20+ Dinner Recipes to Keep You Healthy & Hydrated

Drinking enough water each day is important for overall health. Whether you’re struggling to meet your needs through water alone or are just looking to up your intake, these recipes can help you reach your goals. They feature hydrating ingredients like tomatoes, watermelon, beans, tuna and brown rice that can contribute several ounces of H2O to your day. You’ll want to try options like our Crispy Salmon Rice Bowl and Chicken & Cucumber Lettuce Wraps with Peanut Sauce for a refreshing meal to end your day on a hydrated note.

Crispy Salmon Rice Bowl

Ali Redmond


Tender pieces of salmon get a sweet and crispy coating thanks to sweet and savory teriyaki glaze in this salmon rice bowl. We love crunchy cucumber and creamy avocado as toppings, but feel free to add whatever toppings you like best for your own spin on this easy meal. If you can’t find Sriracha mayo, you can make your own by mixing mayo and Sriracha to your preferred spice level.

High-Protein Greek Salad Omelet Wrap

Sara Haas

Would you rather have a salad or a wrap for dinner? Wait, why not both! This protein-packed meal features Greek salad tucked into an egg-white wrap. It also makes for a delicious breakfast.

Arugula & Cucumber Salad with Tuna

Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Melissa Gray, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster


Spicy baby arugula pairs with crisp Persian cucumbers and celery in this refreshing salad. Italian Castelvetrano olives offer a mild, buttery flavor that doesn’t compete with the flavor of the tuna. If you want more punch from your olives, Niçoise olives or Kalamata olives work well too.

Chicken & Cucumber Lettuce Wraps with Peanut Sauce

We love the crunch from sliced cucumber and jicama in these savory chicken lettuce wraps. Serve with the simple peanut sauce for an easy dinner recipe that will impress kids and adults alike.

Gochujang-Glazed Tempeh & Brown Rice Bowls

If you’re a tempeh skeptic, you’ve probably never had the firm soy-based slabs slathered with a sweet-and-spicy barbecue sauce. We give this easy BBQ tempeh combo a punch of umami with tamari and add a little heat courtesy of gochujang. It’s easy to put your own spin on this recipe; see Variations (below) for some riffs.

Buffalo Cauliflower Grain Bowl

Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Lindsey Lower


This Buffalo cauliflower grain bowl is a delicious and healthy alternative to traditional Buffalo wings, packing plenty of gut-healthy fiber and plant-based protein. It features a variety of fresh and colorful vegetables on a bed of precooked brown rice to keep prep speedy. Feel free to swap out the rice for another whole grain.

Sesame-Ginger Watermelon-Avocado Rice Bowls

Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster

With marinated and seared watermelon, fresh veggies and black rice, this rice bowl packed with flavor. The sweetness of watermelon plays well with tangy lime juice, toasted sesame oil, and kicky ginger. If you’re looking for a shareable snack instead of a meal, serve the rice bowl with tortilla chips and chunky-style salsa.

Loaded Cucumber & Avocado Sandwich

Jacob Fox

This loaded cucumber-and-avocado sandwich is filled with creamy avocado and crispy cucumbers. Ricotta cheese mixed with extra-sharp Cheddar adds flavor while sliced red peppers offer a splash of color.

Pesto Tuna Noodle Casserole

Photographer: Grant Webster, Food Stylist: Holly Dreesman, Prop Stylist: Lexi Juhl


A creamy pesto sauce with sweet shallots and wilted spinach gives a light and bright spin to classic tuna noodle casserole. Albacore tuna is an ideal choice, as it holds its texture well once mixed in, although any water-packed tuna will do the job. For the best results, we recommend using refrigerated pesto for its fresh flavor which enhances the overall dish.

Chopped Power Salad with Chicken

Jason Donnelly

Enjoy this filling and colorful salad for lunch or dinner. The dressing gets made in the same bowl that the salad is tossed in, so the greens absorb every bit of flavor.

Watermelon, Orange & Cucumber Salad with Castelvetrano Olive Vinaigrette

This easy and superfast salad is incredibly refreshing, thanks to juicy watermelon and oranges! The Castelvetrano olives lend a briny hit, while the herbs add lots of delicious depth to the salad. Pair this colorful salad with grilled shrimp or chicken.

Chickpea Salad Sandwich

Photography / Caitlin Bensel, Food Styling / Ruth Blackburn

This vegan chickpea salad sandwich is lemony, bright and surprisingly delicious. It’s got all the flavors of a classic tuna salad sandwich—dill, lemon and a bit of garlic—but with chickpeas instead to add a vegan source of protein and a healthy boost of fiber. Celery brings a nice crunch.

Three-Bean Chili

This rib-sticking bean chili is richly flavored with cumin, chili, paprika, oregano and an assortment of peppers. Use whatever beans you have in your pantry.

Lemon-Garlic Vegetable Soup

Jacob Fox


This light and lovely soup features fresh vegetables, herbs and a splash of lemon juice to brighten the flavor. Serve with a dollop of homemade pesto. 

Cucumber Caprese Sandwich

Brie Passano

We added cucumber and greens to the tomato to make this refreshing cucumber caprese sandwich flavored with pesto, fresh mozzarella and a sweet balsamic glaze.

Veggistrone

This vegetable-packed minestrone soup recipe is inspired by a popular Weight Watchers vegetable soup recipe. It makes a big pot of soup, so keep some in the refrigerator for up to 5 days and freeze the rest in single-serve portions. That way you always have an easy, delicious vegetable soup to start your meal or to eat for lunch. Think of this vegetable minestrone recipe as a starting point for other healthy soup variations, too: toss in leftover chopped cooked chicken or whole-wheat pasta or brown rice to make it more satisfying.

Marinara Meat Sauce Topped Baked Potato

Break out of your pasta routine by subbing in a baked potato in this simple and satisfying dinner for one.

Tomato, Cucumber & White-Bean Salad with Basil Vinaigrette

This no-cook bean salad is a delicious way to use summer’s best cherry or grape tomatoes and juicy cucumbers for a light dinner or lunch. Fresh basil elevates an easy vinaigrette recipe that dresses up this simple salad into something extraordinary.

Green Goddess Salad with Chickpeas

In this cucumber, tomato, Swiss cheese and chickpea salad recipe, a healthy green goddess dressing is made from avocado, buttermilk and herbs. The extra dressing is delicious served with grilled vegetables.

Watermelon & Goat Cheese Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette

Jason Donnelly

In this watermelon and goat cheese salad, the contrasting flavors and textures of crisp, sweet melon and creamy, tangy goat cheese are magical partners. Top with sliced grilled chicken to make it a meal.

Pita Panzanella Salad with Meatballs

This Mediterranean-inspired salad combines the flavors of Greece with the format of a traditional Tuscan bread salad for a refreshing, yet hearty meal. For a twist, try stuffing the salad into the pitas rather than crisping them in Step 3.

Tuna Poke

Poke (pronounced poke-ay), a Hawaiian word meaning “to chop” or “to cut,” refers to a traditional Hawaiian salad of diced raw fish in a simple, soy-based sauce with punchy seasonings like toasted sesame and chopped scallion greens. These tuna poke bowls feature seasoned brown rice and fresh veggies for a healthy, satisfying meal packed with protein and fiber.

Tuna-Zucchini Pasta

The sauce for this pasta recipe comes together quickly in one skillet while your spaghetti noodles cook on the next burner. Zucchini, fragrant basil, fresh tomato, and canned tuna combine to make a sensational topping for the whole-grain spaghetti in this 30-minute meal.

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