Clean Eating Recipes for Families

If you’re looking for clean eating recipes that are delicious, kid-approved, and practical, this post has everything you need.

You’ll find tips and recipes to help you get started and stay committed to clean eating.

Jump to:

• How to Find Recipes when You Are Eating Clean With Your Family
• Eating Clean on a Budget
•  Clean Eating Meal Plan for Families
• Clean Recipes for Families
• Dinner Recipes
• Lunch Recipes
• Breakfast Recipes
• Clean Snacks
• Eating Clean on a Budget
• Eating Clean as a Family
• Eating Clean Recipes for Families

I know when I first started to clean up the foods my family was eating, and doing programs like the Whole 30, I would often cook 2 different meals each night, one for myself and another for my family.

Now, several years later and A LOT more experience under my belt, I make ONE meal each night that’s both nourishing and appealing. No bribing or fussing involved- the kids actually want to eat meals made with fresh produce and real food.

My goal by the end of the post is for you to be better equipped with more insight and recipes to help you to do the same.

How to Find Recipes when You Are Eating Clean With Your Family

Before we delve into how, let me explain what “clean eating” actually means, in my terms. 

Clean eating– obtaining nutrition from a variety of whole and minimally processed foods. Examples include:

• Produce– Lots of veggies and fruits, even the starchy ones like potatoes, yucca, plantains, etc.
• Meat and poultry– Preferably organic, chicken, turkey, pork, and grass-fed beef.
• Seafood– Fish and shellfish. 
• Eggs
• Nuts & Seeds– including nut butter and milk, such as almond, coconut, cashew, and flaxseed milk. 
• Oils (limited) and Ghee– olive, avocado, and coconut are best. 
• Coffee!

The list above focuses on a Whole30 based clean eating list, but I also incorporate certain dairy products and grains into our diet to make it more of a lifestyle and kid-friendly. Here are the foods we love from both categories: 

• Dairy– Various sharp cheeses, kefir, and Greek yogurt.
• Grains– oatmeal, rice, quinoa, farro, and corn. 

I use all of these ingredients to make family-favorite meals that are both clean and kid-approved, you can check those out here and I’ll include our all-time favorites below. When it comes to kid-approved and easy lunches made with

The Key to Clean Eating as a Family

If you want to find clean, healthy recipes that your family will love, start by recreating your kid’s favorite meals. For instance, my kids adore chicken tenders and french fries (who doesn’t)? With this info, I recreate those chicken tenders into a clean recipe, like my healthy chicken nuggets, and bake some carrot fries. It’s delicious, nutritious, and everyone is happy. Kids are eating familiar foods they already love, and not even realizing they’re “clean” ingredients.

Do you have to do that for each meal? Of course not! Some nights a large dinner salad or pot of Paleo Chili will suffice, although the chili is always welcome in my household.

Part of eating a whole-food-based diet as a family is to reassure them that they can eat healthy and still enjoy what they’re eating.

Eating Clean on a Budget

One concern I hear a lot of is: “eating clean is so expensive!” and while there is truth in the statement, it heavily depends on what you are eating. 

Many sources promoting clean eating recommend grass-fed meats, organic, and locally sourced foods. While these options are ideal; they’re not necessary to eat a healthy, minimally processed diet that’s rich in a variety of fresh produce, lean proteins, and healthy fats. 

Here are a few simple tips to help you stock your fridge and pantry with good options without breaking the bank. 

Be Selective with Organic
No, you don’t HAVE to buy everything organic. The Dirty Dozen and Clean 15 list a great source to go from when shopping for produce.  

Shop the Freezer Aisle
Frozen veggies and fruit are often better quality and less expensive than fresh and they last longer in the freezer.

Buy in Season
When produce comes in season, there’s an abundance that can often mean marked down prices in the grocery store! Berries, peaches, squash, zucchini, and tomatoes are in season during the summer. Cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, kale, and root vegetables are in season during winter months. 

 I recommend buying them in bulk and storing the extra in the refrigerator.

 Clean Eating Meal Plan for Families

If you’re confident about making clean meals but not so much about staying consistent, a plan will be your best friend. Heck! A meal plan is any parent’s best plan and it’s important to find the one that works best for you. 

Since I had no luck finding a clean eating style program that fit my family’s needs, I decided to create the Family Kickstart Program. Many years later and it’s has become a major success for thousands of parents who have been through the program. Their goals were to not only clean up their diet but make it a way of life for the entire family and they are doing it!

