How to Plan a Healthy Thanksgiving Menu

The holidays are a time to honor traditions, bring out our best foods, and party in style. Still, it can’t be disputed that the typical Thanksgiving dinner is difficult for individuals with dietary constraints, and leaves most of us feeling as bloated as the turkey!

Years ago, I made the decision to make our Thanksgiving food healthy. I can now confidently state that it is feasible to host a tasty and nutritious.

Menu Plan + Our Favorite (Healthy) Thanksgiving Recipes

I can confidently declare that none of us miss the conventional versions of traditional Thanksgiving meals and, in fact, enjoy the flavor and quality of these simple yet handcrafted dishes.

The holidays are a time to honor traditions, bring out our best foods, and party in style. Still, it can’t be disputed that the typical Thanksgiving dinner is difficult for individuals with dietary constraints, and leaves most of us feeling as bloated as the turkey!

Years ago, I made the decision to make our Thanksgiving food healthy. I can now confidently state that it is feasible to host a tasty and nutritious Thanksgiving feast.

I can confidently declare that none of us misses the conventional versions of traditional Thanksgiving meals and, in fact, enjoy the flavor and quality of these simple yet handcrafted dishes.

Eggs deviled (Traditional or Japanese)

Miniature Japanese deviled eggs. Although I have avoided eggs in recent years because of dietary intolerance, my children and spouse would never let me forget them! Every year, we have them.

To be fair (since I don’t eat them), this is one Thanksgiving dish that the kids have mastered, owing to the skills they learned from my favorite online cooking class for kids.

If you’re sick of regular deviled eggs (not that there’s anything wrong with them! ), try this incredible Japanese take on the classic.

Charcuterie Board

This is my go-to holiday or party appetizer. It requires very little chopping or preparation, and you can fill it up with colorful vegetables and fruits without anybody thinking it’s truly nutritious! Serve with homemade aioli or dip for healthy fats to amp up the nutrients.

Here’s how to make a lovely charcuterie board. There are no creative talents necessary.

Tip: To improve the flavor of some plain bulk nuts, roast them for a few minutes in a skillet with a drizzle of maple syrup and a sprinkling of sea salt.

How to Put It All Together (Step by Step)

Do the words “menu plan” send chills down your spine?

Here’s how to get a healthy Thanksgiving menu on the table in 5 manageable steps:

Step 1: Create a Thanksgiving menu plan (or use mine!)

I pick what I’m going to prepare around two weeks before Thanksgiving by pulling up my holiday recipes in Real Plans (the program that makes all my menu wishes come true). I also go through my pantry to ensure that I have all of my necessities that aren’t accessible locally so that I have time to buy from my favorite online suppliers. I also create thanksgiving menu list to post online and on my social media platforms. If you also want to create an amazing menu then use the menu creator app to create stunning menus on your phone only.

Step 2: Go Shopping, Prepare and Chop

I go shopping with my list around 5 days before Thanksgiving. Surprisingly, shopping is really simple (and inexpensive) when you can spend the majority of your time in the vegetable department of the supermarket. The majority of the goods on the list (brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and so on) store well for many days.

We’re going to spend the day at home after shopping, and I’m going to put my kids’ knife skills to use by peeling and chopping the fresh vegetables. I also prepare any vegetables that will be mixed into a soup or casserole ahead of time. (The Instant Pot comes in helpful here!)

Step 3: Brine That Turkey

I’m not trying to be aggressive, but please don’t miss this step! Brining is my favorite method for consistently producing juicy, delicious turkey. Of course, grocery retailers make their own brining using too salty solutions containing suspicious substances (that you end up paying for since it adds to the weight).

Some places are better than others for locating a local organic turkey, but it’s worth the extra effort and price if you can get your hands on one. For incredible flavor and texture, a pastured turkey brined at home simply cannot be better.

Step 4: Make a Dessert

In our family, pumpkin and pecan pies are a Thanksgiving must. Thankfully, we’ve perfected grain-free versions of all of our favorite sweets (and I’ve added a couple of extras for good measure).

I normally set aside some time in the kitchen about two days before Thanksgiving to make one or more of them from beginning to end so they are ready for the big day. As my children grow older, one or more of them will be able to take responsibility for this anything for dessert!

Bake a batch or two of coconut flour biscuits for grain-free rolls. We use these for making sandwiches the day after Thanksgiving with leftover turkey and cranberry sauce!

Step 5: Put Everything Together

We prepare casseroles, soups, stuffings, and anything else that can be kept overnight the day before Thanksgiving. I just reserve the turkey and asparagus for the big day, and then reheat the rest of the food in batches in the oven.

At the end of the day, just the cutting board, blender, and a few dishes need to be washed.

Have fun, and Happy Thanksgiving!