Looking for recipes to make during January? Look no farther than this January Meal Plan, which includes 30+ seasonal and comforting recipes to make. Featuring healthy breakfasts, easy dinners, party food for upcoming football festivities, drinks, desserts and more, this monthly recipe list is sure to offer something for everyone.
2025 Update: This monthly meal plan was originally shared in January 2018. It has been updated to include more information, as well as a larger variety of recipes. I hope you love it and find it helpful!
Since my family enjoys several recipes throughout each and every month of the year, I thought it might be fun to share with y’all what we make. It’s a monthly meal plan of sorts, if you will, even though I won’t break it down by the day and a specific meal every week. (So if you’re looking for a menu planning resource that’s going to give you three complete meals for every day of the month, this probably isn’t for you.)
But if you’re looking for some January recipes to try this month, we’ve got plenty of delicious dishes that are a great way to take advantage of seasonal produce and comfort.
To make things easier, I’ve broken the recipes down by category.
Since January tends to be cold and dark, I always want easy recipes that are comforting to help kick the winter blues when I cook this time of year.
This meal plan definitely leans into this, including many seasonal recipes for the dinner table, including slow cooker (and Instant Pot) dishes, savory and creamy soup recipes and more. I have listed breakfast ideas, as well as appetizers that are great for sharing, in case you plan to host anybody for a sports-related gathering this month. I’ve also throw in a few simple, seasonal desserts because those are never a bad idea, in my opinion.
What should I cook in the month of January?
Well, that depends on you and what you plan to do during this winter month.
Some people focus on their health by cutting out certain foods as a part of their New Year’s resolutions… or participate in a challenge for themselves during the month. Others cut out alcohol and observe a Dry January. Others do a January Whole30 and focus on making healthy recipes at home.
We’re not about diet culture at The Speckled Palate, but we have all kinds of options for all kinds of tastebuds.
As always, we love seasonal produce, comfort food and easy meals, so we’re sharing a lot of those to serve as inspiration for you.
What is in season in the month of January?
There are so many delicious things that are in season during the winter, though many of these products are determined by where you live.
Citrus is widely available. You can find oranges (which include navel oranges, blood oranges, mandarins, satsumas, etc.), as well as grapefruit, lemons, meyer lemons, limes and more at grocery stores and local markets.
Pears and apples are also easily found and enjoyed this month.
Winter squash and root vegetables are also prevalent. This includes thing like butternut squash, acorn squash, as well as veggies like sweet potatoes, rutabega, turnips, etc.
Greens are in season during the winter months, as well. Farmers markets will be have a selection of collards, kale, mustard greens and more.
More monthly meal plans:
If you’re in the market for more seasonal menus and recipes, we’ve got them for you here…
Let’s get this party started with some great recipes for winter. Happy cooking!
January Breakfast Recipes
These breakfast recipes are quick and easy or make-ahead gems to fuel your body for the day.
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Baked Oatmeal with Pecan Streusel
This Baked Oatmeal recipe is a comforting and delicious breakfast for any morning. Naturally dairy-free and gluten-free, these baked oatmeal bars are elevated with a pecan streusel topping for extra flavor and crunch. This dish is perfect for any morning and also easy to share.
Blast the blues away by mixing up a Creamy Winter Citrus Smoothie! Naked Nutrition Grass Fed Whey Protein Powder acts as the base of this healthy smoothie. Blended with freshly squeezed pink grapefruit juice, orange juice and lime juice, it creates a deliciously fruity drink that works well in the mornings or afternoons. Not only it is tasty, but this Creamy Winter Citrus Smoothie boasts a ton of protein to fuel your body throughout the day.
Freezer-Friendly Breakfast Tacos are a quick and delicious make-ahead breakfast that's easy to enjoy on the go! Stuffed with gold potatoes, bacon, onions, sweet peppers and scrambled eggs, these breakfast tacos are a filling meal and a wonderful way to start your tailgating morning off right!
Peanut Butter Overnight Oats are a delicious on-the-go breakfast. Easy to make vegan and naturally sweetened with maple syrup, these overnight oats are prepared the night before and refrigerated. In the morning, mix in bananas or apples—or nothing at all—and enjoy. As an added bonus, they can be made in batches so you’ve got enough for the week. Whether you’re young or old, vegan or not, these overnight oats are the perfect way to start any day.
Because nothing is as comforting as a bowl of soup or stew on a chilly winter night.
5
Chicken Spaetzle Soup
Chicken Spaetzle Soup is a perfect comfort food for a chilly day. Classic chicken soup with onions, carrots and celery is filled with spaetzle, German egg noodles, to create this comforting twist on a classic.
