12Nov, 20

Thanksgiving Food Ideas

Thanksgiving Food Ideas 🦃🌱🙌😋

There’s no question that this year has been one for the history books. On global, national, and personal levels, it’s been challenging. BUT that doesn’t mean there’s nothing to be thankful for. Different can be good sometimes, and you shouldn’t write off this holiday season because of the months leading up to it.

With Thanksgiving on the horizon, I’ve been thinking a lot about everything there is to be thankful for. I’m grateful that I’m alive and healthy and surrounded by people I love. I’m THANKFUL for this WONDERFUL Clean Food Crush community, our fantastic team, and all you INCREDIBLE Crushers. And I’m grateful for every opportunity that has allowed me to learn, grow, meet new people, spend time at home with my family, and overcome challenges.

If you’re stressed about upcoming gatherings, holidays, and meals, try to Give Yourself Grace.

It’s okay if you take extra time to cook a meal or if you need some alone time to recharge after a get-together with family, friends, or coworkers. And give yourself permission for a bit of comfort food. I’ll enjoy a few indulgences throughout the holiday season with zero guilt! However, I’ll still cook and eat a lot of nutritious foods and keep up healthier eating habits most of the time. It’s crucial to stay on track while still allowing a few treats.

So, if you have the chance this holiday season, spend lots of quality time with the people you love, sharing what you’re thankful for and enjoying delicious, REAL food.

Here are 25 of My FAVORITE Healthy and Tasty Thanksgiving Recipes.

I encourage you to peruse it, save the recipes you’re most excited about, and try some experimenting in the kitchen. You deserve some happiness and delicious food. Especially after the year you’ve had. ❤️ 🥂

Chili Lime Sweet Potato Gratin

This dish is an impressive side PERFECT for a Thanksgiving meal. You can make it early to save some time or the day of. The tender sweet potatoes, touch of parmesan, and sweet chili lime sauce come together surprisingly well to create a vibrant, tangy, cheesy, and gorgeous side dish perfect for these winter months.

Coconut Creamed Mushrooms + Spinach for a Delicious Side Dish!

If you’re looking for something unique, tasty, and healthy, then you HAVE to try this recipe! With the comforting coconut cream Clean Food Crush signature touch, this side dish is both healthy and full of great flavors. PLUS, did you know mushrooms are FULL of necessary nutrients and vitamins? They have cancer-fighting properties, are immunity-boosters, can help lower cholesterol, and can help relieve inflammation.

This Twice Baked Butternut Squash is a Winner!

Creamy, gooey, and appetizing, this is an indulgence you won’t want to pass up! ESPECIALLY if you have a squash waiting in your pantry, but you don’t know what to do with it. With the slight tang from the yogurt and cheesy delight, this dish is incredibly pleasing and a great holiday meal choice.

Crowd-Pleasing Coconut Creamed Corn for a Creative Side!

This side dish is quick and easy to make and a GREAT idea for the upcoming Thanksgiving and Christmas gatherings. It’s a dairy-free version of the creamed corn classic that fulfills all of our holiday table buffet requirements. Rich and comforting, using all of the very best ingredients, the coconut creamed corn is kind of like a warm hug, which is precisely what we need right now!

Green Bean and Bacon Bundles

This one is a fun idea and great for pre-dinner finger foods! Green beans are a beloved Thanksgiving vegetable, and this is a great new way to enjoy them. But if you or your family doesn’t like green beans, you could also try this recipe with asparagus. Also, keep in mind that you can still live a healthy lifestyle without being ULTRA rigid. We believe there is a place for everything in moderation, so this may be the place where you enjoy bacon! Look for high-quality bacon options that are nitrate-free and humanely raised, if possible.

Easy Roasted Carrots for a Healthy Side Dish Idea!

Want to make some roasted carrots but are worried about the taste and health aspect? Well, this is a PERFECT, simple recipe for all the upcoming family meals! A bit savory, a bit sweet, you’re definitely in for a treat with this! The key to beautifully roasted carrots is to choose carrots similar in size so they all cook at the same rate.

