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I have been working up to this post of Instant Pot holiday recipes all week long, eating sweet barbecue meatballs and too much cheesecake, making videos to show you how to make one of my favorite holiday appetizers, and drooling over the weeks of holiday feasts and parties coming up!

I am just so excited to share this list of ideas and recipes to put your Instant Pot to work all season long. Hint: it’s not just for making mashed potatoes! 

Check out the list below and start pinning and planning for your next holiday meal. There are so many great recipes to choose from–and many of them are make-ahead so you can get a LOT of use out of your Instant Pot and make all your friends and family wish they had one too. Just kidding. Kind of.

Before I jump into the recipes, here are five recommendations to make time in the kitchen easier this year: 

1. Pressure cookers! (of course!). I have the Instant Pot 6qt Ultra, the 6qt MAX, and the 8qt DUO PLUS. I also have a Mealthy MultiPot which I love as well! (While I don’t necessarily think everyone needs so many pressure cookers, having more than one comes in handy very often!)
2. Victorinox chef knife. A good knife is one of the BEST things you can have in your kitchen. This one is highly recommended by America’s Test Kitchen (and me). Don’t forget to keep it sharp!
3. Extra Instant Pot stainless insert and sealing rings. Both are certain to come in handy with all the cooking and “baking” you’ll be doing.
4. Springform pan. If you haven’t made a cheesecake in your Instant Pot yet, now is the time to jump right in!
5. Mini spatulas. Okay, this one may seem silly, but next to my knife, mini spatulas are one of my favorite kitchen tools and I’m asked about them all the time! I love having several on hand when I’m cooking.

You can shop more of my favorite recommendations for the kitchen, home, & family in my Amazon shop, or shop my favorite Instant Pot accessories. 

Instant Pot Holiday Recipes

I sincerely hope that all of you have a wonderful holiday season, full of great food and better company!!! Remember, it’s not about having the perfect home or the perfect menu– it’s about connecting with those we love and sharing with those in need! (More about practicing low-stress hospitality).

After you check out the list of Instant Pot holiday recipes below, you can find more great recipes in the recipe archives. I’d also love for you to join me on Facebook, Instagram, and/or YouTube!

Getting Ready — Using the Instant Pot to Prep Food

• Make chicken broth.
• Cook sweet potatoes for casserole. (Peel and cube sweet potatoes, then cook on steamer basket for 5 minutes).
• Proof bread for dinner. (One-Hour Focaccia, Whole Wheat Everything Rolls, Whole wheat no-knead bread, Instant Pot Yogurt Whey Dutch Oven Crusty Bread)
• Make pumpkin puree.
• Make hard boiled eggs for deviled eggs. (how-to video)
• Make dulce de leche for pies and treats. (with just milk and sugar, with canned sweetened condensed milk, or dairy free) (how-to video— start @ 15:00)
• Make iced tea.

Before the Feast — Appetizers & Snacks

• ‘Lil Smokies in Homemade Sweet Barbecue Sauce:: This Pilgrim Life
• Everything Dinner Rolls :: This Pilgrim Life
• Spinach & artichoke dip :: This Pilgrim Life
• Chicken wings :: Sweet & Savory Meals
• Butternut squash and apple soup :: This Pilgrim Life
• Deviled Eggs :: Skinny Taste
• Sweet barbecue meatballs :: This Pilgrim Life
• Spiced Cider :: This Pilgrim Life

During the Feast — Main Dishes

• Turkey (Using turkey quarters, or cooking a turkey breast)
• Bone-in ham with maple-honey glaze :: Simple Awesome Cooking
• Ham with Honey Mustard Glaze :: This Pilgrim Life
• Chicken Cacciatore :: This Pilgrim Life (this is not a traditional main, but it IS deliciously tender and flavor chicken thighs with a tasty gravy– perfect for a smaller scale celebration)

During the Feast —  Sides

• Healthy Green Bean Casserole :: This Pilgrim Life
• Mashed potatoes  :: Pinch of Yum
• Dairy-Free Creamed Corn :: Instant Loss
• Healthier Sweet Potato Casserole :: This Pilgrim Life
• Cranberry sauce :: Pressure Cooker Recipes
• Mac’n’cheese :: Pinch of Yum
• Creamiest Ranch Mac & Cheese :: This Pilgrim Life
• Make the gravy and keep it warm
• Collard greens :: This Pilgrim Life (how-to video)
• Cauliflower au gratin :: This Pilgrim Life
• Honey ginger carrots :: This Pilgrim Life (how-to video– start watching @ 12:30)
• Cinnamon apples :: This Pilgrim Life
• Green Beans with Bacon :: Two Sleevers

