How to Cook the Ultimate Healthy Thanksgiving Dinner

Planning a healthy Thanksgiving menu doesn’t mean the food has to be bland and boring. In fact, think of Thanksgiving as the perfect excuse to pile your plate high with your favorite nutritious vegetables—Brussels sprouts, green beans, sweet potatoes, and more.

To keep your waistline in check over the holidays, we’ve created a stunning Thanksgiving feast that’s perfect for both large crowds and smaller groups. These easy and healthy recipes are inspired by all of your favorite Thanksgiving dishes—like stuffing, sweet potato casserole, and pumpkin pie—but they’re lighter, more nutritious, and (much) more delicious.  

How to Eat Healthy on Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving tends to evoke the “feast” mentality, and it’s far too easy to overload on your favorite comfort foods like macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes and gravy, and pumpkin pie. While we urge you to avoid holiday food guilt, try to balance your plate as much as possible without depriving yourself. So help yourself to that creamy macaroni and cheese—but don’t forget about the green bean salad.

In fact, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommends filling up your plate with salad and vegetables before heartier dishes to help you consume less calories during the meal. The organization also notes a common Thanksgiving mistake that even the healthiest eaters make: assuming that nutrient-rich foods are fair game for massive portion sizes. Even though a Thanksgiving meal is inevitably going to be higher in fat, calories, and sodium, you can minimize the damage by mixing in some healthier items.

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