Vegan Potato Leek Soup makes the perfect creamy soup for all seasons! This Whole30-compliant, Paleo, Dairy Free, Gluten Free soup recipe takes an hour to make and packs a flavorful punch. Cook leeks, onion and garlic together, then add veggie stock and red potatoes and boil. Once the potatoes are soft, blend until smooth. Swirl in coconut cream, then serve warm with an additional dollop of coconut cream and a sprinkle of chives and paprika.
Seared beef, potatoes and veggies come together in this Slow Cooker Beef Stew for the ultimate comforting dinner. Put it together in the morning hours and come home to the best meal!
Turkey Taco Soup is a simple, delicious wintertime meal. Easy to make and even easier to eat, this soup adds a zing of spice and lots of vegetables to liven up any weeknight meal. Ground turkey is sautéed with onion and garlic, then peeled tomatoes, refried beans, diced chiles, corn and chicken stock are added before the soup simmers for 30 minutes. Finish with cheese, avocado or a dollop of sour cream to highlight this well-spiced soup.
Creamy, comforting and perfect for a chilly day, this Slow Cooker Potato Soup recipe is loaded with flavor! Made with your favorite potatoes, onions, garlic and finished with cream cheese, sour cream and your favorite baked potato toppings, this slow cooker soup recipe is easy to make and great for any night of the week.
Whip up easy and flavorful Instant Pot Gumbo to share with friends and family this season! Full of flavor, this twist on the classic Louisiana chicken and sausage entree is made easy using an electric pressure cooker.
Homemade Texas Chili never tasted so good! This twist on the classic recipe calls for beef stew meat instead of the ground variety and TONS of spices. With flavors as big and bold as Texas, this Texas-style Chili is sure to be adored this fall and winter!
Comfort food is the best thing for the month of January. Here are some of our best slow cooker and easy meals to serve to the whole family throughout the month.
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Apple Cider Pulled Pork with Apple Cabbage Slaw
Pork and apples are an age-old combination… and this Apple Cider Pulled Pork with Apple Coleslaw is the perfect fall entree. Pork cooks in the slow cooker or Instant Pot with apple cider before being served over bread with a homemade apple coleslaw. No matter what you serve it for, these pulled pork sandwiches make a lovely meal.
Satisfy a TexMex craving with Whole30 Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas Plates. This paleo-friendly recipe feeds a crowd and makes a delicious party entree. Roast pork in the slow cooker, then shred. Roast sweet potato cubes until crispy and whip up a simple homemade guacamole. Make the plates, adding the hash first, then the carnitas and guac. Bursting with flavor and perfect for entertaining, Whole30 Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas Plates are a new favorite!
Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice makes a delicious dinner… and this recipe is SO simple! This well-loved Louisiana entree, which calls for dried red beans, Andouille sausage, green bell pepper, onion and spices, is the perfect meal year-round. This recipe, which is perfect for Mardi Gras festivities, football tailgates and while hosting a party, because it requires little hands-on time, cooks unassisted in the slow cooker and feeds a crowd.
Enjoy flavorful Honey Sriracha Chicken Rice Bowls for dinner this week! Place the chicken, onion and red bell pepper in the slow cooker with honey, soy sauce and water. Cook for 4 hours. Steam brown rice and snow peas, then layer the rice, chicken and its sauce and snow peas in a bowl for serving. Slightly sweet with a zing of spice, Honey Sriracha Chicken Rice Bowls make a well-loved, simple and healthy weeknight meal for the whole family.
Slow Cooker Pot Roast is easy, comforting meal to make for the whole family. This flavorful and tender beef roast cooks with root vegetables and red wine throughout the day.
For those who'd like to eat more vegetables in the month of January…
17
Steak Salad with Orange Vinaigrette
Looking for an entree or appetizer to wow the crowd this summer? Whole30 Steak Salad with Orange Vinaigrette is the way to go! This Whole30-compliant, Paleo, and Gluten Free recipe will impress guests and family alike. Perfectly cooked New York Strip Steak sits atop a bed of romaine lettuce, studded with navel oranges, English cucumbers and avocado. Finish with a drizzle of homemade Orange Vinaigrette, and this salad is the perfect summer meal!
Cranberry Feta Brussels Sprout Salad with Candied Pecans and Warm Bacon Vinaigrette
Cranberry Feta Brussels Sprout Salad with Candied Pecans and Warm Bacon Vinaigrette is the perfect side dish for the winter months and holiday season! Slightly sweet, savory, salty and crunchy, this hearty salad strikes a beautiful balance because it's a little bit sweet, a little bit salty and a LOT a bit delicious.
Elevate taco night at home with this delicious Turkey Taco Salad. Sauté ground turkey, onions and black beans, then place on a bed of spinach with toppings. Finish with a drizzle with a homemade Catalina dressing. Easy to personalize, this Turkey Taco Salad is well-loved and perfect for a weeknight meal.
