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Peek inside my COOKBOOKS FOR FAMILIES!

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A serving of grape and chicken pasta salad is on a plate with a fork.
Home ยป Recipes

Lighter Fare and Lunches

Browse dozens of deliciously light recipes you'll feel great about feeding to your family. Loaded with fresh vegetables and lean proteins, these are always a hit at the dinner table and make excellent easy lunches if you have leftovers.

Menu planning is as easy as a You Pick Two from your favorite combo of soups, salads, and sandwiches. Go meat free with a light egg dish for dinner or plan your meal around a lean protein like chicken or fish.


Narrow It Down


  • The finished sandwich is on a plate with a blue decorative border.
    SANDWICHES
  • A bowl of chunky split pea and carrot soup has chunks of ham floating in the broth.
    SOUPS
  • A taco salad in a bowl next to a pitcher of dressing.
    SALADS
  • A plate of scrambled eggs with vegetables.
    EGG DISHES
  • A blue plate filled with a pineapple and chicken rice dish.
    CHICKEN
  • A blue plate has a pile of spicy shrimp with two lime wedges and a sprinkle of fresh cilantro over the top.
    SEAFOOD

Most Popular Lightened Up Recipes

A pita is wrapped around chicken gyro meat with fresh tomatoes and slices of red onion. The sandwich sits next to some fresh lettuce.

Easy Chicken Gyros Wrap

A plate of spaghetti with chicken bolognese sauce has a fork twirling the noodles.

Easy Chicken Bolognese

A muffin tin filled with garden lasagna cupcakes shows the spinach and tomatoes covered in melted cheese.

Garden Lasagna Cupcakes

A bowl of Tuscan chicken soup with round noodles, tomato broth, and fresh veggies chopped up inside.

Tuscan Chicken Soup

A baking dish with creamy chicken pot pie has phyllo dough on the top.

Lighter Chicken Pot Pie

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POPULAR LIGHT Recipes

Light Dinner Recipes

A seasoned fish filet is on a hamburger bun with shredded lettuce and a sliced tomato.

Blackened Mahi Mahi Sandwiches

A blue plate has a bed of rice topped with chunks of chicken, pineapple, and roasted vegetables.

Sheet Pan Hawaiian Chicken

The taco salad bowl has ground turkey, tomatoes, shredded cheese, and tortilla strips.

Taco Salad Bowl

The breaded fish is on a blue plate with a scoop of rice pilaf.

Baked Fish with Breadcrumbs

A bowl of cooked jerk chicken with red and yellow bell peppers and onions.

Air Fryer Jerk Chicken {or in the Oven}

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RECIPE
FAVORITES

Easy Lunch Recipes

A light and healthy tortellini soup has spinach and carrots floating in the broth.

Weight Watchers Tortellini Soup

A young kid's hand is holding a homemade pizza lunchable.

30 School Lunch Ideas for Kids

A bowl filled with green lettuce, topped with buffalo chicken salad, fresh tomatoes, and drizzled with buffalo sauce and blue cheese dressing sits in front of a serving bowl of lettuce with mason jars of dressing on the side.

Buffalo Chicken Salad

The baked turkey brie sandwich has been sliced in half so you can see the layers of turkey, apple, brie, and arugula.

Turkey Brie Sandwich

A plate filled with fresh fruit and veggies and a hard boiled egg.

30 Easy Summer Lunch Ideas

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LUNCH
RECIPES

All the Latest

A dressed Caesar salad with croutons and grated parmesan is in a white bowl with a fork.

Caesar Salad Dressing {No Anchovies}

The salmon burger is on a brioche bun with lettuce and tomato. A drizzle of tartar sauce drips down the side.

Salmon Burgers {Air Fryer or Skillet}

A white bowl is filled with lettuce, tomatoes, and chopped deli meats and cheeses.

Grinder Salad

A white bowl of creamy Irish potato soup has fresh chives sprinkled on top and a spoon on the side.

Irish Potato Soup

A baked egg and veggie mixture is in an individual serving container.

Make Ahead Egg Bowls with Veggies

A bowl of tomato-based pastina soup has a spoon lifting out a bite so you can see the star-shaped pasta.

Tomato Pastina

A bowl of gnocchi soup has chunks of diced carrot and a clear broth. Slices of lemon are on the plate next to the bowl.

Gnocchi Soup with Lemon and Dill

Two Smithfield pork tenderloins have been seasoned and roasted. They are now served on a white platter with fresh rosemary garnish.

How to Cook Smithfield Pork Tenderloin {3 Easy Ways}

A bowl of homemade chicken soup with chicken and carrots has a spoon scooping up a bite.

