Alternative Thanksgiving Meals

Last updated on Oct 10, 2022
Angalena Malavenda

Thanksgiving is about togetherness, and the food and wine you serve at Thanksgiving dinner should be as well. Whether you’re preparing an entire menu or a few simple side dishes, creating foods that all guests can enjoy is important. Since many traditional Thanksgiving dishes aren’t suitable for guests with alternative diets, consider cooking one of the dishes listed below to create an all-inclusive meal that everyone will be able to enjoy.

Thanksgiving Alternatives

family clinking glasses over table with turkish cuisine of lamb chops beans vegetable salad and babganush

When preparing Thanksgiving dinner for a crowd, consider the following types of diet restrictions guests may abide by and prepare one of these alternative Thanksgiving dinners.


Vegetarian Thanksgiving Menu

Stuffed mushrooms on a white platter

A vegetarian is someone who does not eat meat, as well as some additional animal products. While some vegetarian diets allow for eating eggs and varieties of butter, many others don’t. If you are unable to confirm your guest’s exact restrictions, simply stick with menu selections full of grains, dairy, legumes, fruits, and vegetables. Check out the following vegetarian Thanksgiving recipes to create the perfect vegetarian Thanksgiving menu!

Vegetarian Thanksgiving Appetizers

  • Stuffed mushroom caps
  • Pumpkin soup
  • Spinach and artichoke dip

Vegetarian Thanksgiving Side Dishes

pear cake in cast iron pan drizzled with caramel and course sea salt

Vegetarian Thanksgiving Entrees

  • Pumpkin gnocchi
  • Pumpkin ravioli
  • Stuffed acorn squash

Vegetarian Thanksgiving Desserts


Vegan Thanksgiving Menu

roasted squash slices with red onions

Vegans refrain from consuming any food products produced by an animal. This means that along with meat, vegans avoid foods like eggs, honey, dairy, and any other animal byproducts. If you plan on preparing vegan Thanksgiving meals, it’s important to stick to dishes rich in plants and grains. Additionally, you’ll have to find alternative sources of plant-based protein, such as nuts, legumes, and beans for your vegan Thanksgiving recipes.

Vegan Thanksgiving Appetizers

  • Apple chips
  • Olive tapenade
  • Corn fritters

Vegan Thanksgiving Side Dishes

Vegan Thanksgiving Main Dish

Squash stuffed with Israeli couscous and vegetables
  • Vegan shepherd’s pie
  • Cauliflower steak
  • Mushroom and lentil loaf

Vegan Thanksgiving Desserts

  • Chocolate dipped pear
  • Sweet potato casserole
  • Pumpkin mousse
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Gluten-Free Thanksgiving

potatoes al gratin topped with cheddar cheese and jalapanos

Some people choose to adopt a gluten-free diet to reduce their intake of grains and carbs, while others must refrain from eating gluten due to gluten intolerance or Celiac disease. Because gluten is not as obvious to detect as meat or dairy, it’s important to be on the lookout for the potential allergen. Sources of gluten that are commonly found during the holidays include pasta, gravy, pie crusts, biscuits, stuffing, cream sauces, beer, salad dressing, and some meat substitutes.

To embrace gluten-free cooking and baking methods, consider preparing the following gluten-free Thanksgiving recipes:

Gluten-Free Thanksgiving Appetizers

Gluten-Free Thanksgiving Side Dishes

  • Burrata salad
  • Swiss chard with bacon
  • Twice-baked potatoes topped with sour cream and bacon

Gluten-Free Thanksgiving Entrees

Spinach and artichoke dip with pita bread
  • Pumpkin risotto
  • Grilled leeks with brown butter and spiced hazelnuts
  • Spinach and artichoke dip

Gluten-Free Thanksgiving Desserts


Dairy-Free Thanksgiving

sweet potato casserole topped with crispy marshmallows

Lactose is a sugar found in dairy products such as milk, yogurt, and ice cream. If someone is lactose intolerant, it means that their body has difficulty digesting lactose. Because of this, many lactose-intolerant people must adopt dairy-free diets, or at the very least limit their consumption of dairy by using dairy-free alternatives.

Traditional Thanksgiving dishes that may be an issue for lactose-intolerant guests include mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, stuffing, frosting, and vegetables cooked in butter. Below are great dairy-free recipe ideas for a dairy-free Thanksgiving:

Dairy-Free Thanksgiving Appetizers

  • Pumpkin cornbread
  • Squash and apple salad
  • Pumpkin tarte

Dairy-Free Thanksgiving Side Dishes

  • Sweet potato casserole
  • Maple-glazed winter vegetables
  • Pumpkin pasta

Dairy-Free Thanksgiving Entrees

Whole ham with five slices cut

Dairy-Free Thanksgiving Desserts

  • Pumpkin spice pudding
  • Chocolate orange torte
  • Apple pie bars

Low-Carb Thanksgiving

sliced turkey on white oval platter

An emerging trend in recent years has been low-carb and keto diets. Because you could be serving guests who are looking to stick to their diet over the holidays, it’s important to identify what foods to avoid when creating your Thanksgiving meal alternatives.

Common carbohydrate culprits include dinner rolls, cornbread, macaroni and cheese or other kinds of pasta, anything breaded, gravy, cranberry sauce, and desserts which should be avoided when preparing keto Thanksgiving recipes. When cooking low-carb Thanksgiving recipes, try to create dishes that are high in fat and protein. There may be some differences for guests who are looking for keto Thanksgiving meals versus those who are just following a low-carb diet, so be sure to label all of your alternative Thanksgiving dishes.

Low-Carb Thanksgiving Appetizers

  • Pumpkin soup
  • Goat cheese and herb spread
  • Parmesan-crusted fried green beans

Low-Carb Thanksgiving Sides

  • Stuffing made with riced cauliflower
  • Almond flour biscuits with compound butter
  • Creamed collard greens

Low-Carb Thanksgiving Entrees

Biscuit cut in half with jam
  • Cauliflower onion mash with cheddar
  • Brussels sprouts gratin
  • Applewood smoked turkey

Low-Carb Thanksgiving Desserts

  • Sugar-free pumpkin pie
  • Cranberry cheesecake with an almond flour crust
  • Cranberry parfait
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Whether you're making a Thanksgiving catering menu or hosting a meal at your restaurant, creating dishes around your guests’ dietary restrictions provides an excellent opportunity to reevaluate old traditions for new Thanksgiving dinner alternatives. Use this time to play around with your favorite recipes and make some new and creative substitutions with these Thanksgiving food alternatives. Your guests will appreciate the added care that went into making their meals, and you may discover a new favorite holiday dish.

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