30 Healthy Thanksgiving Recipes That Don't Taste Like Cardboard — We Promise (2024)

FAQs

What is the healthiest food to eat on Thanksgiving? ›

Go for small amounts of cooked squash, sweet potato, white potato, beans and carrots. Try to use whole-grain breads and cereals whenever possible; they are rich in fiber and the B vitamins that are not so abundant in simple carbohydrates (white and refined grains, cereals, flours and starches).

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.

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.

A lot of blood and energy is being directed to your digestive system to break down the big meal you just ate, which makes you feel sleepy. So remember to give yourself a break this Thanksgiving and have enough to get your Thanksgiving fix, but not enough to put you over the edge!

A Thanksgiving meal is not complete until the turkey is on the table. Turkeys are large, so we get it, but they don't have to be intimidating. The one thing you can do to ensure a bird that stays juicy and doesn't dry out in the oven: Brine it! Get the Dry Brine Turkey recipe.

Show-Stopping Main Dishes

Obviously, the classic choice here is a roasted turkey, but you don't have to feel limited by that. You could do a whole turkey breast for a smaller crowd, or go off the beaten path with long-braised turkey legs and thighs. Southern Thanksgiving often involves a ham, which is always delicious.

"May all the good things of life be yours, not only on this day but throughout the coming year." "Wishing you a harvest of blessings, good health and good times." "May you enjoy a bountiful Thanksgiving, a joyous holiday season and healthful, Happy New Year."

Mashed potatoes are the front-runner to be on the most plates this Thanksgiving. Turkey no longer reigns supreme. Findings showed that over half of the United States would be content to only have sides on their holiday plates and 67% of Americans prefer side dishes to the main entrée!

The classic Thanksgiving dinner includes old-time favorites that never change: turkey, gravy, stuffing, potatoes, veggies, and pie. But the way these dishes are made or added to is everchanging because of food trends and different dietary requirements.

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.

What do vegans eat on Thanksgiving instead of turkey? ›

by Gardein

Other protein-filled vegan options that could replace turkey in your vegan Thanksgiving table are tempeh, tofu and seitan.

Show-Stopping Main Dishes

Obviously, the classic choice here is a roasted turkey, but you don't have to feel limited by that. You could do a whole turkey breast for a smaller crowd, or go off the beaten path with long-braised turkey legs and thighs. Southern Thanksgiving often involves a ham, which is always delicious.

The traditional turkey-day feast, replete with fatty, high-cholesterol foods like drumsticks, mashed potatoes, gravy and stuffing, is generally anything but heart-healthy. Try a healthy roasted turkey and gravy recipe for your Thanksgiving meal.

“Turkey is a great source of protein, rich in many vitamins and minerals, and is low-fat — if you don't eat the skin,” Catherine M. Champagne, professor of nutritional epidemiology and dietary assessment and nutrition counseling at Louisiana State University, told the American Heart Association.