Healthy Thanksgiving Recipes For a Lighter Feast
By Nutritional Weight & Wellness Staff
November 17, 2024
It’s such a common feeling it’s become a cliché—you’re lethargic, ready for a nap and can’t think about taking another bite. However, you can enjoy a Thanksgiving dinner that tastes great without compromising how you feel.
To get you started, here’s a roundup of some of our favorite Nutritional Weight & Wellness holiday recipes.
From brining your turkey, to delicious appetizers, savory sides and sweet treats we’ve got you covered!
Healthy Thanksgiving Appetizer Recipes
Crispy Nuts
Food styling these nuts in a fancy jar with a ribbon makes this recipe a great host gift as well as a healthier appetizer. Choose a variety of nuts or keep it to your favorite!
Get the Crispy Nuts Recipe here
Salmon Deviled Eggs
A twist on this classic dish, the salmon adds extra protein and omega-3's to the holiday table. Easy to make ahead so the focus can be on other side dishes on Thanksgiving day.
Get the Salmon Deviled Eggs Recipe here
Wild Rice Meatballs
Perfect for sticking a toothpick in to pop in your mouth in one bite (depending on how big you make them of course!), these meatballs are a Thanksgiving favorite. Consider adding a few dried cranberries to make this recipe feel special for the holiday season.
Get the Wild Rice Meatballs Recipe here
Lil' Dipper & Green Veggie Dip
Nothing makes a platter of raw, fresh veggies more appetizing than a creamy and delicious vegetable dip! And we have two options for you: a classic mayo and sour cream base or a dairy free option with mayo and vinegar.
In either recipe, you can use dried or fresh herbs. Make the dip fancy by surrounding the side dish with a collection of vibrant vegetables: carrots, snap peas, radishes, cucumber, jicama, broccoli, cauliflower, cherry tomatoes.
Get the Lil’ Dipper Recipe here
Grab the Green Veggie Dip Recipe here
Classic Thanksgiving Dish: Turkey Recipe
Here we are! The main event of the holiday meal! How do you get an absolutely amazing turkey on the Thanksgiving table?
It all starts with the brine (helps you get that juicy and moist turkey breast!). Let the turkey refrigerate after brining uncovered to help get a deep golden skin when roasting. Create an herb mixture with rosemary, cracked pepper, and paprika to brush over the turkey with melted butter to create an extra crispy skin.
Get the Brined and Roasted Turkey Recipe here
Healthy Thanksgiving Side Dishes
Mashed Potatoes and Cauliflower
We're taking the classic mashed potatoes side dish and upping the nutrient level! Cauliflower is a neutral tasting veggie that adds bulk, fiber, and nutrients without changing the flavor and lowers the carbohydrate impact.
Use raw, frozen, or riced cauliflower in this recipe and no one will even know it's there! Make with heavy cream (or coconut milk for dairy free) and top with butter for ultimate creaminess and the healthy fat helps curb the blood sugar spike from a typical creamy mashed potatoes dish.
Get the Mashed Potatoes and Cauliflower Recipe here
Healthy Green Bean Casserole
Is Green Bean Casserole a family tradition on your Thanksgiving table? Never fear! We have a recipe that will help you eat healthier at Thanksgiving while still enjoying this family favorite.
Rather than using a canned mushroom soup that may have questionable ingredients, you'll whip up your own sauce using fresh mushrooms, onions, cream, eggs, and bacon. This is a side dish full of flavor and healthy ingredients!
Get the Green Bean Casserole Recipe here
Green Beans with Creamy Garlic
As far as roasted vegetables go, green beans are super easy and this recipe is great and low maintenance if you're wanting to simplify the Thanksgiving recipes.
This recipe calls for boiling the beans while sautéing the onion and garlic to make a creamy, light sauce, but you could also sauté or roast the green beans.
Get the Green Beans with Creamy Garlic Recipe here
Sweet Potato Casserole
When it comes to roasted potatoes, our favorite is sweet potatoes! Whether you make mashed sweet potatoes, baked sweet potatoes, or toss them into a casserole, this brightly colored, concentrated carbohydrate packs a punch with vitamin C, vitamin A, fiber, and antioxidants. And did we mention, it's delicious and naturally sweetened?
This recipe adds in butter and chopped pecans for that natural fat to anchor blood sugar.
Get the Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe here
Sweet Potato Wedges
We always like to provide an easy option for getting more veggies on the table and this sweet potato wedges side dish is an excellent choice.
As far as potato recipes go, this one couldn't be easier! Toss with avocado oil, garlic salt, and dried rosemary. These instructions call for baked sweet potatoes in the oven, but if you're wanting to save oven space for other dishes (or for the turkey!), pop these in your air fryer!
Get the Sweet Potato Wedges Recipe here
Brussels Sprouts Medley
For extra veggies as your side dishes, roasted Brussels sprouts are a delicious option. Roast them on a sheet pan, throw them in an air fryer, or in THIS recipe, sauté them in a skillet with a mix of other fresh veggies, like red, green, and yellow peppers.
Get the Brussels Sprouts Medley Recipe here
Slow Cooker Squash
We love winter squash at Nutritional Weight & Wellness and the promise of sliced delicata squash with a slight drizzle of maple syrup with melted butter makes our mouths water.
If you're juggling where you're prepping all your side dishes along with the whole bird, pull out the slow cooker to make life easier. All you need is to poke some holes through the skin, add a small bit of water, and let it sit for four hours.