Homemade Chicken Soup for Flu & Cold Season

A bowl of caribbean chicken soup has fresh cilantro sprinkled over the top and corn bread muffins in the back.

Spicy Caribbean Chicken Soup

A bowl full of Granny Smith apples sits on a table.

20 Best Easy Apple Recipes

A white soup bowl filled with tomato bisque has brown bread croutons floating on top.

Tomato Bisque Soup

Bags of fresh peaches at the farmer's market stand.

30 Fresh Peach Recipes

A blue plate holds a serving of rice with chunks of steak drizzled with fresh green chimichurri sauce. Fresh tomatoes are sliced in the back.

Grilled Chimichurri Steak

A photo collage shows some of the easy shrimp recipes for dinner including a shrimp po'boy, shrimp rice bowl, and shrimp tacos.

35 Easy Shrimp Recipes for Busy Nights

A basket filled with fresh zucchini.

30 Easy Ways to Use Zucchini

The white bowl is filled with potsticker soup. Half a dumpling is resting on the spoon to show the filling and the peas.

Easy Potsticker Soup

A white bowl of chicken noodle soup sits on a blue plate. There are wavy egg noodles and fresh parsley peeking out of the broth.

Easy Crockpot Chicken Noodle Soup

A mixing bowl filled with shredded vegetables.

Cuban Slaw

A cast iron skillet holds ground turkey taco skillet with melted cheese and fresh green onions sprinkled over the top.

Easy Taco Skillet Bake

A bowl of Tuscan chicken soup with round noodles, tomato broth, and fresh veggies chopped up inside.

Tuscan Chicken Soup

A young kid's hand is holding a homemade pizza lunchable.

30 School Lunch Ideas for Kids

A plate has 10 thin cut pork chops seasoned and arranged for serving at dinner.

Air Fryer Thin Pork Chops

A serving bowl of roasted pineapple and pepper chunks sits in front of a roasting pan with spatula.

Roasted Peppers and Pineapple

A crostini toast has diced peaches, blueberries, and fresh thyme leaves on a blue plate.

Peach Blueberry Bites

A baking pan has thinly sliced apple circles sprinkled with cinnamon ready for baking.

Dehydrated Apples in the Oven

A blue bowl filled with homemade tzatziki sauce has fresh cherry tomatoes, pita chips for dipping, and a sprig of fresh dill.

Tzatziki Sauce for Gyros

A blue strainer holds a pile of fresh cherries with stems for rinsing.

30 Fresh Cherry Recipes

A strainer is filled with raw cherry tomatoes in shades of yellow and red.

What to Do with Fresh Tomatoes

A white bowl filled with lettuce and topped with a chopped up cheeseburger.

Leftover Cheeseburger Salad

A seasoned fish filet is on a hamburger bun with shredded lettuce and a sliced tomato.

Blackened Mahi Mahi Sandwiches

A bowl of raw vegetables with croutons.

Raw Veggie Salad

The white bowl of shredded chicken meat.

Instant Pot Shredded Chicken

A blue plate has a bed of rice topped with chunks of chicken, pineapple, and roasted vegetables.

Sheet Pan Hawaiian Chicken

A plate filled with fresh fruit and veggies and a hard boiled egg.

30 Easy Summer Lunch Ideas

An oven baked turkey burger sits on an open faced bun and is topped with fresh tomato slices, green arugula leaves, and a melted slice of cheese. Tater tots sit next to it for a side dish.

Juicy Baked Turkey Burgers {Oven or Air Fryer}

An egg and cheese breakfast quesadilla on a plate with a cup of salsa.

Breakfast Quesadilla

A plate filled with salad greens, fresh strawberries, and pickled red onions.

Strawberry Feta Salad

An aluminum foil packet is filled with cooked shrimp, corn on the cob, and potatoes.

Shrimp Boil Foil Packets {Grill or Oven}

A white dish is filled with broccoli, yellow squash, peas, and onions.

Stir Fry Vegetables in the Oven or Air Fryer

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© 2025 Peanut Blossom

  • ABOUT
    • Meet Tiffany
    • My Cookbooks
    • My Editorial Policy
  • FAMILY RECIPES
    • Full Recipe Index
    • Appetizers & Snacks
    • Bread
    • Main Dish
    • Side Dishes
    • Vegetables
    • Breakfast & Brunch
    • Desserts
    • Cooking with Kids
  • HOLIDAY IDEAS
    • Full Holiday Index
    • Valentine's Day
    • St. Patrick's Day
    • Easter
    • Halloween
    • Thanksgiving
    • Christmas
  • SUBSCRIBE
Search