldn't be further from the truth! Slow cooker meals are always good and I can't deny that I'm a huge fan.

    • Slow cooker chicken teriyaki
    • Crockpot Hawaiian chicken
    • Slow cooker tuscan chicken
    • Sweet potato spicy chorizo stew
    • Slow cooker chicken alfredo
    • Crockpot balsamic chicken
    • Slow cooker cabbage rolls
    • Slow cooker shredded beef
    • Southwest chicken
    • Slow cooker chicken pot pie
    • Maple mustard pork loin

    Dairy-Free Leftover Chicken Recipes For Busy Nights

    Having leftover chicken in the fridge is gold.. but sometimes you get stuck with what to do with it!

    These easy dinners can use rotisserie chicken or leftover grilled chicken from the night before. Regardless, the chicken already made helps dinner get on the table a bit faster!

    • Tangy lemon noodle bowl
    • Chicken fajita bowls
    • Dairy-free chicken alfredo casserole
    • Spinach artichoke chicken
    • Low carb chicken salad
    • Chicken and potato casserole
    • Tahini chicken salad

    No Bake Snacks For Busy Moms

    I can't be the only mom who has bottomless pits for children, right?! Coming up with 84 snacks every day gets tiresome!

    This is why I simply rotate through this list week after week. Choose two recipes and whip them up in no time! Great for picky eaters too- because so many are chocolate flavored hehe

    • Cookie dough bites
    • Puffed rice chocolate bar
    • Peanut butter and jam protein balls
    • Protein cookie dough
    • Coffee protein chia pudding
    • Chocolate coconut protein balls
    • Vanilla protein bars
    • Mint chocolate energy bars
    • Chocolate coconut energy balls

    Healthy Sheet Pan Dinner Ideas

    No mess after a meal? Yes please! Sheet pan dinners are one of my favorites because making dinner is so much easier knowing there's not a huge mess of pans afterward (well except for that pesky dinner table!).

    • Sheet pan sausage and veggies
    • One pan chicken and potatoes
    • Sheet pan steak fajitas
    • Sheet pan maple ginger chicken
    • Sausage and potatoes
    • Baked lemon chicken

    Dairy-Free Make-Ahead Breakfast Ideas

    Mornings are a chaotic blend of trying to get out the door. Adding a healthy breakfast to the list makes it even worse. This is why on most mornings I rely on dairy-free, make-ahead breakfast recipes to keep life simple.

    • Protein bagels
    • Double chocolate protein baked oats
    • Mini quiche
    • Yogurt pancakes
    • Chocolate chip protein muffins
    • Lemon chia seed protein pudding
    • Morning glory muffins
    • Peanut butter baked protein oats
    • Berry breakfast donuts
    Pin images with text: chocolate protein bars, quinoa and veggie wrap,. chocolate chip balls, pesto pasta, steak fajias, and baked chicken in a collage with text abbout recipes for busy moms

    Healthy One-Pot Dinner Recipes

    Though most one-pot recipes tend to be a pasta dish, this doesn't mean that they can't be healthy, dairy-free, and gluten-free! I promise the unicorn doesn't exist!

    These dinner recipes are awesome for busy parents as everything just goes into one pot and cleanup is a little less. I also find that these are some of the best dinner recipes for picky eaters because who doesn't love pasta! Truly, they'll become some of your go-to meals.

    • One pot chicken alfredo
    • One pot sausage pasta
    • Sausage and rice skillet
    • Chorizo, rice skillet
    • Sausage and peppers skillet dinner
    • White chicken chili
    • Italian keto chicken and rice
    • Shrimp fried rice

    Helpful Tips

    Now, even with these wicked busy mom dinner ideas, it can still be a bit chaotic. So, here are a few tips to not only make life easier but also to make your kiddos enjoy things more:

    • Whenever possible, chop veggies ahead of time. Roasted veggies are easy when the prep work is done!
    • Like all meal prep gurus everywhere, I'm a huge fan of cook once eat twice. If you have to cook chicken, double it up so you have some for the next day! Rotisserie chicken is great but it's just as easy to double your batch.
    • Stick to green veggies your kiddos like or hide them in sauces/smoothies etc. Spending the time to make them just to throw them out isn't worth it.
    • Make a fun twist on your classics by just switching up the sauce, or the seasoning.
    • Cook rice in bulk and keep some in the fridge. Reheating makes stir fry really easy!

