9 Recipes for a Low-Calorie Thanksgiving Feast (2024)

By: Chef Meg, World Master Chef and Healthy Cooking Expert, 11/10/2009

Thanksgiving is a time for family, gratitude, and, of course, food. The typical holiday meal can have more than 4,500 calories and 229 grams of fat, according to the Caloric Control Council. That's almost three days worth of food for most of us! Butter, cream and white bread seem to be lurking in almost every dish, and the meal never seems to end.

For those of us who are trying lead healthier lifestyles, moderation and healthy eating are just as important on Thanksgiving. Fortunately, it is possible to eat right and still enjoy yourself on Turkey Day!

To help, I created brand new SparkRecipes for a three-course Thanksgiving meal that clock in around 500 calories! (Dessert, not included in that number, will add 150 calories or fewer, if you have room for it.)

Use the chart below to compare my Thanksgiving feast with a traditional meal. The more recipes you use from this list, the more calories you'll save--without sacrificing taste or tradition!

SparkRecipes Feast	Calories	Fat	Traditional Meal	Calories	Fat
Herb Roasted Turkey, 3 oz light meat	140	3 g	Turkey, 3 oz light meat	140	3 g
Apple Cider Gravy, 2 T	20	0 g	Gravy, 2 T	50	2 g
Vegetable and Fruit Stuffing, 1/2 c	78	1 g	Stuffing, 1/2 c	180	9 g
Roasted Root Vegetables, 1/2 c	82	2 g	Mashed potatoes, 1/2 c	220	8 g
Cranberry Relish, 2 T	42	0 g	Cranberry jelly, 2 T	55	0 g
Steamed green beans (or another green vegetable), 1/2 c	15	0 g	Green bean casserole, 1/2 c	120	8 g
Roasted Squash Soup, 1 c	128	3 g	Cream-based soup, 1 c	250	18 g
Total:	505	9 g	Total:	1,015	48 g

This SparkPeople meal has 510 fewer calories and 39 fewer grams of fat than a traditional feast! You'll find all the recipes to make it below! These recipes include a veggie-rich soup to start your meal off right, the juiciest turkey you'll ever taste, several sides, two desserts, plus a cranberry relish that will leave the store-bought jelly quivering in its can.

BONUS! Click here to download and print a colorful recipe book that includes all of these recipes! (You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to download this pdf document.)

	Chef Meg's Roasted Squash Soup Studies have shown that starting a meal with a broth-based soup can fill you up, so you eat fewer calories over the course of a meal. This soup gets a boost of flavor from cilantro pesto, but there's very little fat in this version. TIP: Roast the squash ahead of time and freeze it. Your oven will be full on Thanksgiving, and this will save you some valuable time.
	Chef Meg's Herb Roasted Turkey When the fat from the turkey melts during cooking, it falls to the bottom of the roasting pan. When that happens, the bottom quarter of the bird does not roast--it braises in its own juices. To prevent this from happening, try using a V-rack in your roasting pan for perfect results!
	Chef Meg's Apple Cider Gravy Traditional gravy gets a bad rap, but this tasty sauce can be made with almost no fat. The trick is to skim the fat from your pan juices (either put it in the fridge or use cheesecloth to soak up the fat). Depending on their size, turkeys will yield varying amounts of juices. From a 12-pound roasted turkey, you can expect about 1/2 cup defatted jus (juice).
	Chef Meg's Cranberry Relish Toss the canned cranberry jelly and use this homemade version instead. It's ready in no time, has less sugar than the store-bought stuff, and is full of healthy fruit! While you might question why this recipe needs the amount of sugar it contains, you'll understand as soon as you taste fresh cranberries--they're tart!
	Chef Meg's Vegetable and Fruit Stuffing Whole-wheat bread gives this side staying power. The fruits and vegetables bulk up the dish, so a little goes a long way. A bit of turkey bacon adds another layer of flavor without adding many calories.
	Chef Meg's Roasted Root Vegetables This recipe sings of the fall and early winter harvest. Take advantage of your local farmers market and buy whatever root vegetables they have. This side dish is quite affordable, too: about 60 cents per serving!
	1/2 cup steamed green vegetables of your choice The calories are low, the fat is nonexistent, and adding a vegetable to your plate will help prevent you from filling up on empty calories. Try broccoli, spinach, green beans, or any other non-starchy vegetable.

