23 Back-To-Basics Meals For the Start of the Year

Most of us are at the point where we’re ready to get back to normal after holiday indulgences. But at the same time, we’re not feeling complicated meal plans or diets involving spreadsheets or rules. If you just want some recipes that feel familiar and manageable again, these meals stick to basics, use ingredients you recognize, and don’t turn dinner into a whole production. They’re steady, reliable, and easy to fold back into real life once the decorations come down.

Cheesy Chicken Casserole

This casserole brings together chicken, broccoli, and pasta in a creamy cheese sauce that feels familiar and filling. It works well at the start of the year when you want straightforward dinners that feed people without extra thinking. Everything bakes in one dish, which keeps prep and cleanup simple.
Get the Recipe: Cheesy Chicken Casserole

Shrimp Caesar Salad

This salad works as a fast lunch or light dinner when you want something familiar and easy. Adding shrimp turns it into a complete meal that fits well into early-year routines focused on simplicity.
Get the Recipe: Shrimp Caesar Salad

Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta

This pasta relies on pantry ingredients and comes together in under thirty minutes. It’s a dependable midweek dinner that feels comforting without pulling you too far off track at the start of the year.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta

Pecan Crusted Chicken

This chicken adds crunch and flavor without complicating the process. It’s a good back-to-basics meal when you want to break up the routine but still keep dinner straightforward.
Get the Recipe: Pecan Crusted Chicken

Burger Bowls

These bowls keep the flavors familiar while skipping the bun. They work well for early-year meals when you want something filling that still feels simple and assembled rather than cooked from scratch.
Get the Recipe: Burger Bowls

Salsa Chicken

This chicken bakes quickly and uses ingredients most people already keep on hand. It fits naturally into a back-to-basics dinner plan when you want something dependable that doesn’t require prep work.
Get the Recipe: Salsa Chicken

Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken

This slow cooker dinner handles itself during the day and comes out ready to serve. It’s especially useful early in the year when you want dinner waiting without having to think about it.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken

Pesto Salmon

This salmon keeps the ingredient list short and cooks fast in the oven. It’s a good reminder that back-to-basics meals can still feel intentional without adding steps or time.
Get the Recipe: Pesto Salmon

Buffalo Turkey Cauliflower Skillet

This skillet dinner comes together quickly and works well for meal prep. It fits into a start-of-the-year routine focused on simple meals you can cook once and eat more than once.
Get the Recipe: Buffalo Turkey Cauliflower Skillet

Cheddar Chicken Bake

This casserole uses leftover chicken and bakes into a filling, straightforward dinner. It works well when you want back-to-basics meals that stretch ingredients without extra planning.
Get the Recipe: Cheddar Chicken Bake

Ground Beef Pasta Skillet

This skillet pasta cooks in under thirty minutes and uses whatever pasta you have. It’s a reliable early-year dinner when you want something filling that doesn’t require advance prep.
Get the Recipe: Ground Beef Pasta Skillet

Marry Me Chicken Pasta

This pasta combines chicken and a creamy tomato sauce into a familiar, crowd-friendly dinner. It fits a back-to-basics lineup when you want something comforting that still feels like a proper meal.
Get the Recipe: Marry Me Chicken Pasta

Chicken Thighs with Honey

These chicken thighs cook quickly and come out coated in a lightly sweet, savory sauce that works well over rice or vegetables. The one-pan setup makes this a solid back-to-basics dinner when you want something reliable and easy to repeat during busy weeks.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Thighs with Honey

Cheesy Taco Pasta

This skillet pasta keeps things simple by cooking everything in one pot, which cuts down on dishes and time. The flavors feel familiar and comforting, making it an easy choice when the start of the year calls for dinners that don’t require planning ahead.
Get the Recipe: Cheesy Taco Pasta

One-Pan Mexican Shrimp and Rice

This shrimp and rice dinner comes together fast and keeps everything in a single pan. It works well when you want a back-to-basics meal that still feels fresh without pulling out a long ingredient list or spending much time in the kitchen.
Get the Recipe: One-Pan Mexican Shrimp and Rice

Honey Teriyaki Chicken Bowl

This bowl keeps dinner flexible with chicken served over rice, noodles, or vegetables. It fits into a start-of-the-year routine because it’s easy to assemble and works well for leftovers without feeling repetitive.
Get the Recipe: Honey Teriyaki Chicken Bowl

Chicken Broccoli Alfredo

This pasta sticks to familiar flavors and turns them into a dependable weeknight dinner. Chicken and broccoli balance the richness of the sauce, making it a good back-to-basics option when you want comfort without overcomplicating the meal.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Broccoli Alfredo

Ham and Vegetable Dijon

This quick stovetop dinner uses a short ingredient list and comes together in about thirty minutes. It’s especially useful early in the year when you want to cook from what you have and keep dinners practical and low effort.
Get the Recipe: Ham and Vegetable Dijon

Chicken Veggie Rice Casserole

This casserole leans on precooked chicken and pantry staples, which keeps prep moving quickly. It works well for the start of the year when you want one-dish meals that cover protein, vegetables, and grains without extra sides.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Veggie Rice Casserole

Forgotten Chicken

This dish earns its place in a back-to-basics lineup because everything goes into the pan at once. It bakes hands-off and comes out creamy and filling, which makes it easy to rely on when the schedule feels full.
Get the Recipe: Forgotten Chicken

Shrimp and Vegetable Stir Fry

This dinner keeps vegetables front and center while staying quick and flexible. It works well for early-year cooking when you want simple meals that come together fast and don’t require much cleanup.
Get the Recipe: Shrimp and Vegetable Stir Fry

Lemon Chickpea and Rice Casserole

This dump-and-bake casserole keeps things straightforward with pantry ingredients and minimal prep. It’s a solid option for starting the year with meals that feel steady and easy to plan ahead.
Get the Recipe: Lemon Chickpea and Rice Casserole

One-Pot Mac and Cheese

This mac and cheese cooks quickly in one pot and skips complicated steps. It fits well into a back-to-basics approach when you want simple comfort food without a long cooking window.
Get the Recipe: One-Pot Vegan Mac and Cheese