Get the Slow Cooker Squash Recipe here
Bonus recipe: have lots of leftover squash? Make a tasty butternut squash soup for leftovers!
Get the Pumpkin & Root Vegetable Soup Recipe here and swap in any root veggie you have on hand (including delicata squash!)
Healthy Thanksgiving Dessert Recipes
Gluten-Free Cranberry Maple Pear Pie
Why not take the traditional Thanksgiving cranberry sauce and turn it into a decadent dessert? This healthy Thanksgiving sweet treat has a pie crust made from a base of gluten-free flour, crushed pecans, and butter. The filling combines pears, cranberries, and maple syrup - no added sugar needed - to complete Thanksgiving dinner.
Get the Gluten-Free Cranberry Maple Pear Pie Recipe here
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
The best Thanksgiving can't happen without a little pumpkin pie spice, right?! Look no further than this recipe which uses the classic flavors of maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, ground cloves, nutmeg, ground ginger all nestled in a cream cheese, pumpkin puree combo.
Get the Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars Recipe here
Pumpkin Custard
For the pumpkin lovers, here's another healthy Thanksgiving go-to. Easily made dairy-free, this recipe can also be made with monk fruit to keep it sweet but to cut down on added sugar and really leans into that autumn-inspired creamy cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice flavor.
Get the Pumpkin Custard Recipe here
Make A Thanksgiving Recipe Healthy
Have a classic dish you want to make a little healthier or don't see a certain genre of healthy Thanksgiving recipes on our list? Have dietary restrictions you're working around with your recipes? Our team at Nutritional Weight & Wellness can help you out!
Send us an email, give us a call, jump in the chat and we'll have our knowledgeable staff give you ideas on ingredients, swap ideas, and ways to make your dishes healthy and delicious.
Happy Thanksgiving from our staff to your crew!
For more information on a healthy holiday, check out these resources:
READ: Thanksgiving Health Tips - 8 healthy tips for a healthy Thanksgiving plus a sample meal plan
LISTEN: Tips To Manage Health During The Holidays - How can you enjoy the social gatherings and the nostalgic traditions while still keeping your energy levels, blood sugars, cholesterol numbers, and your weight in a positive range? We’ll give you some food and lifestyle ideas to help navigate the busy season.
“For a big holiday meal, I always make sure I bring a dish to share that is something I know works for me and that I can fill up on if there’s not a lot of other great choices. More often than not, that is bringing a vegetable or salad dish. My favorite (and is usually a crowd pleaser) is the Cabbage Apple Slaw recipe from the Nutrition 4 Weight Loss cookbook. The Crunchy Broccoli Salad is also a nice choice. I know if I can eat a good hunk of meat and go to town on the veggies, there’s not a whole lot of room left over for the other stuff.”
Positive Holiday Mindset Ideas
So now that you have some options for real, nutrient dense foods for your holiday plan, what are some mindset and habit tips to help you make the most of the holiday?
- Eat a balanced breakfast. Rather than “saving your calories for later”, eat a regular breakfast. This will keep your blood sugar stable, give you positive energy for socializing, and prevent overeating out of hunger later.
- Hydrate. Getting in your usual amount of water throughout the day (we recommend striving for half your body weight in ounces) will keep your cells nourished, especially if you partake in alcohol, and will help you keep track of hunger cues from actual hunger rather than dehydration.
- Build a balanced plate. When it’s time to dish up, fill up most of your plate with the turkey (protein) and at least one vegetable (healthy carbs). Leave smaller amounts of space for the things you just want to have a bite or small taste of.
- Eat slow. This can be a hard one if you’re used to eating quickly! But see if you can set your utensil down in between bites and mindfully savor the tastes and textures of the food, especially if you choose to indulge in something you wouldn’t normally eat. You’ll get more enjoyment from the food as well as be able to feel into when you are full.
- Remember the benefits of eating together. There’s new research out that shows the benefits of having a family meal. We’ve been gathering around mealtimes for centuries! Part of being a healthy human is having social interaction, so remember the meal is more than just the food on the table. It’s also about the communal act of gathering and enjoying each other’s company.
“My way of successfully enjoying the holidays is to moderately indulge the day of celebration, love every minute of it, and get right back to balanced eating the next day. I know full well that eating that pumpkin dessert is going to stir up the sugar monster in me but I also know that if I get right back to balanced eating the desire will dwindle in a couple of days.”
Get Support Through The Holidays
If facing family, food, and the holiday festivities stresses you out, we are here to help! Meeting with a nutritionist or dietitian for a nutritional consultation can help you come up with a plan specific to you for your day to day as well as navigating social gatherings. Need a peptalk on why you are eating healthy in the first place? We have several self-paced online classes for $25 to help motivate and educate you on a variety of health concerns (including a couple cooking classes, like Instant Pot, Slow Cooker, and how to use spices!). Going to be busy and on the go? Pop in your earbuds and take a listen to our podcast Dishing Up Nutrition – we have a line-up of topics to support you through the holidays!
For more information on healthy holidays, check out these resources:
- Read: Healthy Holiday Tips From The Nutritionists & Dietitians
- Read: How To Avoid A Post-Thanksgiving Food Coma
- Listen: Can The Holidays Sabotage Your Weight Loss?
- Try: Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pancakes or Pot Pie Soup (great for leftover turkey!)
Sources:
https://www.hsph.harvard.e
