Healthy Appetizer Ideas For Thanksgiving | Thanksgiving Recipes (2024)

Find the appetizer recipe you've been searching for in this roundup of healthy appetizer ideas for Thanksgiving, just in time to fill out your Thanksgiving menu!

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Healthy Appetizer Ideas for Thanksgiving to Try This Year

1. Cornbread Bruschetta

Healthy Appetizer Ideas For Thanksgiving | Thanksgiving Recipes (1)

Don’t just use your cornbread for your stuffing. This scrumptious cornbread bruschetta is gluten-free and vegan, and sure to be perfect Thanksgiving appetizers.

2. Mini Bean and Cheese Molletes

Healthy Appetizer Ideas For Thanksgiving | Thanksgiving Recipes (2)

Slice a baguette into rounds and start adding your toppings. Thesemini bean and cheese molletes are bite-sized morsels that never fail to fill your tummy and warm your heart.

3. Spicy Sweet Potato Pumpkins

Healthy Appetizer Ideas For Thanksgiving | Thanksgiving Recipes (3)

These spicy sweet potato pumpkin bites will allow the whole family to savor the flavors of the season, especially during the festive Thanksgiving feast.

4. Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms

Healthy Appetizer Ideas For Thanksgiving | Thanksgiving Recipes (4)

Spinach and mushrooms are my favorites, so thesespinach stuffed mushrooms will not be missing from my Thanksgiving table. Serve it too!

5. Crab Stuffed Mushrooms

Healthy Appetizer Ideas For Thanksgiving | Thanksgiving Recipes (5)

Another take on making mushrooms more appetizing:crab stuffed mushrooms. Pretty sure your guests will be drooling over these decadent bites.

6. Apple Cranberry Turkey Meatballs

Healthy Appetizer Ideas For Thanksgiving | Thanksgiving Recipes (6)

These super delicious meatballs are like Thanksgiving in one bite. The whole family will love the sweet, juicy, and tangy flavor of these apple cranberry turkey meatballs.

7. Sweet Potato Hummus

Healthy Appetizer Ideas For Thanksgiving | Thanksgiving Recipes (7)

Thissweet potato hummus will help you cut down on calories and fat since it uses Greek yogurt. Don’t forget the pita chips!

8. Brussels Sprout Sliders

Healthy Appetizer Ideas For Thanksgiving | Thanksgiving Recipes (8)

Whether you are planning a vegetarian Thanksgiving or not, these adorable healthy brussels sprout sliders are sure to impress.

Who knew brussels sprouts would make great mini burger buns, right? It's a must-serve!

RELATED: 19 Charming Thanksgiving Centerpieces For A Homestead Table Setting

9. Spiced Paleo Apple Dip

Healthy Appetizer Ideas For Thanksgiving | Thanksgiving Recipes (9)

Go Paleo with this a healthy and delicious snack! It doesn’t get healthier than fruit, right?

Don't miss this spiced Paleo apple dipat your family holiday feast.

Add some cranberry to your #Thanksgiving meal a little differently this year. Check out these unique recipes! https://t.co/K43jWbyLcK pic.twitter.com/8FV6AyZrzB

— Homesteading (@HomesteadingUSA) November 6, 2016

10. Coconut-Crusted Brie-Stuffed Quinoa Bites

Healthy Appetizer Ideas For Thanksgiving | Thanksgiving Recipes (10)

Love quinoa? You’ll enjoy it so much more when transformed into these coconut-crusted brie-stuffed quinoa bites.

A tiny bite which is superbly stuffed with ooey-gooey brie.

11. Crazy Greek Feta, Sun-Dried Tomato and Pistachio Truffles

Healthy Appetizer Ideas For Thanksgiving | Thanksgiving Recipes (11)

Looking for a unique Mediterranean flavor? These crazy Greek feta, sun-dried tomato, and pistachio truffles will be just the thing you’re looking for.

It's cheesy, salty, and delicious! What more could you ask for?

12. Butternut Squash Pizza

Healthy Appetizer Ideas For Thanksgiving | Thanksgiving Recipes (12)

Did you ever consider that pizza could be healthy appetizers, and finger food-sized, too? This butternut squash pizza will give you a big punch of flavor that's impressive, considering its tiny size.

13. Spinach Puffs

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These spinach puffs are super easy to make. You can even make them ahead and keep them frozen until you’re ready to warm and serve.

14. Spinach Balls

Healthy Appetizer Ideas For Thanksgiving | Thanksgiving Recipes (13)

This will make you consider eating your greens. With a combination of spinach and stuffing mix, who can dare to resist?

I’m sure everyone in your gathering will love these spinach balls.

15. Roasted Acorn Squash Stuffed with Quinoa Mushroom Pilaf

Healthy Appetizer Ideas For Thanksgiving | Thanksgiving Recipes (14)

This roasted acorn squash stuffed with quinoa mushroom pilafgive you both fall flavors and a gorgeous plate for your Thanksgiving feast. Make sure to give your guests a heads up–they may spend way too much time taking photos of this dish for Instagram, it will go cold!

16. Classic Deviled Eggs

Healthy Appetizer Ideas For Thanksgiving | Thanksgiving Recipes (15)

Nothing beats tradition! Make these classic deviled eggs for Thanksgiving and keep it plain and simple without jeopardizing the Thanksgiving flavor.

17. Sweet Potato Cakes

Healthy Appetizer Ideas For Thanksgiving | Thanksgiving Recipes (16)

Make a batch of these sweet potato cakes and don't forget to top them off with the awesome black bean salsa! It elevates your ordinary sweet potato, that's for sure.

