12 Girl Dinner Ideas To Celebrate International Women’s Day

Let’s set aside meat for just one day.

When cooking for a household, you have to juggle a multitude of preferences. Perhaps your partner insists on a heavy protein and refuses to acknowledge soup as a legitimate meal. Maybe your children reject anything that isn’t beige or contains herbs and acidity. For International Women’s Day, we say forget all that. Prepare a “girl dinner” without a second thought. Seek out those recipes you crave but rarely get to serve, the unconventional dishes you’ve been curious to try, or the fun bites that skip the meat for a change. These meals are best enjoyed alone or with friends, accompanied by a favorite show and your beverage of choice.

Let’s start with the quintessential girl dinner. The homemade Caesar salad from Damn Delicious provides all the restaurant-quality satisfaction you could want. Pair it with fries and a Diet Coke for the full experience.

Charcuterie, essentially an adult version of a Lunchable, is another staple of the girl dinner movement. If you want to elevate your board, follow this guide from Dude That Cookz. You don’t need to buy the exact cheeses or meats they suggest, but it’s a great reminder that a girl dinner charcuterie board shines when you add thoughtful touches like unique spreads, seasoned crackers, and sweet accompaniments.

03 Charred Corn & Rosemary Grilled Pizza

Are you tired of always ordering the meat-heavy pizza? Foodie Crush’s charred corn and rosemary pizza is undeniably perfect for a girl dinner. It features plenty of mozzarella and gorgonzola, and while the recipe includes instructions for homemade dough, buying fresh, pre-made dough is a great way to simplify the process.

Dip for dinner is one of my favorite indulgences, and I genuinely believe a seven-layer dip—like this version from All The Healthy Things—counts as a nutritionally complete meal. It packs protein through Greek yogurt and black beans, plus cheese, lime, cilantro, and a generous serving of veggies like tomatoes, lettuce, and guacamole.

Feta pasta became a massive viral trend last year, but because it’s meatless and my kids wouldn’t touch it, I never got around to trying it. It looks absolutely delicious, though. That is the essence of girl dinner: eating what brings you joy without worrying about anyone else’s palate. Budget Bytes’ feta pasta is a fantastic choice.

The version from Jessica in the Kitchen is a perfect example. Dress up some quality bread with avocado and your favorite toppings. Her recipe uses pickled onions and “everything but the bagel” seasoning. Personally, I prefer mine with a runny egg, feta, and chili crunch.

07 Carbonara With Charred Brussels Sprouts

Pasta without meat is the definition of girl dinner—pass it on! Foodie Crush’s carbonara, featuring charred Brussels sprouts, mushrooms, and parmesan, looks like the perfect meal to enjoy with a glass of white wine while no one is complaining nearby. You could add pancetta if you like, but today, the choice is entirely yours.

08 Ravioli With Sage Butter Sauce

For a similar dish with different flavors, try Damn Delicious’ ravioli with sage butter sauce. You can use any variety of ravioli—cheese, butternut squash, or otherwise—and it will be equally satisfying. The fact that it comes together in just 25 minutes is a major bonus.

09 Creamy Tuscan White Bean Soup

All The Healthy Things’ white bean soup is exactly the kind of meal I’d love to pair with crusty bread, even if it wouldn’t normally fly with the rest of my family. Since no one is allowed to complain about your dinner choices today, go ahead and gather that fresh basil and those sun-dried tomatoes to treat yourself to a cozy, soupy meal.

I don’t know what to tell you, but the girls just love corn dogs. Damn Delicious offers a guide to making your own at home that far surpasses anything you’d find in the frozen food aisle. Actually, let someone else make them for you—you deserve to be seated somewhere comfortable.

With all that sauce, flavor, and dip-able goodness, shakshuka is a girl dinner that doesn’t get enough credit. If you haven’t made it before, Feel Good Foodie’s recipe will walk you through it easily. She also features a recipe for green shakshuka if you’re looking for a different twist.

On the rare occasions I’m cooking just for myself, I rely heavily on black bean nachos. Fresh Apron’s recipe is nearly identical to my own. They are the ultimate meal because you don’t have to worry about cooking a protein, and you can customize them with whatever you have on hand. I pile mine high with cheese, avocado, salsa, guacamole, and extra onion. Plus, they’re a one-dish meal—you can just eat them straight off the sheet pan.

This International Women’s Day, you don’t need to go to great lengths to celebrate. Sometimes, simply eating exactly what you want for dinner is satisfying enough.