It’s December, and that means a good majority of us are thinking about two things right now:
- How to avoid our family, and…
- How to lose the 15 pounds we gained over the holidays when we couldn’t avoid our family and ate carbs instead.
Losing weight isn’t easy. If it was, we’d all wear bikinis every day – even during the winter. Sure, you can go ahead and buy that gym membership or spend money on turning your basement into a home gym. But at the end of the day, if you’re still eating junk food (I’m talking to you, Hot Pockets), you’re not going to lose any weight.
If you’re serious about losing weight in 2021, then you’ll need to start eating healthy. But, since we don’t advocate losing sanity for the sake of losing weight, we recommend keeping things simple by making one pan and one sheet meals. Hello easy!
21 One Pan Meals for Healthy Eating in 2021
To help give that New Year’s resolution a fighting chance, we’re about to share 21 delicious one pan and one sheet meal recipes that will help make healthy eating easier. But first…
What You’ll Need
Besides being healthy, the idea behind these one pan and one sheet meals is to prep once, then eat for the rest of the week. This means you’ll need some kitchen items on hand for easy prep and storage. Here are some items to gather:
Sharp Knives – Healthy meals include veggies, and lots of them, so you want to be sure to have a sharp set of knives on hand (or at least a chef's knife) for all of that chopping, slicing and dicing. Not sure which knife is best for cutting veggies? Check out this article. And if you plan on prepping all of the meat, then check out our meat cuts guide and the best knife for slicing through those meats. Oh, and if you currently don’t have the world’s best knife skills, no worries, this post will sharpen your knife skills in a jiffy.
Quality vs. Junk: A Guide to Buying Kitchen Knives
Cutting Board – Obviously you can’t cut up a bunch of veggies without a good cutting board. If you’re planning on buying a new cutting board, may we recommend a wooden one, like this beauty from F.N. Sharp? Wooden cutting boards are far more sanitary than plastic boards – and they're easier to take care of than you may imagine.
Baking Sheets – Nothing fancy, just a couple of regular baking sheets that you’d bake cookies on. Except you are NOT going to be baking cookies but healthy meals instead. Oh, you should make sure your baking sheets have a nice rim around the edge to hold all of the ingredients.
Cast Iron Skillet – Now, it’s not mandatory that you cook your one pan meals in a cast iron skillet, but it should be, because you simply can’t beat the flavors. Do yourself a favor and buy yourself a cast iron skillet for Christmas.
Storage Containers – These meals are so simple because you make enough for an entire week, then store in the fridge and freezer so you can simply heat them up later. This means you’ll need plenty of good storage containers to keep your meals organized for the week.
11 Meals You Can Toss on a Sheet Pan
Now, you may be wondering exactly what one sheet meals are and how exactly they will change your life for the better. Here’s the deal – you’re going to take a baking sheet, toss all of your healthy ingredients on there, bake them and then divide into your meal-size storage containers. In less than one hour, you can have an entire week’s worth of meals prepped, cooked and stored away.
Now let’s get to those delicious and healthy one sheet recipes!
Sambal Chicken and Potatoes
Boneless chicken thighs, gourmet purple potatoes and Asian spices all come together in this easy sheet pan meal, made in just 30 minutes! And if you haven’t tried sambal oelek before, your life just might change forever 😜 Get the recipe from F.N. Sharp.
Brussels Sprouts, Eggs and Bacon
The only thing more delicious than bacon is having only 1 single sheet pan to clean when done. The recipe is so good, you’ll most likely want to eat this meal for lunch and dinner as well! Get the recipe from Damn Delicious.
Sheet Pan Balsamic Salmon with Asparagus & Brussels Sprouts
Balsamic vinegar, honey, garlic, fresh thyme… if those words didn’t just send a delicious shiver up your spine, then you’re not fully alive. This recipe is particularly healthy because salmon is loaded with anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids. Get the recipe from Joyful Healthy Eats.
Rosemary Chicken Thighs with Apples and Brussels Sprouts
Why-oh-why do chicken breasts get all the love when chicken thighs are where it’s at? Seriously, the thighs are so tender and juicy and the breasts are so… well, dry and bland. Try this recipe and see if you do not become a passionate thigh convert. Get the recipe from Well Plated by Erin.
Easy Healthy Cashew Chicken Sheet Pan Dinner
Are you following a special diet plan such as Whole30? No problem. There are plenty of delicious Whole30 one sheet meals, like this one that crusts chicken in crushed cashews, which we all know are the world’s greatest nut. And, since nuts offer healthy fats that keep you satiated, they can help you – hello – lose weight! Get the recipe from Food Faith Fitness.
Sheet Pan Sweet Potatoes and Black Bean Hash
For the vegetarians out there, I offer this a-mazing bean hash recipe that combines cumin, chili, smoked paprika and fresh cilantro. It’s so delicious, even meat eaters may want to make this up for a side dish. Get the recipe from kitchn.
