31 Healthy Dinners to Eat Every Night in October (2024)

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Here's a day-by-day meal plan that includes healthy fall dinners you and your family will love! Healthy never tasted so good.

1/30

Day 1: Pressure-Cooker Spicy Pork and Squash Ragu

This recipe is a marvelously spicy combo perfect for cooler fall weather—so satisfying after a day spent outdoors. —Monica Osterhaus, Paducah, Kentucky

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2/30

Day 2: Fall Vegetable Sloppy Joes

I make this dish in the fall and sneak grated vegetables into the sloppy joe mixture, which is especially good for children who don’t like to eat their vegetables! Just walk away and let the slow cooker do all the work. Top the filling with a little shredded cheese before serving. —Nancy Heishman, Las Vegas, Nevada

3/30

Day 3: Tasty Lentil Tacos

When my husband’s cholesterol numbers rose, I quickly lowered the fat in our family’s diet. Finding dishes that were healthy for him and yummy for our five children was a challenge, but this fun taco recipe was a huge hit with everyone. —Michelle Thomas, Bangor, Maine

4/30

Day 4: Pepper-Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

Spicy stuffing balances the delicate flavor of pork in this dish that looks great on the plate—and tastes even better! —Margaret Allen, Abingdon, Virginia

5/30

Day 5: Sweet Potato Chili with Turkey

This sweet potato chili is packed with flavor. Ground turkey lightens it, and sweet potato puree sneaks in a healthy dose of vitamin A. —Rachel Lewis, Danville, Virginia

6/30

Day 6: Italian Turkey Meatballs

What's not to love about moist and tender homemade Italian meatballs? Because they're made with lean turkey, they're lower in saturated fat, too! —Mary Berg, Lake Elmo, Minnesota

7/30

Day 7: Spicy Chicken Pumpkin Pizza

Think pizza and pumpkin can’t go together? This chicken pumpkin pizza will change your mind. The sweetness of the pumpkin paired with the spice of the chipotle peppers makes for a delicious, balanced sauce. I love that this recipe incorporates healthy ingredients in a fun, family-friendly way. —Julie Peterson, Crofton, Maryland

8/30

Day 8: Dijon-Crusted Fish

Dijon, Parmesan and a hint of horseradish give this toasty fish lots of flavor. The preparation is so easy, it takes just 5 to 7 minutes to get four servings ready for the oven. —Scott Schmidtke, Chicago, Illinois

9/30

Day 9: Sweet Potato Stew

Beef broth and herbs complement the sweet potatoes’ subtle sweetness in this hearty stew that’s perfect for fall. —Helen Vail, Glenside, Pennsylvania

10/30

Day 10: Lemon-Dijon Pork Sheet-Pan Supper

Most nights I need something that I can get on the table with minimal effort and delicious results. This sheet-pan supper has become an all-time favorite, not only because of its bright flavors but also because of its speedy cleanup time. —Elisabeth Larsen, Pleasant Grove, Utah

11/30

Day 12: Apple Cider Pork Chops

These apple cider pork chops are a must for fall family dinners. I serve them with buttered egg noodles to soak up more of that delicious sauce. The recipe is easy to double when company pops in. —Debiana Casterline, Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey

12/30

Day 13: Winter Vegetable Shepherd’s Pie

We seem to eat for comfort during the holidays…but comfort foods aren’t necessarily healthy. To make a classic comfort food dish more healthy, I came up with this lovely take: turkey shepherd’s pie. It’s perfect for putting out on your holiday buffet table. —Ann Sheehy, Lawrence, Massachusetts

13/30

Day 14: Turkey-Sweet Potato Soup

A batch of this soup brings the nostalgic flavors and heartwarming feel of the holidays at any time of year. When I have time to slow-cook it, my whole house smells cozy. —Radine Kellogg, Fairview, Illinois

14/30

This Indian-style dish seems to develop a devoted following. Prepared sauce makes it easy to bring the rich flavors of Indian cuisine to your family. Feel free to use more or less tikka masala sauce according to your personal taste. —Erica Polly, Sun Prairie, Wisconsin

15/30

Our family adores autumn and anything to do with pumpkins! This warm, comforting recipe is so easy to put together on a cool fall weeknight. When I have time, I make homemade ravioli and tortellini using this same filling. It also works well in stuffed shells. —Mandy Howison, Renfrew, Pennsylvania