CFC’s Festive Homemade Cranberry Sauce!

Everyone needs an impeccable cranberry sauce recipe for Thanksgiving. This one is undeniably my favorite, and I hope you’ll love it too! Because it’s so simple to make, you could even have the kids help you out! There’s nothing quite like quality time in the kitchen preparing for Holiday meals. (Except maybe enjoying the finished product!)

Healthier Cauliflower Gratin for a Delicious Side Dish!

You will NOT regret adding this Cauliflower Gratin to your Thanksgiving menu. It’s great for people like me who adore cauliflower but can also be enjoyed by some of our more hesitant friends. Although it’s very decadent and super creamy, we have made a few slightly healthier swaps from our Grandmother’s Gratins of holidays past so you can enjoy it without guilt!

Garlic Herb Mushrooms Make a Healthy, Flavor Rich Side Dish!

Filled with vitamins and health benefits, like the ability to help reduce inflammation and lower cholesterol, mushrooms are a GREAT ingredient to use when cooking this holiday season. If you don’t know what to do with your mushrooms, try this dish, which is VERY simple, delicious, and fancy. Honestly, it’s an all-around great recipe to add to your Thanksgiving dinner.

Garlic + Herb Turkey Cutlets

Do you want to impress your family this year (but also don’t want to spend hours by the stove)? These Garlic Herb Turkey Cutlets are going to be a GREAT way to do that. They’re a unique blend of simple and fancy, and the fresh herbs have them bright and BURSTING with flavor. You can take it easy in the kitchen while still astounding all your dinner guests!

Ezekiel Bread Stuffing for a Clean Thanksgiving Side!

Seriously, this one is going to BLOW YOUR MIND. Healthy, delicious, and nutritious, this is my FAVORITE stuffing recipe. I hope you love it too!

Garlicy-Parm Mashed Cauliflower for Clean Eating Comfort Food!

Raise your hand if you’re a mashed cauliflower fan! Raise the other hand if you don’t know what to make for a “potato” side this Thanksgiving season! Maybe this is your answer – the garlic and ghee mixed with mashed cauli create an excellent creamy comfort food that you’ll LOVE. Also, fun bonus, cauliflower is anti-inflammatory and antioxidant-rich and may boost both our heart and brain health!

Garlic Sage Brussels Sprouts for a Crowd-Pleasing Side Dish!

Whether it’s a quick weeknight dinner, or a holiday celebration involving lots of entertaining and hungry guests, these Brussels get all the heart eyes. Having a GREAT recipe beats those stinky old Brussels many associates with this vegetable. This includes perfect seasoning and a nice crispy finish, making it a GREAT side for your holiday dinner.

Garlic + Herb Creamy Green Beans

Green beans are a SUPER popular vegetable to enjoy during Thanksgiving, but I’ve seen many people grow tired of the same old recipes. If we’re not careful, green beans – which have SO MUCH POTENTIAL – can end up abandoned in the back of our fridge. Hopefully, this recipe will shake things up just enough and have you excited for the side dish all over again!

Homemade Low-Sugar Cranberry Sauce for the Perfect Holiday Dinner!

Quick and easy, this recipe will save you so much time and earn praise for our cooking skills! It’ll only take you a few minutes to make this low-sugar cranberry sauce, and before you know it, you’ll have a sweet and tangy sauce perfect to compliment all the savory foods lining the dinner table!

Delight Your Taste Buds with this Roasted Cauli N’ Cheese (Low Carb!)

Add this one to your holiday menu for a satisfyingly decadent and guilt-free low carb option! And yes, you read that right! We are using that insanely versatile cruciferous vegetable, the cauliflower, again. And the result is totally worth it! A creamy and delicious comfort food that’s a MUCH healthier option than traditional Mac & cheese.

These Roasted Brussels Sprouts are Clean Eating PERFECTION!

