12 Heart-Healthy Thanksgiving Recipes That Every Guest Will Love (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).

Boiled shrimp with lemon or co*cktail sauce is a healthier pick than fried hors d'oeuvres. Try having a pot of a roasted vegetable soup, such as carrot or butternut squash, on offer for guests to enjoy. Other healthful starters include stuffed mushrooms, raw veggies with hummus, and seasonal fruit.

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.

Mashed Potatoes

And for many members of our team, they're the best Thanksgiving side period. Mashed potatoes are fluffy, creamy, and serve as the ideal vessel to store your ample gravy reserve.

What should I eat on Thanksgiving to lose weight? ›

Help yourself to high-fiber foods like fruits and veggies, whole grains and bean dishes. Just don't fall for dishes drenched in butter or creamy sauces, which can be loaded with calories and fat. For many, it just wouldn't be Thanksgiving without the taste of turkey.

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.