But wait. We couldn't forget dessert!
A slice of pie can contain between 240 and 400 calories and at least 10 grams of fat. But for just 150 calories or so, you can have two of these bite-size tarts. These portion-controlled pies are the perfect end to a your Thanksgiving feast.

	Chef Meg's Sweet Potato Tarts Try these light and low-fat personal pies for dessert during the fall. They're a great substitute for pumpkin pie or sweet potato casserole. NOTE: To boost the fiber, you can look for whole-wheat phyllo dough, which is available at natural foods stores or in the health food section of many grocery freezers.
	Chef Meg's Mini Apple Tarts Instead of a whole pie, try making bite-size tarts! These diminutive desserts cook quicker and are automatically portion controlled. Plus, they're easier to make for a crowd, and there's no need for a fork and plate. This recipe only costs about $3.50 to make--but you save money by buying sheets of phyllo dough and making your own tart shells (see directions for more information).
	Chef Meg's Pumpkin Pie Spice Mix There's no need to buy pumpkin pie spice. You can easily make your own at home. And it makes a great hostess gift for any fall event! Feel free to double or triple this recipe!

There you have it. A full Thanksgiving meal that's trim--but not missing any of the trimmings. Armed with these healthy recipes, no one has to fear Thanksgiving dinner--except for maybe the turkey!

Click here to download and print a colorful recipe book that includes all of these recipes! (You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to download this pdf document.) You can also click the "SHARE" button at the top or bottom of this article to send these recipes to your friends!

FAQs

What is the healthiest food to eat on Thanksgiving? ›

Choosing whole grains, fruits, vegetables, broth-based soups, salads, and other foods with lots of water and fiber add to the feeling of fullness. Don't forget those alcohol calories that can add up quickly.

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What are the 10 traditional Thanksgiving foods? ›

Our Top 10 Easy Traditional Thanksgiving Dishes w/ Recipes

Creamy Mashed Potatoes. Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 15 minutes | Serves: Up to 4 people. ...
Stuffing. ...
Green Bean Casserole. ...
Sweet Potato Casserole. ...
Baked Corn. ...
Mac and cheese. ...
Peas & Water Chestnuts. ...
Fresh Rolls.

More items...

Oct 28, 2021

What are 3 ways that you can save money on Thanksgiving dinner? ›

But there are several things you can do to save money and still create a traditional Thanksgiving dinner everyone will love.

Plan a Budget. ...
Scale Back the Menu. ...
Start Shopping Early. ...
Use Coupons & Savings Apps. ...
Buy In-Season Produce. ...
Don't Go Overboard on Appetizers. ...
Keep Beverages Simple. ...
Have a Plan for Leftovers.

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What is the key ingredient to a perfect Thanksgiving Day dinner? ›

I think if we're all honest, we know that Thanksgiving is mostly about the starches. Mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, fresh-baked rolls – these are the true heroes of the meal, and there will be a lot of them on the table, which is totally fine.

How many calories in a typical Thanksgiving plate? ›

Eh, what the hell: The average American reportedly packs away approximately 3,000 calories and nearly 160 grams of fat in a Thanksgiving meal, according to the Calorie Control Council. Going back for seconds of turkey, taters, and gravy (and you know you probably will) likely adds another 500–1,000 calories easily.

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What does a healthy Thanksgiving plate look like? ›

Half of your plate should be covered in vegetables (carrots, green beans, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, salad), a quarter of it should be carbohydrates and starches (potatoes, stuffing and a bread roll), and a quarter should be protein (turkey).

Show Me More ›

How many calories in a typical Thanksgiving meal? ›

During Thanksgiving Day meals, the typical American consumes about 3,000 calories and 150 grams of fat. The calorie count can go even higher with larger portions, second helpings and high-calorie drinks. Experts say there are sensible ways to indulge without feeling guilty about gorging yourself.

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How many calories are Thanksgiving dishes? ›

Side Dishes and Main Course

Food Item	Serving Size	Calories
Mashed Potatoes	1 cup	238
Cranberry Sauce	1/2 cup	209
Roasted Turkey (no skin)	4 slices (4 oz.)	190
Green Been Casserole	1 cup	143

5 more rows

Nov 10, 2023

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