The Best Healthy Thanksgiving Recipes - Green Oklahoma (2024)

FAQs

What is the healthiest food for 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).

Both chicken and turkey are lean proteins, especially if you avoid dark meat. Turkey breast and chicken breast both have about 26 g of protein in each 3 oz serving, according to USDA data, making them an excellent source of protein. Chicken breast has only slightly more fat, with 3 g to turkey's 2 g per serving.

Unhealthy: Stuffing

“Bacon, sausage, mince meat, giblets, and a variety of similar ingredients find their way into many a stuffing, which takes an already unhealthy dish — often topping 500 calories per serving, depending on the recipe — to an entirely new level of unhealthy,” she said.

America's different regions can favor different local cuisines, and Thanksgiving dinner provides no exception. While turkey is the top selection in every region, side-dish challenger mashed potatoes are tied for first place in the Midwest (both winning 85% of matchups) and West (both winning 79%).

But a few things are guaranteed, no matter where I am or who I'm with: There will be turkey; there will be stuffing; there will be cranberry sauce, gravy, potatoes, and pie.

Mashed Potatoes

And the winner is... mashed potatoes! Rising from second place in 2022, mashed potatoes take the crown for America's favorite Thanksgiving side dish. Creamy, rich, and comforting, they're the perfect accompaniment to turkey and gravy, so it makes sense that mashed potatoes came out on top.

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.

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.

What is the basic Thanksgiving menu? ›

IF you mean a traditional American Thanksgiving dinner: roast turkey, gravy, stuffing, mashed potatoes, string beans, rolls, cranberry sauce; mushroom dish, maybe a salad or 2, maybe wild rice; pumpkin pie and/or apple pie.

Rustveld suggests air frying your turkey as a healthier alternative to deep frying. It takes less time at 400 degrees, and the end product contains less fat since you do not need to add oil. “Deep frying is not as healthy as air frying, roasting or grilling,” he said.

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.