Now that the holidays are done, many of us are looking to simplify the way we eat after enjoying rich holiday meals and lots of eating out. It’s also a wonderful time to capitalize on cupboard staples and put them to good use in simple, nutritious meals.
Warming soups and stews hold a natural appeal during the chilly weather season. What could be better to bring the cozy to a cold evening or after an invigorating walk in the crisp air than a nourishing bowl of hearty comfort?
These cozy winter recipes also answer the call for simplicity. Highly satisfying, they need not be difficult to prepare and enjoy. Made with nutritious, whole ingredients that we may likely already have on hand, soups and stews are also a great way to use up leftover holiday ingredients, allowing us to minimize waste and save money.
One of their greatest benefits? These recipes can be enjoyed now or frozen and stored for future meals, providing easy answers for that inevitable question, “What’s for dinner?”
Read on to discover five recipes for simple, comforting meals that are just what you need to kick off the new year.
This collection was originally published in the January 2026 issue of alive magazine.