Healthy Thanksgiving Recipes, Menus & Entertaining Ideas

Turkey, the main dish of most traditional Thanksgiving dinners, is something many of us cook only once a year. For this reason, a refresher is always useful. Although it often causes stress for novice cooks, roasting a turkey is essentially the same process as roasting a chicken, only on a larger scale. Just follow a few guidelines, and the turkey will be the standout of your holiday meal, but it your first or your fiftieth.

Trussing a turkey correctly is essential to assuring that your bird cooks evenly without any unwanted burned spots—or worse, uncooked spots. Luckily, the process of trussing is extremely straightforward and won't take long at all, so there's no excuse for skipping such a crucial part of the process. Whether it's your first time hosting Thanksgiving or you've been around the block a couple times with this, get your trussing skills down now so that you're ready for the big day.

Don't starve yourself and save out for a large lunch or dinner during Thanksgiving, it will only end with overeating and a sore stomach. Instead, give yourself, and guests, a little something to munch on whether you're cooking or relaxing. Start the party with simple snacks that excite the eye and whet the appetite. Think outside the box. These beautiful, bold, zingy bites will get everyone talking. Pair these light appetizers with a fabulous cocktail to give your Thanksgiving celebration a scrumptious start. Choose easy finger foods, especially those that can be made ahead, to let you focus on the actual meal. 

Things go better with a few good bubbles. Simplify the liquor shopping list: Skip setting up a full bar and instead offer a signature cocktail featuring just one or two types of spirits or wine. Pick from these classic Thanksgiving cocktails to keep guests sipping and engaging with one another. Go for a classic cocktail everyone can enjoy, or mix and match for a few selections. Just try not to go overboard with the booze. After all, there's a meal to be eaten, too.

The bigger the Thanksgiving table, the more options you can have. These six wine pairings are incredible values for the money (and most will cost less at the store than the market price listed here). Each is designed to pair beautifully with a classic Thanksgiving menu—roasted turkey, herby stuffing, silky gravy, and butter mashed potatoes. Their flavors are crisp enough to cut through the decadent foods, but they won't compete with all the herbs and spices. When you're shopping at the market, tell the wine seller what you like and what you'd like to spend. He or she will guide you to the right bottle. There are not right or wrong questions or wines: Serve whatever makes you and your guests happy.

Thanksgiving can be intimidating for those on a low-carb diet, but you don't have to cook a separate feast to stay healthy. Our collection of low-carb Thanksgiving recipes caters to the masses delivering big flavor, so you can stay on track without feeling like you're missing out on traditional holiday dishes. Even better, all of these recipes contain 13g of carbohydrates or less. From entrées and appetizers to side dishes and desserts, we've got everything you need to prepare a low-carb feast for Thanksgiving Day.

The holidays can be tough when you have dietary restrictions, but it's possible to enjoy the biggest feast of the year with smart swaps and simple substitutions. This year, serve up dishes that everyone in the family can enjoy with diabetic Thanksgiving recipes that are low in carbs, added sugar, sodium, and fat. You'll love our collection of lightened-up favorites, including inspiring appetizers, entrées, and sides. Plan ahead to get outside and get some exercise before or after the meal as well. A brisk walk around the block will go a long way toward helping keep calories in check and building togetherness on this day of thanks.

Preparing the Thanksgiving meal can pose a host of challenges: among them, how to cater to family members with dietary restrictions. Following a carb-controlled diet doesn't mean you're relegated to bland, boring recipes, and having diabetes doesn't mean you're forced to completely give up sweets. With a few modifications, smart portion sizes, and creative substitutions, you can feel free to indulge in these diabetic Thanksgiving dessert. Our collection of low-cal, low-fat, and low-sugar dessert recipes are bursting with flavor, so take advantage of our Diabetic Thanksgiving Recipes to further cut carbs so you can leave plenty of room for dessert.

Thanksgiving leftovers are as much a part of the holiday as the feast itself. But turkey sandwiches can get old fast, so do some planning. Adding a few extra ingredients to the Thanksgiving shopping list will give the turkey, sides, and sauces fresh new, personas the day after—and the next. By setting aside pristine (rather than picked over) amounts of food for the downstream recipes before sending everything out to the Thanksgiving table, there's no worry about having what's needed to put together these dishes. Try a couple of these recipes, sprinkle in your own favorite leftover Thanksgiving recipes, and no one will guess they're leftovers.