Some may turn their noses up at brussels sprouts (and it’s okay if they’re not your thing), but this recipe shines the much-deserved spotlight on them! Brussels sprouts are high in fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, making them a nutritious addition to your diet. They may also come with added health benefits, including the potential to reduce the risk of cancer, decrease inflammation, and improve blood sugar control. So, it’s never a bad idea to try a new brussels sprouts recipe!

These Healthy Roasted Garlic Mashed Sweet Potatoes are Delicious!

A Holiday CLASSIC that is equally delicious and SIMPLE year-round for meal prep, these sweet potatoes and garlic will be a quick staple in your household. They’ll also make your house smell SO good after roasting in the oven. The flavors in this dish are complex and indulgent enough to serve guests the next time you’re entertaining, but you’re going to want to add this recipe to your regular dinner rotation too.

Parmesan Roasted Green Beans for a Super Yummy Side Dish! (Clean Eating Approved)

Here’s another great green bean recipe for you to try this holiday season! If you have some cravings you need to satisfy (like maybe for cheese??) but want to stay on your health-track, there ARE ways to do that. Like this fantastic side dish!

Quick and Easy Massaged Kale Salad for Clean Eating!

Try this salad for an excellent healthy dinner side option! It may sound odd at first, but I promise, massaging the kale really does make a difference. And I bet you’ll be shocked how much you love the final product.

Cranberry Crumble Bars Make the Perfect Wintertime Breakfast or Snack Idea!

I don’t know if you’re like me or not, but I LOVE having Thanksgiving-themed food for snacks and meals outside of the big dinner. In October, I was all about the pumpkins, but now I see cranberries everywhere I look! These crumble bars are DELICIOUS and a GREAT idea for snacks or a quick breakfast. You can make them ahead of time and enjoy them for a full week after!

Honey Dijon Roasted Green Beans

Alright, this is my LAST green bean recipe, I promise! But last doesn’t mean least, as we all know. This might end up being your FAVORITE way to make green beans this holiday season. Whether you’re looking for a weeknight side dish, a Thanksgiving idea, or even weekly Food Prep – give these lil’ greenies a fair shot!

Eat Clean: Rosemary Roasted Root Vegetables!

This recipe is SO simple and easy to make that I often forget the actual recipe! We use it often at our house because it works great for dinner and/or meal prep. While this combination of root veggies and rosemary is complementary and FABULOUS together, feel free to use up whatever you have in your kitchen, as I often do.

Chocolate Pumpkin Balls

DON’T THROW OUT THE PUMPKIN JUST YET! You HAVE to try these indulgent truffles.

Pumpkin is super filling and satisfying, thanks to its high fiber content, but pumpkin is also low-calorie. So, it’ll fill you up, with high nutrients = energy fuel! Pumpkin also contains beta carotene, which converts to a BIG dose of vitamin A when we eat it (and causes that bright orange color). Vitamin A keeps our eyes healthy and boosts our bodies’ immunity to sickness and disease.

Leftover Turkey Mason Jar Salads – Great for Meal Prep!

This last recipe is great for ANY time but is PERFECT for right after Thanksgiving! Go ahead and save the recipe now so you can look forward to enjoying it after the holidays. I often freeze extra turkey when on sale during the holidays to use throughout the winter months. Turkey is a SUPER simple, delicious, healthy, and economical source of high-quality protein.

WOW! I know that was a lot, but there are SO MANY GREAT recipes, foods, and meals to enjoy this time of year!

I know it can be stressful, and we often feel overwhelmed or defeated before we’ve even begun, but it IS possible to stay on track in our health journeys during the holidays. And you can enjoy an occasional indulgence without losing all this incredible progress you’ve made! PLUS, you don’t have to deny yourself delicious foods. Every recipe on this list is impressive, tasty, and clean eating approved!

I hope you find something you love on this list, and even more so, I hope you have an INCREDIBLE holiday season. Stay safe, enjoy your meals and time with loved ones, and keep crushing it!