Healthy Thanksgiving Snacks That Help You Stay on Track This Holiday
Thanksgiving is a time for gathering with friends and family and feasting on all of our favorite holiday foods. From turkey and stuffing to mashed potatoes and pie, it’s easy to overindulge during this food-focused holiday.
While there’s nothing wrong with enjoying some of these tasty treats in moderation, it’s also important to keep nutrition in mind. Eating healthy Thanksgiving snacks throughout the day can help you avoid overeating during the big meal. With some planning and creativity, you can serve festive and delicious snacks that both you and your guests will love.
Keep reading for lots of tasty and nutritious snack ideas.
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Satisfying Healthy Thanksgiving Snacks to Consider
The key is to think beyond typical high-fat, high-calorie snack options and get creative with fresh, wholesome ingredients. There are so many delicious ways to snack healthy!
Here are some healthy Thanksgiving snacks your guests will rave about:
Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and veggies are Nutritional Superstars. They’re packed with vitamins, minerals, fiber, and water to keep you nourished and satisfied.
Veggie tray with dip – Cut up carrots, celery, cherry tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, and other veggies. Serve with hummus or guacamole.
Veggie tray with dip – Cut up carrots, celery, cherry tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, and other veggies. Serve with hummus or guacamole.
Fruit salad – Mix berries, melons, grapes, oranges, and other fruit. Top with a squeeze of citrus juice.
Dried fruits and nuts – Dried cranberries, apricots, banana chips, pistachios, and almonds make a fiber- and protein-packed snack.
Smoothies – Blend Greek yogurt with milk and frozen fruit for a refreshing, protein-rich sip.
Roasted veggies – Roast cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, beets, or other veggies for a warm, flavorful snack.
Whole Grain Snacks
Whole grains like whole wheat, oats, brown rice, quinoa, and barley are excellent sources of fiber, B vitamins, iron, and other nutrients. They also keep your energy levels steady.
Edamame hummus on whole grain crackers or toast – Purée edamame, garlic, lemon juice, and tahini for a healthy hummus to serve with crackers or toasted bread.
Popcorn – Air-popped or stovetop popcorn is a whole grain, fiber-filled snack, Just go easy on the butter!
Trail mix – Make your own mix with nuts, seeds, dried fruit, popcorn, pretzels, and whole-grain cereal.
Whole wheat pretzels – Look for pretzels made with 100% whole grains. Enjoy them plain or with mustard.
Brown rice cakes – Top brown rice cakes with nut butter, avocado, or ricotta cheese for a savory, satisfying snack.
Oatmeal – Enjoy a bowl of oats topped with fruit, nuts, milk, yogurt, or nut butter.
Lean Protein
Lean protein fills you up and provides sustained energy. Great options include:
Nuts and nut butter – Almonds, walnuts, pecans, and cashews are loaded with protein and healthy fats. Enjoy them on their own or as nut butter with apple slices.
Hard-boiled eggs – Make a batch of hard-boiled eggs to enjoy on their own or use for egg salad.
Edamame – Steamed edamame beans make for fun finger food at parties. Sprinkle with sea salt.
Yogurt and cottage cheese – Top plain nonfat Greek yogurt with berries, honey, and cinnamon for a protein-rich snack. Swap in cottage cheese too.
Hummus – The chickpeas in hummus provide fiber and plant-based protein. Dip in raw veggies or whole-grain pita chips.
Cheese slices – Keep portions in check by rolling up single cheese slices with turkey or roast beef.
Healthy Fats
Healthy fats like those found in nuts, seeds, avocados, olive oil, and fish provide essential fatty acids and vitamin E. They’re great for curbing hunger too.
Guacamole – Mash avocado with lime juice, diced onion, tomatoes, cilantro, and salt. Scoop with whole grain chips or vegetables.
Trail mix with nuts and seeds – Combine almonds, cashews, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds for a nutritious crunch.
Apple with almond butter – Again, smear apple slices with creamy almond butter for the perfect healthy fat and fiber combo.
Olives – Both green and black olives make for easy, satisfying finger foods.