Family KickStart brings a lot to the table with a 4-week plan for breakfast, lunch, and dinner consisting of clean recipes that look and taste a lot like the original foods your family loves. We’re talking pancakes, overnight “oats”, pizza chicken, burrito bowls, and skillet meals, just to name a few.

A real sweet spot in the program is the shopping list and prep guide that help to take the guesswork out of grocery shopping and how to prepare for the week.

To give you an idea of what kind of recipes hang around here and what the Family Kickstart offers keep reading! 

Meal Prep Tips

There's no denying that there will be a little bit more cooking involved when you're eating clean, but there are ways you can make these real-food recipes easier even when you're short on time.

The answer: meal plan for the week and break down the recipes to do a few batches of meal prep. Example: On Sundays and Wednesdays, set aside time to chop veggies, make lunches, marinate meats, baked potatoes, or cook entire recipes for the upcoming meals.

These couple hours spent meal prepping will save you A LOT of time and frustration during the week because dinner is halfway made and lunch is ready to be packed into the book bag. See where I’m going?

Clean Recipes for Families

A common clean eating core value is to enjoy food cooked with the most simple techniques possible such as sheet pan dinners, stir-fry’s and fresh salads.

However, I’ve found that to achieve a healthy balance with the kids, there should be a little room for pancakes, baked chicken nuggets, and pizza inspired recipes. I made sure to include a few examples below :)and don’t worry, each dish was recreated with natural, healthy ingredients without sacrificing flavor, and I confident you’ll find some new favorites.

Dinner Recipes

We’ve made it to our favorite part: the recipes! Each of these recipes are recreated into clean and delicious meals from popular classics like chicken nuggets, New Orleans Style Jambalaya, and pizza! There’s something for everyone and I know you’ll find a few new favorites from the list. 

Lunch Recipes

If you want to stick to clean eating, meal prep lunches are a must. These recipes will help you stick to your goals and still enjoy some of your favorite meals. 

I recommend preparing things like salads, bistro boxes, and the quiches and packing them into lunch containers like these, at the beginning of the week. 

Breakfast Recipes

Breakfast is the first meal of the day so let’s make it count! Each of these recipes are recreated from the foods kids adore. If making the Cassava Flour Pancakes, omit the syrup and serve them with fresh fruit. 

Clean Snacks

Whether it’s after school or post-workout, snacks are a must, and the recipes listed below appeal to both kids and adults. Try the Hummus Stuffed Celery with a batch of this Homemade Greek Hummus, and whatever you do, the Chocolate Chip Blondies are a MUST. 

Eating Clean on a Budget

One concern I hear a lot of is: “eating clean is so expensive!” and while there is truth in the statement, it heavily depends on what you are eating. 

Many sources promoting clean eating recommend grass-fed meats, organic, and locally sourced foods. While these options are ideal; they’re not necessary to eat a healthy, minimally processed diet that’s rich in a variety of fresh produce, lean proteins, and healthy fats. 

Here are a few simple tips to help you stock your fridge and pantry with good options without breaking the bank. 

Be Selective with Organic
No, you don’t HAVE to buy everything organic. The Dirty Dozen and Clean 15 list a great source to go from when shopping for produce.  

Shop the Freezer Aisle
Frozen veggies and fruit are often better quality and less expensive than fresh and they last longer in the freezer.

Buy in Season
When produce comes in season, there’s an abundance that can often mean marked down prices in the grocery store! Berries, peaches, squash, zucchini, and tomatoes are in season during the summer. Cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, kale, and root vegetables are in season during winter months. 

 I recommend buying them in bulk and storing the extra in the refrigerator.

Eating Clean as a Family

Eating clean with a family does not and should not be complex, all you need are the right recipes with simple, real-food ingredients, because who has time for Dragonfruit Acai smoothie bowls sprinkled with cacao nibs? 

If you’re digging this clean eating thing and have a family, the Family Kickstart could be the very thing to get you started in the right direction.

Many of the meals are interactive and easy to prep-ahead. Every week comes with a meal map of planned out meals, a completed shopping list, and a step-by-step meal prep guide to help you pull off fresh meals all week long.

You can learn more about the Family KickStart Program here. And for a free sample week, be sure to check out this free download! 

Alright, that’s a wrap, and as usual, I’ve included a new recipe for you to try below!