    Though you won't find a lot of hot dogs and pizza pockets on this list, you will find some family favorites that whip up quickly!

    More Healthy Dairy and Gluten-Free Recipes

    • Caramel Apple Overnight Oats [High Protein]
    • Mini dairy-free egg bites with bell peppers in them on a white plate.
      Dairy-Free Egg Bites
    • Peanut butter chocolate buckeyes on top of a parchment paper.
      Protein Buckeyes [Dairy-Free]
    • A plate of low calorie baked oats with coconut milk cream on top.
      Low Calorie Baked Oats [High Protein, Dairy-Free]

    Comments

    1. Anne says

      April 30, 2024 at 1:00 pm

      Wow what a comprehensive collection! I bookmarked these and will come back to make some!

      Reply
      • fitasamamabear says

        April 30, 2024 at 5:43 pm

        Perfect!

        Reply
    2. Ginny says

      April 28, 2024 at 2:15 pm

      So many great options here, I'm always looking for healthy grab and go snacks the chocolate chip protein muffins were a hit, even my kids loved them.

      Reply
      • fitasamamabear says

        April 30, 2024 at 5:45 pm

        Nice to have some options!

        Reply
    3. Janie says

      April 26, 2024 at 4:16 pm

      This is such an amazing list. Really helpful during those busy days when you don't even have time to think what to cook! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
      • fitasamamabear says

        April 30, 2024 at 5:44 pm

        Lol story of my life

        Reply
    4. Neri says

      April 26, 2024 at 2:45 pm

      Thanks for this recipe collection, SUCH a big help for a momma like me. I will definitely start making them starting tomorrow, yay!

      Reply
      • fitasamamabear says

        April 30, 2024 at 5:44 pm

        Happy to help!

        Reply
    5. Elise says

      April 26, 2024 at 2:44 pm

      Opted for the dairy-free chicken alfredo casserole next. It was creamy, flavorful, and super easy to make. Looking forward to trying the sheet pan steak fajitas next. Love the idea of a no-mess dinner, and the combination of flavors sounds delicious.

      Reply
      • fitasamamabear says

        April 30, 2024 at 5:44 pm

        One of our all time favs!

        Reply
    6. Frances says

      April 26, 2024 at 2:09 pm

      Great roundup of recipes. I can't wait to try them all. Such clever ideas.

      Reply
      • fitasamamabear says

        April 30, 2024 at 5:44 pm

        Glad you love them.

        Reply
    7. Kris says

      June 25, 2022 at 7:23 pm

      This was so helpful! I can't wait to make so many of these! 🙂

      Reply
      • fitasamamabear says

        June 27, 2022 at 11:32 am

        Glad you found some new ideas!

        Reply
    8. Shruthi says

      June 24, 2022 at 12:53 am

      Love this collection of recipes, have already bookmarked and will definitely refer to them when I'm about to pass out from the exhaustion of thinking about dinner! Ha.

      Reply
      • fitasamamabear says

        June 27, 2022 at 11:32 am

        Haha the dinner struggle is REAL

        Reply
    9. Emily says

      June 22, 2022 at 3:48 pm

      The cookie dough bites were perfect. I'm always looking for busy mom recipes and that collection was perfect

      Reply
      • fitasamamabear says

        June 27, 2022 at 11:30 am

        Aw yay! The cookie dough bites are easy to eat because they're so yummy!

        Reply
    10. Glenda says

      June 22, 2022 at 10:49 am

      Bookmarking this page so I can get to it quickly! This is just the collection of easy recipes I need. Thank you!

      Reply
      • fitasamamabear says

        June 27, 2022 at 11:31 am

        This makes my heart happy! Glad I could give some inspo

        Reply
    11. Jenn says

      June 22, 2022 at 8:59 am

      Loooove this collection of recipes! I especially love your tips - about how to squeeze in extra greens!

      Reply
      • fitasamamabear says

        June 27, 2022 at 11:31 am

        Thank you! Sometimes sneaking them in is just easier lol

        Reply

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    I'm Shelby, a Certified Strength & Nutrition Coach who has spent the last 10 years helping women feel more comfortable in their skin though home strength training and healthy food- no diets, no shortcuts

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