The Best Ham Dinner and Our Favorite Side Dishes!

Mar 28, 2021 | Food, Meal Prep Made Easy

There's nothing better than a homemade ham dinner and a couple of your favorite side dishes to go along with it! Check out our favorite way to cook a ham, plus the best side dishes to pair with it. We also include crowd-pleasing bread and delicious dessert ideas!

Ham dinner and sides on a table, from Fun Cheap or Free

A delicious, homemade ham dinner is one of our favorite ways to sit around the table with our family and enjoy each other's company. Whether you're meal planning for Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, or a normal Sunday dinner, it's always good! However, it can be a struggle to plan such a big meal, as well as overcoming the boredom of the same old side dishes…

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GREAT news: Ham is super versatile, so your ham dinner will never be boring again! We've got a ton of side dish ideas that go well with ham to help you change things up a bit. We're also sharing some amazing ideas for breads, salads, and even yummy desserts! Are you ready to get to it?


THE BEST WAY TO COOK A HAM

Ham dinner on a plate, from Fun Cheap or Free

Cooking a ham is really so simple… You're basically just seasoning it and heating it up since most hams are already pre-cooked.

That said, sometimes things get in the way. Maybe it's the middle of the summer and turning your oven on for that long makes you want to cringe! (Nobody wants to waste money on their electric bill cooling the house AND oven heating it at the same time.)

Or maybe you need the oven space to make all of these tasty side dishes we'll be sharing with you in a few. Whatever the reason, don't worry! You may never want to throw your ham in the oven ever again! Why? Because…

COOKING A HAM IN THE SLOW COOKER IS THE WAY TO GO

Seriously, it is so. stinkin'. easy. to cook a ham in the slow cooker! You basically throw that ham plus brown sugar and water into your slow cooker and let it do its thang. It's really the easiest ham recipe that you'll ever find! Plus, it makes the best leftovers. Yes, please!


OUR FAVORITE HAM DINNER SIDE DISHES

Why get stuck in the same old ham dinner rut? Mix things up and try out different sides! Or, if you've run out of the usual side that you serve with ham, no worries — just swap with something you already have and need to use! Here are some of our favorite side dishes you definitely need to try out.

POTATO SIDE DISHES TO PAIR WITH HAM

Twice baked potatoes on a dish, from Fun Cheap or Free

Potatoes are so cheap, are a great way to feed a crowd, and you likely already have some in your pantry just waiting to be used! Whether they're Idaho, sweet, red, Yukon gold, or anywhere in between, they won't go to waste here. Serve them up in a nice white serving dish if you're feeling extra fancy! Some potato ideas we love with ham:

The list is endless, really! That's why it's always good to keep your pantry stocked with potatoes. Plus, they're cheap, crowd-pleasing staples, regardless of the occasion.


PERFECT VEGETABLE SIDE DISHES FOR HAM

Strawberry spinach salad in a bowl, from Fun Cheap or Free

For more nutrients and variety, you can't go wrong with any of these easy vegetable side dishes. The hardest part will be deciding which ones you want to make first!

Pro Tip: Roast pretty much any vegetable in the oven, and they'll become your new favorite! The key is making sure they don't cook for too long, or else they'll turn from tasty to overdone in a short amount of time. Line your pan with a nonstick silicone mat to keep clean up a BREEZE!


HAM DINNER BREAD OPTIONS

Is it really dinner if you don't have bread?! We didn't think so. It really helps stretch the meal further, especially when you're feeding a crowd. Plus, there's just something about bread that makes a meal feel that much more homemade! Try your hand at making your own, you won't be disappointed.

Who's ready to get to work? Whether you make your bread in a bread machine, make it by hand, or even score some bread dough in the refrigerator case at the store, you'll be proud to serve it to your family.


DELICIOUS HAM DINNER DESSERTS

Chocolate bundt cake from Fun Cheap or Free

Let's be honest, sometimes the dessert is what makes the dinner! It can be something small or something fruity, as long as it's made with love and tastes delicious! 😉 Try these out and see which ones are your family's favorite!

Oh man, is your mouth watering?! Just make sure you have plenty of people to share the love with so you aren't tempted to eat it all by yourself. 😉


So, are you prepared to make a delicious, homemade ham dinner for your family now or what?!

But enough about us: What sides, bread, and dessert are you going to try first? Let us know in the comments!

Image with text that reads "easy and delicious ham dinner + our favorite side dishes" from Fun Cheap or Free

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Looking for more great ideas?

Now go ham it up!

3 Comments

  1. Erin

    Love this. Thanks for sharing and thanks for the constant motivation to be a better me! One of my New Years resolutions was to have family friends over for dinner at least one family a month and it’s already April and I have only done this once…bc my house isn’t the way I want it, blah blah …nothing is perfect. But you’re right it doesn’t matter. The company is really all that matters ….not the extra coffee table in the living room bc I have too many baby swings/exercausers in the family room or the crumbs on my floor. I have to let go of it or time will pass and so will the experiences. ?

    Reply
  2. Kamryn Carlson

    I want to try this now! Yummy!

    Reply
  3. Sam Visser

    This looks yum. Can’t wait to try it.

    Reply

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