Looking forvegetarian Thanksgiving appetizers? Lucky you! This video from Edgy Veg features 3 easy vegan appetizers you can whip up and serve on Thanksgiving:

WOW, so good! Have your family and friends gather around with any of these healthy appetizer ideas for Thanksgiving while dinner is cooking.

Serve two or more from this list of healthy and easy appetizers for Thanksgiving to kick off your dinner feast. We have a pretty good feeling these healthy Thanksgiving appetizers will be a huge hit!

What do you think of these healthy appetizer ideas for Thanksgiving? Which one will you try? Let me know in the comments section below!

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Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on November 14, 2016, and has been updated for quality and relevancy.

Healthy Appetizer Ideas For Thanksgiving | Thanksgiving Recipes (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).

What do you serve guests before Thanksgiving dinner? ›

20 Light Thanksgiving Appetizers To Munch On Before The Main...
  • 01 of 21. Sweet Potato Hummus. ...
  • 02 of 21. Tarragon and Spice Deviled Eggs. ...
  • 03 of 21. Roasted Pumpkin and Goat Cheese Crostini. ...
  • 04 of 21. Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Prosciutto Poppers. ...
  • 05 of 21. Sweet, Salty, Spicy Party Nuts. ...
  • 06 of 21. ...
  • 07 of 21. ...
  • 08 of 21.
Nov 2, 2023

What to eat while waiting for Thanksgiving dinner? ›

  • You can do a Turkey or fall charcuterie board.
  • You can do a fruit dip/cracker dip/hot dip.
  • Brie Bites or crostini's.
  • you can also do jalapeño poppers, pigs in a blanket, deviled eggs or bacon wrapped asparagus/shrimp appetizers.
Jul 30, 2023

Should you have appetizers for Thanksgiving? ›

So, you might not think to add Thanksgiving appetizers to your holiday menu. But, here's the reason why you should: everyone shows up to Thanksgiving dinner feeling hungry! And if you want to hold your guests over until the main event, these easy small bites are the way to go.

What is the unhealthiest food at Thanksgiving? ›

14 Unhealthiest Thanksgiving Sides To Avoid This Year
  • Potatoes au gratin. ...
  • Macaroni and cheese. ...
  • Canned cranberry sauce. ...
  • Candied yams. sasazawa/Shutterstock. ...
  • Sausage stuffing. Alivemindphotography/Getty Images. ...
  • Turkey Gravy. Brent Hofacker/Shutterstock. ...
  • Cornbread. Bhofack2/Getty Images. ...
  • Pecan Pie. Nicolasmccomber/Getty Images.
Nov 6, 2023

What is the unhealthiest food on Thanksgiving? ›

“Bacon, sausage, mince meat, giblets, and a variety of similar ingredients find their way into many a stuffing, which takes an already unhealthy dish — often topping 500 calories per serving, depending on the recipe — to an entirely new level of unhealthy,” she said.

How many appetizers should you have for Thanksgiving? ›

Three or four bites of food per person should be plenty. For shrimp co*cktail, oysters or larger crostini, plan about two pieces per person. If you're serving smaller, one-bite hors d'oeuvres, allot three per person total. For dip, 3 ounces per guest will be plenty.

How many appetizers for Thanksgiving dinner? ›

How many dishes should I serve with the turkey? For 4 people, choose 1-2 appetizers and 3 sides. For 8 people, choose 1-3 appetizers and 3 sides. For 16 people, choose 2-3 appetizers and 3 or more sides.

What do you put on a charcuterie board for Thanksgiving? ›

Here are 11 delicious charcuterie board ideas your Thanksgiving guests will love:
  1. Sliced turkey, ham, and roast beef.
  2. Cranberry-infused goat cheese.
  3. Brie wrapped in puff pastry.
  4. Prosciutto.
  5. Salami.
  6. Dried fruits like apricots, dates, cranberries.
  7. Candied nuts.
  8. Crackers, bread sticks, baguette slices.
Dec 14, 2023

What are three foods that were probably eaten at Thanksgiving? ›

So, to the question “What did the Pilgrims eat for Thanksgiving,” the answer is both surprising and expected. Turkey (probably), venison, seafood, and all of the vegetables that they had planted and harvested that year—onions, carrots, beans, spinach, lettuce, and other greens.

Are deviled eggs a Thanksgiving food? ›

One popular Thanksgiving starter, deviled eggs, took the form we currently know around the same period, though they've been around in other forms for thousands of years.

What is the most important food on a Thanksgiving table? ›

When it comes to the big Thanksgiving feast, we consider the roast turkey and the sweet potato casserole as sides to the STUFFING. A good stuffing makes or breaks Thanksgiving dinner, and this one will absolutely make your holiday meal all the better.

What is healthier than turkey for Thanksgiving? ›

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.

How can I make Thanksgiving more healthy? ›

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.

What is the best meal for Thanksgiving? ›

When it comes to the big Thanksgiving feast, we consider the roast turkey and the sweet potato casserole as sides to the STUFFING. A good stuffing makes or breaks Thanksgiving dinner, and this one will absolutely make your holiday meal all the better. Get the Classic Stuffing recipe.

What should I eat on Thanksgiving to not gain weight? ›

5 Healthy Food Swaps to Avoid Weight Gain This Thanksgiving
  • Eat Pumpkin Pie Instead of Pecan Pie. ...
  • Grill Instead of Frying. ...
  • Swap Mashed Potatoes for Mashed Cauliflower. ...
  • Serve Brussels Sprouts Instead of Green Bean Casserole. ...
  • Use Wild Rice Instead of Pilaf.

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