Healthier Thanksgiving Recipes for a Guilt-Free Feast (2024)

Healthier Thanksgiving Recipes for a Guilt-Free Feast (1)

Between the pies, casseroles, and pumpkin beer, Thanksgiving pretty much equals an automatic food coma. Unless, of course, you've filled your festive table with the following better-for-you dishes.

From autumn-inspired salads to cleaned-up desserts, these 26 recipes will completely transform your Thanksgiving—and keep you from feeling like a sloth all day on Black Friday.

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1

Brussels Sprouts Salad with Bacon and Apple Vinaigrette

Healthier Thanksgiving Recipes for a Guilt-Free Feast (2)

This shredded fall salad is savory and a bit sweet, making it the perfect side salad to go with Thanksgiving meat and potatoes.

Ditch the bacon and it's vegetarian-friendly, too.

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Per serving: 292 calories, 24 g fat (4 g sat), 16 g carbs, 9 g sugar, 148 mg sodium, 3 g fiber, 5 g protein

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2

Crab-Stuffed Mushrooms

Healthier Thanksgiving Recipes for a Guilt-Free Feast (3)

These creamy crab-stuffed mushrooms are the ideal Thanksgiving finger food, providing fats and protein that'll keep you satisfied until dinner.

Plus, they’re super low-carb!

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Per serving: 196 calories, 14 g fat (4 g sat), 4 g carbs, 1 g sugar, 415 mg sodium, 2 g fiber, 14 g protein

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3

Low-Carb Crispy Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Healthier Thanksgiving Recipes for a Guilt-Free Feast (4)

Brussels sprouts are a super-easy side to pair with turkey, chicken, or ham— and these crispy sprouts pack loads of crunchy goodness.

Add whatever spices you like for extra kick!

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Per serving: 155 calories, 10.6 g fat (1.5 g sat), 13.6 g carbs, 328 mg sodium, 3.3 g sugar, 5.8 g fiber, 5.1 g protein

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4

Three-Ingredient Biscuits

Healthier Thanksgiving Recipes for a Guilt-Free Feast (5)

Skip the long list of ingredients in many store-bought mixes and make these easy biscuits instead. Made with just three ingredients, they still pack loads of buttery flavor.

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Per serving: 185 calories, 9 g fat (5.4 g sat fat), 22.1 g carbs, 364.6 mg sodium, 1.6 g sugar, 0.8 g fiber, 3.8 g protein

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5

Curry Roasted Cauliflower Sweet Potato Salad

Complete with a creamy curry sauce, this veggie-loaded side dish is packed with fiber and antioxidants.

What’s more, it’s Whole30-approved and vegan.

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Per serving: 213 calories, 10.2 g fat (1.4 g sat), 26.4 g carbs, 10.4 g sugar, 6.3 g fiber, 5.9 g protein

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6

Low-Carb Pumpkin Soup with Bacon

Healthier Thanksgiving Recipes for a Guilt-Free Feast (7)

This lower-carb, dairy-free soup satisfies your hunger 'til the main courses come out without bogging you down too much.

Top it with your favorite herbs for extra oomph.

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Per serving: 95 calories, 4 g fat (1 g sat), 7 g carbs, 3 g sugar, 282 mg sodium, 2 g fiber, 5 g protein

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7

Classic Ham Steak with Red-Eye Gravy

Healthier Thanksgiving Recipes for a Guilt-Free Feast (8)

Sick of turkey? This ham steak with coffee-infused gravy is a unique crowd-pleaser.

The best part: It's done in 15 minutes.

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Per serving: 417 calories, 32 g fat, 0.3 g carbs, 0.2 g sugar, 1730 mg sodium, 31 g protein

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8

Paleo Delicata Squash Bake

Healthier Thanksgiving Recipes for a Guilt-Free Feast (9)

Squash, cranberries, pecans—this colorful side dish screams holiday season! It's packed with antioxidants, fiber, and protein that fill you up (and really pops on the table).

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Per serving: 239 calories, 13 g fat (8 g sat), 28 g carbs, 7 g sugar, 100 mg sodium, 5 g fiber, 7 g protein

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9

Vegan Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake Bars

Healthier Thanksgiving Recipes for a Guilt-Free Feast (10)

These vegan pumpkin pie cheesecake bars taste just like the real deal. Made with pumpkin, cashews, pecans, cinnamon, and coconut, they pack healthy fats you'll feel good about enjoying.

