This December meal plan has a full month of ideas for easy, homemade family-friendly dinners. Includes a free printable PDF calendar with each day's menu idea for easy planning.
Earlier this year, I started a new feature here on Family Food on the Table with my January meal plan and February meal plan followed by March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October and November meal plan, each one giving you an entire month's worth of recipe ideas for easy, healthy family dinners.
I myself love to menu plan and schedule out our meals.
It does not feel like a chore at all, and I really do enjoy it. I think it's the type A scheduler in me coming out in full force.
If you're interested, I've got a whole post of my official guide to meal planning, with all my tips and tricks.
And previously, I've shared a list of 30 easy healthy family dinner ideas that could work for any month of the year.
But today, I'm trying to make it easy on YOU by giving you another full month's worth of ideas for healthy family dinner ideas.
This will carry you through the entire month of December.
I've included the photo of the meal plan here if you want to pin it, but there's a free printable PDF link at the bottom as well, so you can easily save and print.
So let's dive right in.
December Meal Plan Notes:
Each day has its own recipe idea, complete with sides if needed to make a full meal. (Some things like tacos are more all-inclusive, though you could add sides if you like.)
You can make easy swaps to suit your family's tastes. Use whatever vegetables are your favorite to steam, make mashed potatoes instead of baked potatoes, choose white or brown rice, etc. Customize to your heart's content.
Saturdays are blank. This is intentional and meant to be reserved for either using up any leftovers from the week or ordering dinner in or going out to eat. Cause we all need a break!
Speaking of, you can totally use some cheater substitutions. Buy something pre-prepared at the store or use a box mix. It's all about what works for you.
Also, the calendar and meal plan are ideas for prompts to get you started.
If you also need specific recipes, I've got some included below. You can also grab recipes from your own collection, your favorite cookbooks, or from Pinterest or Google.
Oh, and I included these ideas in order from December 1 on the calendar to December 31, with the date listed too, which will hopefully make things easier to find throughout the month.
December Recipes:
7 - Ground turkey spaghetti dinner
9 - Sheet pan Mediterranean chicken
10 - Chicken cordon bleu
11 - Ground turkey, rice and veggie skillet
14 - Instant Pot pork tenderloin
15 - Slow cooker butter chicken
16 - Sheet pan chicken fajitas
17 - Cashew chicken
18 - Spicy roasted shrimp
19 - Southwest turkey chili and homemade cornbread
21 - Oven roasted whole chicken
22 - Sheet pan sausage and veggies
23 - Cheesy chicken and broccoli potatoes
25 - Coq au vin, mashed potatoes and Christmas salad
26 - Crunchy baked chicken tenders or Air Fryer chicken tenders
28 - Skillet lasagna
31 - Crab melts, stuffed mushrooms and baked brie bites
OK then, hopefully are you all set now!
Here's the free PDF download where you can save or print the December calendar. Or save this page to come back to.
**December meal plan PDF**
Also, here's the 2024 December meal plan calendar if you want to check that out for more ideas and inspiration.
I hope you have a wonderful - and delicious - month!
XO,
Kathryn
P.S. Here's the January meal plan if you want to get ahead for next month!
Leah says
are you still making meal plans? My family and I have thoroughly enjoyed these dinners.
Kathryn Doherty says
I'm so glad these have been helpful! 🙂 I did one full year worth of meal plans (1 for each month) and haven't come back to it, but I'm actually considering doing a refresh for each month this coming year. Would it be helpful to have a second/updated calendar available in each post with additional menu ideas? Would love your feedback!! (You can also email me directly at kathryn @ familyfoodonthetable.com)
JoAnne Bower says
Yes I love the idea of a two year cycle with no 2 same dinners in a month.
Avery says
Thank you so much for these monthly meal plans!! We've got two boys, we are always on the run, and I hate making decisions, so having a whole month of dinners planned out as a guide makes my life so much easier! MUCH APPRECIATED 🙂
Kathryn Doherty says
Yay!! I'm so happy to hear these are helpful Avery! Thank you for sharing! : )