After the Feast — Sweets and Treats

• Pumpkin pie creme brûlée :: This Pilgrim Life
• Carrot Layer Cake (gluten-free, naturally sweetened) :: This Pilgrim Life
• Healthier cheesecake :: This Pilgrim Life
• Grain-Free Pumpkin Pie :: Instant Loss
• Healthier creme brûlée :: This Pilgrim Life
• Apple brownies with maple cream frosting :: This Pilgrim Life (video)
• Sweet Potato Cheesecake with Dulce de Leche and Pecans :: This Pilgrim Life

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The links below may be affiliate links, meaning I earn a small compensation at no extra cost to you. See my full disclosure policy here. 

A couple of weeks ago I was in Target by myself while my mother-in-law kept my five kids at her house. Yes, it was glorious. And no, I don’t have any idea how $5 + $3 +$6 + $1 +$2 + $9 = $187.53. #targetmath

This was the first time I had a long break without the kids since getting home from our trip and then having my whole household come down with a nasty bug. My intention was just to make a quick run through Target and then go home to try to tackle some of the mess.

That was the plan.

The reality was three hours later, I was still in Target and it was time to head to my in-laws to have dinner and retrieve my kids. 

{{ Watch my Target Haul video on YouTube }}

I had told my mother-in-law that she didn’t need to worry about dinner since she would have all the kids; I would bring the food.  So there I was in Target needing to make a plan that didn’t involve me going home and actually making anything. 

I’m a big advocate for cooking from scratch and for starting with whole ingredients as much as possible. BUT I’m also an advocate for doing what you need to do. And sometimes that means take-out, and sometimes that means buying ingredients already prepped and ready.

Spotting Hawaiian rolls in the “produce” section of Target reminded me of 30-Minute Barbecue Chicken in the Instant Pot. I quickly checked to make sure my mother-in-law had the from-scratch sauce ingredients on hand (she did).

Now I just needed sides. My kids had been asking for Annie’s mac’n’cheese– one easy side down, one to go.

{{ Why you should make boxed mac’n’cheese in the Instant Pot }}

I don’t know about you, but barbecue always makes me want coleslaw. Typically, I like making coleslaw with green and red cabbage, sliced almonds, dried cranberries, and a super yummy dressing. But I needed something easier this time. 

I stood staring at the bags of coleslaw mix for a few minutes, brainstorming the easiest way to make coleslaw without having to buy several different ingredients.

Then it hit me that lime yogurt already had the creaminess, tanginess, and sweetness that I would need for the dressing. All in one little package. 

EASY Coleslaw Hack

In addition to the lime yogurt, I used mayonnaise to balance out the dressing. Add a little salt, and the coleslaw is done!

This easy coleslaw hack will be so convenient this summer for a quick side at a cookout or picnic. You could even just pick up the few ingredients and mix it on location! 

Recipes to try this with…

• 30-Minute Barbecue Chicken 
• Tastiest Easy Sliders 
• Roasted Carrot Fries
• 3-Minute Mayonnaise
• Quick Fried Vegetables & Best EVER Homemade Ranch
• Creamiest Ranch Mac’n’Cheese in the Instant Pot 

EASY Coleslaw Hack

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• Author: Lisa @ This Pilgrim Life
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 0 minutes
• Total Time: 5 minutes

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Description

Using a container of yogurt which already has lime juice and sweetener means making a batch of coleslaw just got even easier. This coleslaw hack is great for any time you are in a hurry or need a really quick and easy side to share a picnic or potluck!

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Ingredients

• 14oz or 1 bag shredded coleslaw mix
• 5 oz container Greek lime yogurt (I like Chobani)
• 2/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

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Instructions

1. Dump the coleslaw mix into a large mixing bowl. Add the lime yogurt, then use the empty container to measure out an equal portion of mayonnaise. Add the salt, then stir well until all the coleslaw mix is coated. Taste and add additional salt as needed.
2. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

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When I began planning this Healthy Resolutions for the Everyday Family series for the blog, I asked on Facebook and Instagram what kind of changes you were most interested in making and learning about. I heard again and again that figuring out healthy snacks was a big priority for so many. 