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Per serving: 435 calories, 34.2 g fat (17.1 g sat), 28.2 g carbs, 13 g sugar, 12 mg sodium, 4.9 g fiber, 7.3 g protein

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10

Cinnamon Pecan Sweet Potato Casserole

Healthier Thanksgiving Recipes for a Guilt-Free Feast (11)

This sweet and nutty casserole uses coconut oil and coconut sugar to create a still-sweet but lower-sugar version of the classic Thanksgiving side.

Oh yeah, it also comes together in just 30 minutes.

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Per serving: 282 calories, 8.4 g fat (5.5 g sat), 49.4 g carbs, 12.8 g sugar, 49 mg sodium, 5.8 g fiber, 3.1 g protein

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11

Butternut Squash and Beet Harvest Salad

Healthier Thanksgiving Recipes for a Guilt-Free Feast (12)

This tasty, vegetarian-friendly fall salad gets lots of color and nutrition from beets, squash, seeds, and cheese. It's a great way to sneak some greens into your feast.

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Per serving: 223 calories, 13.9 g fat (9.1 g sat), 20.7 g carbs, 7.3 g sugar, 312 mg sodium, 4.3 g fiber, 7.1 g protein

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12

Low-Carb Loaded 'Potato' Casserole

Healthier Thanksgiving Recipes for a Guilt-Free Feast (13)

Made with cauliflower instead of potatoes, this casserole delivers on flavor while keeping carbs low. Plus, it's topped with bacon, so enough said.

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Per serving: 334 calories, 28 g fat (14.6 g sat), 11.3 g carbs, 597 mg sodium, 5.3 g sugar, 3 g fiber, 11.5 g protein

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13

Roasted Pumpkin and Halloumi Salad

Healthier Thanksgiving Recipes for a Guilt-Free Feast (14)

Salty Halloumi cheese pairs beautifully with fall flavors like pumpkin and almonds in this meatless salad. Chock-full of color and nutrition, it's another feel-good side dish.

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Per serving: 537.6 calories, 43.9 g fat, 17.8 g carbs, 6.7 g fiber, 19.4 g protein

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14

Mashed Potato Cones

Healthier Thanksgiving Recipes for a Guilt-Free Feast (15)

Honestly, these mashed potato cones are just plain fun. They're also a great way to enjoy biscuits and mashed potatoes without going totally overboard on portions.

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Per serving: 399 calories, 23.1 g fat (7.5 g sat fat), 42.3 g carbs, 386.5 mg sodium, 2 g sugar, 3.5 g fiber, 5.9 g protein

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15

Mushroom and Sage Rolled Turkey Breasts

Healthier Thanksgiving Recipes for a Guilt-Free Feast (16)

Feeling fancy? Make this stuffed turkey for Thanksgiving this year. That mushroom and sage filling is absolutely to-die-for.

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Per serving: 311 calories, 11.39 g fat (5.66 g sat fat), 1.9 g carbs, 1130 mg sodium, 0 g sugar, 0.7 g fiber, 45.3 g protein

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16

Crispy Oven-Fried Green Beans

Healthier Thanksgiving Recipes for a Guilt-Free Feast (17)

Introducing green beans your Thanksgiving guests will actually want to eat. These 'fried' beans offer a satisfying crunchy, crispy texture without tons of breading or frying oils.

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Per serving: 145 calories, 11.6 g fat (7 g sat), 7.6 g carbs, 465 mg sodium, 3 g fiber, 5.2 g protein

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17

Paleo Stuffing

Healthier Thanksgiving Recipes for a Guilt-Free Feast (18)

Because a Thanksgiving without stuffing just ain't right...swap that usual box recipe with this paleo stuffing. It provides a balance of fat, carbs, and protein, so you feel satisfied but not, well, stuffed.

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Per serving: 269 calories, 19 g fat (3 g sat), 18 g carbs, 8 g sugar, 19 3mg sodium, 5 g fiber, 9 g protein

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18

Paleo Vegan Pumpkin Pie Bars

Healthier Thanksgiving Recipes for a Guilt-Free Feast (19)

Made with maple syrup, these paleo and vegan-friendly pumpkin pie bars feature an ooey-gooey caramel topping and sweet, crunchy pecans.

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Per serving: 328 calories, 15 g fat, 45 g carbs, 28 g sugar, 191 mg sodium, 5 g fiber, 2 g protein

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19

Paleo and Vegan Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream

Healthier Thanksgiving Recipes for a Guilt-Free Feast (20)

Ice cream is officially a Thanksgiving staple with this paleo and vegan pumpkin pie blend. It's great atop a slice of pie, or you know, just in a bowl.