Asian Miso Steak Sheet Pan Dinner
You had me at steak. If you’re a low-carber who likes a nice piece of red meat every once in a while, then check out this recipe that offers bold Asian flavors and is done in less than 30 minutes. Get the recipe from Food Faith Fitness.
More on Steak: How to Cook the Perfect Steak
One Pan Lemon Parmesan Chicken And Asparagus
OK, so the chicken is breaded but only LIGHTLY and it’s breaded in parmesan cheese and spices, NOT bread. So if you’re doing keto or another low-carb diet, this is totes legit. Oh, and totes delish. Get the recipe from Chelsea’s Messy Apron.
Broiled Miso Cod with Vegetables
Another one sheet recipe great for keto dieters is this cod dish. Let me cut to the chase… the cod just melts in your mouth like butter. Honest to Cod it does. Try it for yourself. Get the recipe from FoodieCrush.
Hoisin Orange Sheet Pan Chicken With Sweet Potatoes
For those cavemen and women following more of a primal diet, you gotta try this one. Chicken thighs, sweet potatoes, oranges and cranberries are combined to create something that has the ability to make grown cavemen cry. Yes, it’s THAT good. Get the recipe from Flavour & Savour.
Sheet Pan Marinated Steak Tips with Veggies
It doesn’t get any healthier than this – meat and veggies. But what makes it so delicious is the balsamic sauce. While the recipe calls for sirloin steak tips, you can use tips from other cuts of steak if you prefer. Get the recipe from Lexi’s Clean Kitchen.
10 One Pan Meals You Can Toss in a Skillet
As I mentioned earlier, you’ll really want to use a cast iron skillet for these recipes. Not only will you get tremendous flavor, but since they transfer heat really well, you’ll also get an awesome crust on your meats and veggies! Now let’s check out these delicious healthy skillet recipes!
Easy Balsamic Chicken Skillet with Tomatoes and Tarragon
What I love about this recipe is that even though it’s healthy, it still feels like comfort food, and that is SO WELCOME on a cold fall or winter day. I think it’s the tarragon and balsamic flavor combo that makes me warm inside. Get the recipe from Sweet Peas and Saffron.
Greek Meatballs With Lemon Dill Rice
Say it with me… Greek spiced beef meatballs, creamy Arborio rice and vegetables. Did you just smile? Your stomach will smile as well! Get the recipe from Dinner at the Zoo.
One Skillet Italian Chicken
This is one of those recipes where the leftovers taste better and better. If you’re like me, you’ll want to add even more garlic to this recipe. Your loved one’s may not want to spend a lot of time around you, but let’s be honest, they’re annoying anyway, right? Get the recipe from The Blond Cook.
One Pan Broccoli Quinoa Skillet with Parmesan and White Beans
Here’s a delectable vegetarian one pan recipe that is super simple and healthy. If you require your meals to be creamy and flavorful, this one’s for YOU! Get the recipe from Well Plated by Erin.
Low Carb Lasagna Skillet
I’ll never forget the day I discovered that you could replace pasta with spaghetti squash and almost believe it was actually pasta. It was a life changing moment. This dish is so good, you’ll almost believe you’re eating the real thing! Get the recipe from Sweet Peas and Saffron.
Spicy Salmon Sweet Potato Skillet
Like a little spicy kick to your healthy meals? This dish, which can be prepared, cooked and served all in LESS than 30 minutes, will make your entire family happy. And, if you want to get a nice crust on those salmon fillets, be sure to use a cast iron skillet. Get the recipe from Primavera Kitchen.
Sweet Potato Hash Protein Bowl
Hash makes people happy. In fact, if hash were currency, the world would be a kinder place to live. Until the day we can buy things with hash, we’ll just have to live with eating it. And I’m okay with that. Get the recipe from Fit Foodie Finds.
Paleo Skillet Beef Fajitas {Gluten Free + Whole30}
Need a quick AND healthy meal the whole family will love? If you’re a busy mom, this recipe will no doubt become your new go-to meal. If you want the most flavor, don’t forget to use a flank steak. Get the recipe from A Healthy Life for Me.
Vegan Moroccan Chickpea Skillet
I’m pretty much going to eat anything that is Moroccan-flavored. And chickpeas? One of my faves. So this recipe is a real hit in my house and I’ll bet it will be the same in yours! Get the recipe from Sweet Peas and Saffron.
Light Coconut Shrimp & Pineapple Quinoa Skillet
You live in the Northeast and it’s 12 degrees outside. What do you do? Turn up the heat and pay an extravagant heating bill OR make this tropical dish that will at least make you forget you can’t feel your toes? Pineapple, lime and unsweetened coconut milk flavor succulent shrimp. Can you hear the palm trees swaying? Get the recipe from The Creative Bite.
Eating healthy and losing weight doesn’t have to be hard. In fact, it can be easy AND delicious if you make these one pan and one sheet meals for healthy eating in 2021!
More Healthy Recipes: 21 Healthy One Pot Meals & 18 Healthy Snack Ideas