Read on: 14 Easy Healthy Thanksgiving Appetizers
Tips for Festive and Kid-Friendly Healthy Snacks
Making healthy Thanksgiving snacks appealing for a holiday spread doesn’t have to be complicated. With a little creativity, you can dress up nutritious snacks in fun, festive ways your guests will love. Here are some tips and tricks:
- Use cookie cutters. Cut apples, sandwiches, cheese, and other snacks into fun holiday-themed shapes with cookie cutters.
- Make skewers. Thread fruits, cheeses, veggies, and lean meat or tofu onto skewers for handheld snacks.
- Offer dips. Hummus, guacamole, salsa, and chutneys are all delicious dip options for vegetables, breads, and crackers.
- Add sprinkles. A light sprinkle of colored sprinkles or cinnamon makes oatmeal, popcorn, and other snacks more exciting for kids.
- Drizzle chocolate. A small drizzle of melted dark chocolate over fruit slices is a sweet, portion-controlled treat.
- Make a smoothie bar. Set up a make-your-own smoothie bar with colorful fruits, flavored yogurts, nuts, and toppings like chia seeds and shredded coconut.
The holidays are no time to stress over food and calorie counting. Focus on wholesome, satisfying foods that help you feel your best throughout the day. With these healthy Thanksgiving snacks, moderation at meals, and plenty of walking between feasts, you can stay healthy and happy through Thanksgiving and the whole holiday season.
Smart Tips for Choosing Healthy Thanksgiving Snacks at the Store
The vast selection of snacks at the grocery store can be overwhelming, especially around Thanksgiving. Avoid temptation from the chips and cookie aisle with this simple snack shopping strategy:
Stick to the perimeter
The perimeter of the store where you’ll find produce, proteins, and the dairy section tends to be far healthier than the processed snacks in aisles. Do most of your snack shopping in the healthy perimeter:
- Produce section – Load up on fresh fruits, veggies, herbs for dips, salad fixings, etc.
- Meat and seafood – Pick up sliced deli meats, smoked salmon, and shrimp for protein-packed snacks.
- Dairy – Grab yogurt, cheese slices or sticks, kefir, and cottage cheese for protein.
Seek out whole foods
Choose healthy Thanksgiving snacks in their whole, minimally processed form like fresh produce, plain yogurt, nuts in their shells, and popcorn kernels you pop yourself. Avoid snacks with long lists of additives.
Check the ingredients
When choosing packaged snacks like granola bars, crackers, and popcorn, flip them over and check the ingredient list. Make sure whole foods are at the top, and watch out for added sugars, oils, and chemical preservatives.
Buy healthy convenience
Precut veggies and fruits, sliced deli turkey, portioned guacamole, and boiled eggs make for quick, healthy Thanksgiving snacks without prep work.
Mix and match
Purchase a variety of nuts, seeds, whole grain crackers, cut veggies, hummus, guacamole, cheese, and fruit so you can assemble healthy snack plates. Variety keeps snacks interesting!
Consider delivery
Companies like TerraNut offer a wide variety of delicious vegan, gluten-free, soy-free nutritious snacks delivered right to your door. Their snacks are loaded with nutritional benefits to support your health goals. Be sure to explore their options at terranut.com and use these updated Terra Nut promo codes to get the best deals on healthy Thanksgiving snacks!
With a little planning, your grocery cart and delivery orders can be full of wholesome foods to create healthy Thanksgiving snacks and beyond. Avoid the snack and cookie aisles, and enjoy the holiday without derailing your nutrition goals.
Make This Thanksgiving a Nourishing Holiday
Thanksgiving is meant to be a day of gratitude, connection, and nourishment. Yet with its focus on indulgent foods, it often ends up being a day of overeating and feeling sluggish. You can change that this year!
Make healthy snacking your priority. Fill your holiday with fresh fruits and veggies, wholesome grains, lean proteins, and nourishing fats. Get creative in the kitchen as you prepare healthy Thanksgiving snacks that delight your tastebuds and your body.
Incorporate the nutritious snack ideas in this article for a holiday that nourishes you from the inside out. Serve your family and friends colorful platters of nutritious finger foods to graze on throughout the day.