This Bacon Apple Salad with Bacon Vinaigrette is a perfect summertime appetizer or entree. Cook bacon, then set aside the fat. Roast the apple slices, then serve the crumbled bacon and roasted apples over a bed of Tuscan kale. Top with toasted almonds, then toss in homemade Bacon Vinaigrette. Perfect for cookouts, barbecues and fast weeknight dinners!
A twist on the French classic, Salmon Niçoise Salad makes a perfect summertime dinner! Fresh sockeye salmon serves as the centerpiece of this entree salad in place of traditional tuna. Romaine lettuce, steamed green beans, baby potatoes and red onion are tossed together to create the rest of the salad, then topped with a tangy olive oil-Dijon vinaigrette. Flavorful for lunch or dinner, this Salmon Niçoise Salad sings of summertime flavors.
Roasted Fennel Orange Salad presents the perfect way to eat vegetables and fruits during the wintertime! Fennel is roasted, then tossed with fresh lettuce, peeled oranges and a honey vinaigrette to create a slightly sweet, delicious appetizer or side salad.
In case you're hosting a gathering of football fans (or sports fans) this month, here are a few easy finger foods to make and share with your crew…
23
Pork Tenderloin Sliders with Red Wine Reduction Sauce
With football season kicking off this weekend, these Pork Tenderloin Sliders with a Red Wine Reduction Sauce are the perfect tailgate entree! Marinate the pork overnight in Black Box Merlot and a few other ingredients, then toss it on the grill at your tailgate party for a delicious sandwich! You can use the wine to make a delicious reduction to top the sliders.
Break free of the winter entree doldrums and make veggie-filled Vegan Tuscan Kale Bruschetta tonight. This twist on a traditional bruschetta highlights Tuscan kale, cooked down with grape tomatoes and cannellini beans. The kale becomes marvelously wilty, the tomatoes blister and break apart, and the beans brown slightly before all three are served upon toasted bread. Vegan Tuscan Kale Bruschetta is a scrumptious dinner or appetizer for a crowd.
If you want a colorful, crunchy appetizer to make and share, these Pesto Pinwheels are perfect for you! All you need are fresh pesto, sun-dried tomatoes, parmesan and a few more ingredients to make this delicious puff pastry appetizer that’s great for sharing.
Host friends and family for a patio wine tasting party this season! Roasted Grape Bruschetta with Whipped Feta makes a delicious appetizer to pair with Notable Chardonnays for the spring and summertime. Simple to pull together and pack a ton of flavor, these finger foods lend themselves beautifully to crisp white wine. Sweet and savory, Roasted Grape Bruschetta with Whipped Feta are the perfect bites to serve at a wine tasting soirée!
Today calls for BBQ Chicken Burger Bites with Avocado Slaw and a Spicy Vinegar Sauce. These quick chicken sliders make a delicious appetizer or meal. Featuring spicy BBQ sauce and BBQ rub, the poultry patties mix up easily and cook quickly. Top with homemade avocado slaw and a spicy/sweet vinegar sauce, and these burger bites are hard to beat. Cook up a batch for a crowd, whether you’re hosting a party, a holiday get-together or a weeknight meal!
This creamy, garlicky and nutty hummus is perfect for dipping vegetables and chips. Roasted Garlic White Bean Hummus is the ultimate gameday appetizer!
Caramelized Onion Guacamole is your run-of-the-mill guacamole… with a twist! Instead of using tomatoes, herbs and avocados, this recipe calls for sautéed onions, caramelized with balsamic vinegar. Once the onions cool to room temperature, mix them into sliced avocados with lime juice, kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper and salt-free creole seasoning. Serve with tortilla chips to make the perfect appetizer for any get together.
If you're celebrating Dry January, we've got some gems for you below. And if you're still imbibing, there are some seasonal sippers for you here, as well.
30
Meyer Lemon Shandies
Mix up a batch of seasonal Meyer Lemon Shandies for your guests as you watch the Big Game! This twist on a classic Shandy celebrates winter citrus. First, make a tart Meyer Lemonade that will serve as the base for this cocktail. When the lemonade has chilled, pour in a fruity wheat beer. Garnish with a slice of Meyer lemon, and enjoy. These Shandies make a delightfully tart tailgating drink, as well as a simple sipper for any winter get-together.
Celebrate seasonal produce by mixing this slightly sweet, yet delightfully tart Sparkling Grapefruit Sangria! Freshly squeezed pink grapefruit juice serves as the base of this cocktail, then add a bottle of sauvignon blanc , as well as Meyer lemon, blood orange and grapefruit slices. Chill before serving. Top individual glasses of sangria with Sprouts Farmers Market Sparkling Lemonade. Enjoy this sweet citrus goodness all winter long.