16/30

Day 17: Salsa Black Bean Burgers

Meatless meals are so tasty when these hearty bean burgers are on the menu. Guacamole and sour cream make them seem decadent. —Jill Reichardt, St. Louis, Missouri

17/30

Day 18: Quickpea Curry

This colorful curry is a nice change of pace for a busy weeknight. I like to substitute fresh peas for frozen when they’re in season. —Beth Fleming, Downers Grove, Illinois

18/30

Day 19: Turkey Sausage-Stuffed Acorn Squash

Finding healthy recipes the family will eat is a challenge. This elegant squash is one we love, and it works with pork or chicken sausage, too. —Melissa Pelkey Hass, Waleska, Georgia

19/30

Day 20: Crispy Tofu with Black Pepper Sauce

Sometimes tofu can be boring and tasteless, but not in this recipe! Here, the crispy vegetarian bean curd is so loaded with flavor, you’ll never shy away from tofu again. —Nick Iverson, Denver, Colorado

20/30

I have three hungry boys in my house, so dinners need to be quick and filling, and it helps to get in some veggies, too. This one is a favorite because it’s hearty and fun to tweak with different ingredients. —Kim Van Dunk, Caldwell, New Jersey

21/30

Day 22: Autumn Pumpkin Chili

We have this turkey pumpkin chili often because everyone loves it, even the most finicky grandchildren. It’s a definite keeper in my book! —Kimberly Nagy, Port Hadlock, Washington

22/30

My husband made a version of this casserole for me on our first date. Over the 11 years we’ve been married, we’ve made
several changes to the
ingredients and now it’s even better than the original. —Lisa DeMarsh, Mount Solon, Virginia

23/30

Day 24: Quinoa-Stuffed Squash Boats

My colorful “boats” with quinoa, garbanzo beans and pumpkin seeds use delicata squash, a winter squash with edible skin that’s cream-colored with green stripes. In a pinch, acorn squash will do—but don’t eat the skin! —Lauren Knoelke, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

24/30

Day 25: Tuscan Portobello Stew

Here’s a healthy one-skillet meal that’s quick and easy to prepare yet elegant enough for company. I often take this stew to my school’s potlucks, where it is devoured by teachers and students alike. —Jane Siemon, Viroqua, Wisconsin

25/30

Day 26: Roasted Butternut Squash Tacos

Spicy butternut squash makes such a great base for these vegetarian tacos. I’m always looking for quick and nutritious weeknight dinners for my family. These fit the bill and are so delicious! —Elisabeth Larsen, Pleasant Grove, Utah

26/30

Day 27: One-Dish Ground Turkey Sweet Potato Skillet

I'm still settling in to married life and learning how to balance our busy schedules. This quick one-dish ground turkey sweet potato skillet helps keep us on track throughout the week. —Shannon Barden, Alpharetta, Georgia

27/30

Day 28: Beef Roast Dinner

Because this healthy dish is slow-cooked, you can use less expensive roasts with results as mouthwatering as the more costly cuts. Change up the veggies for variety, nutrition or to suit your tastes!—Sandra Dudley, Bemidji, Minnesota

28/30

My son’s favorite dish uses homegrown spaghetti squash, kielbasa, and pico de gallo or salsa. —Pam Mascarenas, Taylorsville, Utah

29/30

Day 30: Veggie Fajitas

For a scrumptious and super healthy party dish, these colorful, hearty veggie fajitas packed with crisp-tender vegetables are perfect. —Sarah Mercer, Wichita, Kansas

30/30

Day 31: Gourd-geous Halloween Nachos

My family loves nachos so much that I sometimes serve them for lunch. To get in the Halloween spirit, I used a pumpkin cookie cutter to cut out chips from pita bread. You can change the cutter shape to match any theme.—Kim Van Dunk, Caldwell, New Jersey

For the last nine years, Christina has treated thousands of patients as a registered dietitian. Originally from Boston, she completed her education at Boston University as well as the Mayo Clinic with a focus on medical nutrition therapy. Christina has written for Taste of Home since 2018 where she covers healthy recipes and snacks, and explains the ins and outs of nutrition and healthy eating. As a contributing writer for various magazines and publications, she’s passionate about making complicated information more approachable and helping people improve their overall health.