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Per serving: 150 calories, 13 g fat (7 g sat), 7 g carbs, 4 g sugar, 6 mg sodium, 1 g fiber, 1 g protein

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20

Healthy Maple-Glazed Pumpkin Bread

Healthier Thanksgiving Recipes for a Guilt-Free Feast (21)

With a sweet maple glaze and soft center, this clean pumpkin bread is plenty flavorful, complete with spices like ginger and nutmeg, and a little vanilla.

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Per serving: 202 calories, 7.2 g fat (4 g sat), 31.7 g carbs, 16.4 g sugar, 3.4 g fiber, 3.1 g protein

Healthier Thanksgiving Recipes for a Guilt-Free Feast (2024)

FAQs

What is the healthiest food to eat on Thanksgiving? ›

White turkey meat, plain vegetables, roasted sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, thin gravy, and pumpkin pie tend to be the best bets because they are lower in fat and calories. However, if you keep your portions small, you can enjoy whatever you like.

How do you make a healthy Thanksgiving plate? ›

How to Build a Balanced Thanksgiving Plate:
  1. Downsize your dinner plate. ...
  2. Fill half of your plate with greens and veggies. ...
  3. Load a quarter of your plate with turkey. ...
  4. Top off the last quarter of your plate with your favorite starches, like roasted yams, mashed potatoes or that too-good-to-resist stuffing.
Nov 14, 2022

What can I serve on Thanksgiving instead of turkey? ›

Cornish game hen, goose, duck, ham, beef, salmon, and mushroom recipes make worthy centerpieces for holiday meals. This is collaborative content from Food & Wine's team of experts, including staff, recipe developers, chefs, and contributors.

What is the unhealthiest food for Thanksgiving? ›

Worst: Sausage Stuffing

It's often made with fatty processed meat, butter or margarine, and refined bread or rice. It's a high-calorie food that packs a load of fat, carbs, and nitrates, which are cancer-causing. If you add dried cranberries, there's a good chance they're sweetened and add sugar to your stuffing.

What is the number 1 rated side dish for Thanksgiving? ›

1. Holiday Stuffing. This easy recipe for Holiday Stuffing is our number one must-have Thanksgiving side dish!

How can I enjoy Thanksgiving without gaining weight? ›

Enjoy the holiday feast without the guilt – or the weight gain.
  1. Workout when you can. ...
  2. Eat breakfast. ...
  3. Bring a healthy dish to pass (and eat). ...
  4. Pick and choose your indulgences. ...
  5. Slow it down. ...
  6. Go easy on the adult beverages. ...
  7. Get active. ...
  8. Shift your focus.
Oct 29, 2018

Are paper plates OK for Thanksgiving dinner? ›

While we're all for mix-and-match place settings and flatware, you will want to avoid using paper plates or plastic utensils at your gathering. We understand the convenience of these items, as it lessens clean-up and headaches. However, paper plates and plastic utensils cannot be recycled and are wasteful overall.

What is healthier than turkey for Thanksgiving? ›

Try it out on Thanksgiving by substituting tofu for your turkey. Tofu can be cooked in a variety of flavorful ways and comes with a ton of nutritional benefits including a lot of calcium, iron, magnesium, vitamin B, and protein.

How do you make Thanksgiving special without family? ›

What to Do on Thanksgiving Without Family
  1. Book a night at a local hotel. Anything you can do out of the ordinary will make the holiday feel special and not blah. ...
  2. Stay in your PJs all day. 0 Guilt. ...
  3. Don't make any plans. ...
  4. Play charades over Zoom. ...
  5. Help a neighbor. ...
  6. Spend the day writing letters. ...
  7. Friendsgiving, duh.
Nov 20, 2020

What is a healthier alternative to turkey? ›

While people may joke about Tofurky, many vegans and vegetarians vouch for it. “Tofurky is a soy-based turkey substitute that can be a healthy alternative on your holiday table,” says Palumbo. Some say it has a mouthfeel similar to meat, and the tofu it is made of packs a protein punch almost as big as turkey's.

Why should people eat chicken instead of turkey on Thanksgiving? ›

It's Smaller

Chickens are much smaller than turkeys, which make them a great alternative for smaller families or gatherings. Unless, of course, you want to eat leftover turkey for weeks. Because chickens are smaller, cooking them is also so much easier to manage.

What Thanksgiving food is low in calories? ›

Foods like white turkey meat, roasted veggies, salad, sweet potato casseroles, thin gravy, and pumpkin pie are usually the healthiest options on the table, however, eating anything in moderation is always the healthiest thing you can do.

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