Healthy Family Resolutions: Tips from a Dietitian Mom

Looking for ways to make healthy living a reality for your whole family? As a dietitian and mom, I’ve learned about making wellness fun and achievable. Let’s dive into some simple, family-friendly tips to kickstart your healthy habits!

The start of a new year brings a fresh opportunity and a sense of possibility to reset, or recharge our resolutions. As a registered dietitian and mom, I know firsthand how overwhelming it can be to juggle work, kids’ activities, and the never-ending to-do list while striving to prioritize health and wellness. Life gets busy, and it’s easy to feel like there’s not enough time to focus on your well-being.

But here’s the good news: small, intentional changes can have a big impact on your family’s health and happiness. The New Year is the perfect time to embrace simple, fun wellness habits that everyone can enjoy together. Instead of setting lofty resolutions that feel out of reach, try focusing on realistic goals that bring joy and include your family as accountability partners.

To help you get started, I’ve gathered a few of my family’s favorite wellness tips that are practical, fun, and easy to incorporate into your busy life. Let’s make this year one of health, happiness, and lasting memories!

Healthy Tips from a Dietitian

Move together

When it comes to staying active as a family, the key is to make it fun and easy to fit into your routine. Movement doesn’t have to mean hitting the gym—it can be about spending quality time together while getting your hearts pumping and smiles going. By turning everyday moments into opportunities for activity, you’ll create habits that not only boost your family’s health but also strengthen your bond.

• Make movement part of your family’s lifestyle by swapping screen time for active family fun like kickball, flag football, hiking, biking or exploring a new park. 
• Think outside the box and get your neighbors involved in a neighborhood scavenger hunt, or competitive game.  
• If your family enjoys fitness, consider a family fitness challenge that includes new weekly challenges and prizes like planning a fun family day, movie, or picnic in the park.
• Walking is a simple way to slow down, engage, talk, and learn about each other’s days.

Cook and Eat Together

Encouraging your family to get in the kitchen with you teaches valuable lessons and cooking skills. It is a great way to encourage them to try new foods, learn to cook, and gain a sense of independence in the kitchen. Not to mention it spreads mealtime responsibility across the family and allows more together time. 

Here are some suggestions depending on age:

• Choosing recipes
• Arranging and gathering cooking utensils and pots and pans
• Washing produce
• Opening cans and packages
• Stirring/mixing ingredients 
• Chopping
• Peeling
• Cracking eggs
• Assembling food
• Setting the table
• Greasing a baking dish
• Measuring
• Cleaning and more

Try letting each family member pick a recipe, meal, or theme, like Taco Tuesday or Saturday Soups, for the week. This ensures everyone has a say and gets creative juices flowing. 

Don’t forget, table time togetherness is key for a healthy family! Enjoying meals together is a great way to reconnect, catch up, and communicate with each other.

Grow Food Together

Starting a family garden is more than just a way to grow fresh produce—it’s a fun and meaningful activity that brings everyone together. By giving each family member a role, like watering, planting, or weeding, you turn gardening into a true team effort. Not only does it get everyone outside and enjoying nature, but it also teaches kids where their food comes from in a hands-on, memorable way. 

Check out our blog post Gardening for Beginners or listen to our podcast episode about Growing in All Size Spaces.

As a mom, I love the double win of growing healthy foods while saving on the grocery bill. Plus, there’s something so satisfying about watching your family’s hard work literally bloom! A garden is a simple, rewarding way to improve your health, enjoy some fresh air, and create lasting family memories.

Give Back as a Family

Seeing my children give back to our community is most rewarding. There are many ways to engage in volunteerism. Here are a few ideas. 

• Volunteer at local food banks
• Clean out things to give to a donation center
• Participate in neighborhood cleanups

Our popular blog post 10+ Community Service Ideas for Kids is a great resource to find more ideas!  Volunteering together promotes gratitude, positivity in giving, and a sense of belonging and teamwork.

Screen Time Check

Think screen-free zones for the New Year, a time to engage and connect. Set certain times for screen time and add interactive activities like story time, board games, creative thinking, and other interactive activities to reconnect and strengthen relationships. Host family game nights and keep it fresh by rotating who plans and picks the game night theme, games, and food.

Not everyone may be excited about new changes at first, so be patient and focus on activities everyone can enjoy. Wellness is about more than just eating better or being active—it’s about improving physical and mental well-being, strengthening connections, and building lasting memories. Starting positive habits together creates accountability and benefits the whole family.

These tips are a great starting point for a healthier, happier New Year. Remember to think outside the box and find what works best for your family!

For more ideas to boost your family resolutions, dietitian-approved recipes, healthy tips, or just get inspiration make sure to pin us!