Every now and then, a little indulgence in food is okay. Especially around the holidays. I’m a firm believer in enjoying special times with friends and family in every way. 

But if for whatever reason, you’re really focusing on being health-conscious during this year’s holidays, below is a list of some healthier alternatives for traditional Thanksgiving side dishes you can serve at tomorrow’s turkey day spread.

Stuffing

Traditional Thanksgiving stuffing is a pretty simple dish -- white bread and butter are the two primary ingredients, lightly flavored with onion, celery, and chicken broth.

Try this Paleo Stuffing from 40 Aprons instead. Made with all vegetables, you don’t have to worry about gluten or refined flour, and it’s also a carb-conscious side for anyone that is keto or low-carb. 

This recipe also cuts down a lot on the fat by replacing the heaps of butter with just a couple tablespoons of your preferred oil, and gets a ton of flavor from apples, parsley, and other seasonings.

Mashed Potatoes 

Mmm, buttery mashed potatoes. This has got to be a popular favorite for most people. Like traditional stuffing, we’re looking at a plate made purely from potatoes and butter, so it’s a high carb and high fat meal. 

Try this low-carb Mashed Cauliflower version instead. It still uses some butter and sour cream so you’re not eating just pureed cauliflower. But the healthy vegetable swap for potatoes makes this extra nutrient-rich as well as keto-friendly.

Green Bean Casserole

Traditional green bean casserole is yet another dish (surprise), that is heavy on the fats due to the amount of cream used. Otherwise, it would probably be a relatively heathy dish.

Instead of baking a creamy casserole, why not free up some of your oven space and sautee some fresh green beans and add some healthy fats from almonds like this recipe from the Modern Proper.

Sweet Potato Casserole

This one could arguably be a side dish or a dessert. Either way, we’re looking at a potato-based dish with a lot of added sugar.

Now, I’m not saying sweet potatoes are bad for you. Because they are actually quite healthy. A good swap here would be to find a version that’s easier on the refined sugar aspect, like this Whole30 Sweet Potato Casserole recipe from 40 Aprons.

This dish is sweetened naturally from banana, coconut sugar, and dates and spiced with cinnamon  so you can still enjoy all your favorite fall flavors.

Mac and Cheese

This one is probably a close favorite next to the mashed potatoes! It’s pretty hard to split ways with traditional mac and cheese. But as you can probably guess based on the macro profile of the above side dishes, this one is also high in carbs and fat. 

Instead of taking away all of the tasty goodness that comes from America’s favorite comfort food dish, it’s easy to make some simple swaps here, like this Lighter Baked Macaroni and Cheese recipe from Skinny Taste.

Here we use skim milk and reduced fat cheddar instead of the whole dairy versions to help increase protein count and reduce fat. You also have the option to use whole wheat pasta instead of regular, and throw in a little bit of spinach too!