21 Healthy-ish Recipes from Grandma

March 19, 2025 - by ultimaterecipe10

creamy cucumber salad in a ceramic bowl — Photo: KGora

We often associate Grandma’s kitchen with casseroles, cookies, and other comfort foods. Her healthier recipes, however, can be just as nostalgic, from the cool cucumber salad you associate with holiday barbeques to the granola she had on hand when you slept over to the hearty vegetable soup that warmed you up like a hug from Grandma herself. The following dishes from Allrecipes grandmothers pack in vegetables, grains, and legumes, often with a bit of sugar, butter, or bacon for good measure. What Grandma says goes.

01 of 22

Grandma’s Homemade Granola

Grandma's Homemade Granola in a floral bowl — MadC

“My grandmother and I created this homemade granola recipe one day, and it is currently loved and requested by the rest of my family, including my other grandma who used to be anti-granola! My favorite ways to serve it are in coconut Greek yogurt or just in a bowl with milk. Simple and awesome,” recipe contributor MadC says.

02 of 22

Grandma’s Favorite Chicken

chicken and vegetables in a yellow dish — Cynthia LaFourcade

Recipe contributor Melissa says you can make this chicken dish your own by adding veggies like zucchini and broccoli to this one-pan meal, which calls for carrots, potatoes, and yellow squash.

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03 of 22

Grandma’s Cucumber and Onion Salad

bowl of Grandma's Cucumber and Onion Salad recipe — Jason Hilton

“Both of my grandmothers made this salad every summer when their gardens produced baskets of cucumbers. It’s a cool, fresh side dish for any meal. One of my grandmas omitted the green pepper and the celery seed. She also put ice in it to chill it quickly and cut the vinegar taste.” — KBOVER

04 of 22

Grandma Z’s Crunch Salad

dish of Grandma Z's Crunch Salad recipe with grapes, broccoli, celery, bacon, jicama, and scallions — fabeveryday

With broccoli, jicama, and celery, this recipe lives up to its name. Pine nuts and crispy crumbled bacon contribute to its satisfying texture, too.

05 of 22

Grandma’s Vegetable Soup

group beef and vegetable soup — Trent M

The grandmother behind this recipe knew how to combine canned ingredients (green beans, corn, and tomato juice) with fresh veggies (potatoes, carrots, and onions) to achieve that from-scratch taste.

06 of 22

Grandma’s Sweet and Tangy Bean Salad

bean salad with tomatoes and cucumbers — Cookin Up a Storm

Combining canned kidney beans, green beans, wax beans, and corn with cucumbers, bell peppers, onion, and celery adds fresh flavor and crunch to this salad. And for recipe contributor ChristinaAB, it’s crunch that sets Grandma’s bean salad apart from the rest.

07 of 22

Grandma’s Carrot Salad

Carrot Salad — Photo by lutzflcat.

Shredded carrots, raisins, and a bit of mayonnaise, lemon juice, and salt are all you need to make this easy side salad.

17 Beloved Southern Potluck Recipes Just Like Grandma Used to Make

08 of 22

Grandma’s Easy Turkey Taco Salad

Grandma's Easy Turkey Taco Salad — Sugarplum

“This is an easy recipe that my Grandmother always made,” Jennifer Wood Anastasia says. Using taco seasoning mix to flavor ground turkey and pre-made salad dressing, the recipe comes together in just 30 minutes.

09 of 22

My Grandma’s Guacamole

guacamole with diced tomatoes — Skye Titus

“My grandmother from Mexico taught me to make this. It has been passed down for many generations,” recipe contributor Skye Titus says of this flavorful five-star guacamole.

10 of 22

Grandma Mac’s Green Beans

Grandma Mac's Green Beans — lutzflcat

Grandma knows the value of eating veggies, and cooking them in bacon.

11 of 22

Grandma Gladys’s Zucchini Soup

bowl of zucchini soup with cheese and crackers on top — Jay L

“Our granddaughter loves this soup made by her great grandma! Substitute ground beef, Italian sausage, and beef stock for the ground turkey, turkey Italian sausage, and chicken stock, if desired,” recipe contributor Jack Schmidt says.

12 of 22

Grandma Oma’s Pickled Okra

pickled okra — Queen Lucy

Red chile peppers and dried dill add a kick to this five-star pickled okra. Home cook Beth says it’s “super quick and easy, even for novice canners.”

13 of 22

Grandma Dalley’s Honey Granola

Grandma Dalley's Honey Granola in a tan bowl — mommyluvs2cook

“Grandma Dalley won a blue ribbon for this recipe at the Eastern Idaho State Fair in 2012,” recipe contributor Miriam says. “Store airtight in a covered container up to two weeks.”

14 of 22

Nonna’s Tuscan Salad Dressing

green salad with peppers, carrots, and dressing — Fit&Healthy Mom

“This very light, fresh dressing works equally well on mixed greens, spinach or romaine, or just drizzled over sliced, fresh, ripe summer tomatoes and fresh basil leaves. Quick and easy to make fresh, but stores well,” home cook Baricat says. “It’s a family recipe brought over from the old country by my nonna (grandma).”

15 of 22

Grandma’s Slow Cooker Vegetarian Chili

Grandma's Slow Cooker Vegetarian Chili in a black pot

This vegetarian chili packs in plenty of protein and fiber with the help of black beans, kidney beans, garbanzo beans, and vegetarian baked beans.

15 Hearty Vegan Chili Recipes

16 of 22

Nina’s Cucumber Salad

creamy cucumber salad in a ceramic bowl — KGora

“The recipe for this easy salad came from my grandma, who made it in the summers with fresh dill and cucumbers from her garden,” recipe contributor Brandi Rose says.

17 of 22

Grandma Jeanette’s Amazing German Red Cabbage

red cabbage in white and blue bowl — lutzflcat

Red cabbage and green apples get a sweet and and sour treatment from apple cider vinegar and sugar in this delicious slaw.

Our 10 Favorite German Potato Recipes

18 of 22

Grandma’s Green Beans with Bacon Vinaigrette

green beans with bits of bacon on a white plate — lutzflcat

“Ridiculously good beans that make a great side dish to just about anything. One of those recipes that grandma made for years that we could never get enough of. Garnish with sliced or slivered almonds,” recipe contributor Sarahbeara says.

19 of 22

Grandma Stuck’s Kosher Dills

jar of pickles with dill and seasoning — What’s for dinner, mom?

Try your hand at this old-fashioned recipe for pickles, and you may never buy them from the store again.

20 of 22

Grandmother’s Sour Cream Cucumber Salad

Grandmother's Sour Cream Cucumber Salad in a white bowl — Coty Bare

Tangy sour cream, white vinegar, and a bit of sugar coat cool cucumbers and sweet onion for a side salad that’s nostalgic not only for recipe contributor Drewbasa but for a handful of the home cooks who have reviewed it as well.

21 of 22

Cumin and Coriander Chickpea Salad

Bowl of homemade Cumin and coriander Chickpea Salad with bell peppers, green onion, and garbanzo beans — mms09

“This is a wonderful garbanzo bean salad that my grandmother used to make,” recipe contributor Mrs_Mike says of this dish, which calls for cilantro, cayenne, cumin, grated ginger, white wine vinegar, and lemon juice to pack a punch.

collard greens in a white dish — France C