The Princess Violette Cocktail makes the PERFECT warm weather brunch drink with its bubbliness and lemon zing! The color of lavender, this combination of exotic creme de violette, champagne and lemon juice is invigorating and slightly sweet. Inspired by a libation at a Dallas brunch mainstay and born out of the love of champagne, this cocktail is sure to be well-loved during hot months when a bubbly drink is equally refreshing and delicious!
Attending a morning tailgate and do not want to imbibe a mimosa? Make this fun twist on a classic breakfast cocktail! Bloody Beer combines your favorite beer with a Bloody Mary. Pour the Bloody Mary Mix into a glass, add hot sauce and black pepper, then top with a golden beer to complete this breakfast drink.
Winter sangria, chock full of orange and cranberry goodness, is combined with a favorite bottle of bubbly to create this cocktail. Spicy and not too sweet, Winter Sparkling Champagne Sangria is a perfect cold weather mixed drink!
Looking for the perfect snow day activity? Make Slow Cooker Hot Cocoa! Learn how to make hot cocoa that heats up quickly and tastes perfectly sweet. Great for sharing, this 4-ingredient hot cocoa recipe is simple to make and easy to enjoy!
Light and bubbly, Blood Orange Mocktail Mules make a delightful sipper to serve during the winter months. Made with a few simple ingredients, this nonalcoholic drink is perfect for sharing.
Get vitamin C and enjoy a tasty drink at the same time! Four-ingredient Pomegranate Ginger Orange Sparkling Mocktails are the perfect way to do both. Featuring Sprouts Vitamin C Fizzy Drink Packets, these mocktails are easily made for an individual or a crowd. This drink offers 1000 mg of vitamin C to offset upcoming flu and cold season. Perfect for the holidays, Pomegranate Ginger Orange Sparkling Mocktails are a fun, delicious sipper for all!
Serve up a Sparkling Ginger Cranberry Mocktail this New Year’s Eve! This sparkling mocktail, which features tart unsweetened cranberry juice and spicy ginger beer, is a flavorful mixed drink to serve to individuals or a crowd. Add orange juice or apple juice to mellow the flavors for children. You can also swap ginger beer for ginger ale, too. With options to make this drink as tasty as possible, it’s perfect for both adults and children!
This Sweet Sunrise is an easy mocktail that's a play on the infamous Tequila Sunrise. This orange and pineapple drink recipe omits the tequila while adding a dash of orange bitters for a burst of flavor. This delightful mocktail recipe that will please guests young and old!
Because I love something sweet every month, here are some seasonal treats to enjoy while the weather is cold and the days are long.
40
Bourbon Pecan Brownies
Hosting folks for a party this weekend? Bourbon Pecan Brownies are a unique dessert! Dense, chocolate and pecan-filled brownies sing with bourbon flavor and are perfect for a crowd.
Want to learn how to make Apple Crumble with a delicious pecan crumble topping? This apple crumble recipe calls for tart apples, apple cider, cinnamon and more. This classic crumble recipe is the perfect comforting dessert for the fall months ahead.
Homemade Lemon Bars are a crowd-pleasing dessert and perfect for sharing! This easy lemon bar recipe is bright, tart-sweet and perfectly balanced with a crisp shortbread crust. They’re a quick recipe to bake, too, and are ready in less than an hour!
Orange Raspberry Shortbread Cookies are the perfect way to show someone you care! This homemade shortbread cookie is sweetened with raspberry preserves and gets a little zing from orange zest and then dipped in a chocolate ganache. Whether they're baked for Valentine's Day, Easter, a baby or bridal shower, or any occasion in between, Raspberry Orange Shortbread are a lovely not-too-sweet dessert!
What are some of the foods you plan to enjoy this month?
Is there anything on this list that you would like to try?
About the Author:
Erin Parker is a Southern gal living in Texas with her husband and two daughters. She started The Speckled Palate to share what she was cooking as a newlywed… and over the years, it’s evolved to capture her love for hosting. Specifically, the EASIEST, lowest key entertaining because everyone deserves to see their people and connect over good food. Learn more about her…
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8 Comments
Holy cow, what an amazing plan! I bet this was a ton of work to put together!
Thank you! It was actually a lot of fun, even though it took some work. I love going back through my archives and cooking for the season, so I wanted to share that with y’all!
Holy cow, what an amazing plan! I bet this was a ton of work to put together!
Thank you! It was actually a lot of fun, even though it took some work. I love going back through my archives and cooking for the season, so I wanted to share that with y’all!
All of these look delicious, but I have a few pegged to make right away!
Thank you, Danielle! I hope if you give ’em a try that you like them all!
All of these looks delicious! I have got my eye on a few of them!!! Taco Soup to start!!!!!
Thanks so much, Julie! You can never go wrong with taco soup!
What a great idea!! And all of these look amazing!!
Thanks so much, Malinda! I don’t think we could go wrong cooking from this list this month. 🙂