While breakfast and lunch can be predictable and we can plan for dinners, the times in between often goes unplanned for or is just at the mercy of convenience foods.

Don’t get me wrong, I love convenience foods and we eat our share of packaged snacks.

But snacks don’t have to be just empty calories or foods we unwrap because we don’t know what else to do.

A snack in between meals should fuel our bodies and provide nutrients, ideally still with minimal effort because we all have other things to do. 

In our house, we have a rule about afternoon snacks that before any other snacks are made, the kids need to eat a piece of fresh fruit. 

The purpose of this is twofold. First, it’s just healthier to eat an apple or orange or banana, and the fiber and natural sugars will often fill them up so they don’t need anything else. Secondly though, a piece of fresh fruit is just so stinkin’ easy. It requires no prep and my kids can do it all completely themselves. Mom is off the hook.

There are times, though, that the fruit isn’t enough and a second snack is helpful.

I created a printable (you can download for free below) that helps everyone (kids and adults) to remember to grab the fresh fruit or veggies first, before moving on to something else. 

Super Awesome List of Healthy Snack Ideas

One thing that has helped me tremendously when menu planning and simply deciding what to eat is my master dinner and lunch lists. No matter how good of a cook you are, it can still be difficult to pick what to eat!

A big master list helps to jog your memory and can keep you from eating the same things again and again (unless that’s what you want to do, which would be fine too).

(If you feel like you are in a lunch rut and need fresh inspiration for midday meals, you can check out this huge list of lunch ideas and printable guide to help you break out of your rut). 

To help all of us remember our snacking options, I put together this list of healthy snack ideas. There are snacks that require no prep at all, snacks you can buy at the store, snacks that will give you that protein boost you need, snacks you can prep ahead of time on the weekend, and so on.

You get the picture.

Keep scrolling to see everything on the list, and to get links to recipes whenever relevant. At the end of the list is a printable version of the Super Awesome List of Healthy Snack Ideas. Print it out and laminate it. Hang it in your kitchen, tuck it in your planner, whatever you need to do.

Keepin’ It Fresh ::

• Apples
• Bananas
• Clementines
• Plums
• Grapes
• Peaches
• Pears
• Carrot sticks
• Celery sticks
• Broccoli florets
• Cucumber slices
• Bell pepper spears
• Cherry tomatoes

Optional Dips :: 

• Peanut butter
• Honey cream cheese (Mix together 1 part honey and 3 parts cream cheese with a pinch of cinnamon)
• Best (EVER) ranch dressing
• Creamy hummus (Instant Pot recipe in my cookbook)

Protein Packed ::

• Hard boiled eggs (5 minutes high pressure in the Instant Pot, quick release then immediate ice bath– more detailed instructions here)
• Yogurt & chia seed jam (make ahead and keep in small mason jars)
• Green pea hummus & crackers/pita chips/tortilla chips
• Cheese sticks
• Energy balls
• Nuts & seeds
• Roasted chickpeas
• Jerky

Kids Can Prep ::

• Peanut butter rice cakes
• Fruit sorbet
• Trail mix
• Smoothies
• Hummus & veggies (prep the veggies ahead of time)
• Deli meat & cheese roll-ups
• Peanut butter apple sandwiches
• Pickles
• Tortilla chips & 1-minute guacamole
• Salad

Make Ahead ::

• Real fruit & veg strips/leather 
• Muffins (carrot raisin, chocolate zucchini, oatmeal date apple, raisin date walnut, strawberries & cream, nutty blueberry)
• Applesauce
• Granola bars
• Dark chocolate super grain bars 
• Pudding cups (dairy-free chocolate pudding, easy pumpkin pudding cups)
• Kale chips
• Fruit gummies 
• Chips and salsa (amazing fresh salsa, restaurant-style salsa with lime & chiles)
• Healthy cookies (whole wheat peanut butter sugar cookies, double dark chocolate pumpkin cookies)
• Popcorn
• Fruit & veggie pouches
• Dried fruit

Print the Healthy Snack Ideas List

Print the Snack Options “First this… Then this” List

What are some of your family’s favorite healthy snacks? How do you keep snack routine healthy and simple? Share your ideas with everyone in the comments! 

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