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Thanksgiving Trends: Traditional Meals, vs. Alternative Meals

Updated: Feb 12

Thanksgiving Trends 2023



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  • This year more consumers will be buying locally sourced food from local farms and companies. The food is fresher because it does not have to travel miles to reach the supermarket or store.

  • Many families will have the dinner catered by their local supermarket or restaurant. Many businesses offer a complete catered Thanksgiving meal. With time restraints this is a good option for many families.

  • Most families will opt to have the tradtional Thanksgiving meal and others will make alternative dishes that are not turkey. Not everyone likes turkey so choosing something different is an option.

  • In Texas a current trend is that many consumers will be eating fast food at WhatABurger on Thanksgiving a fast food chain that serves bacon cheesburgers, jalpeno and cheese, hamburgers, chicken sandwiches,avocado bacon burger, salad, fries, and onion rings. The reason consumers eat there is they are cutting the cost of a holiday meal and fighting inflation.

  • Many families will dine out at restaruants or purchase a catered meal that they can pick up and heat up to serve.


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How To Jazz Up Your Traditional Thanksgiving Meal



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Try a new glaze or rub when cooking your turkey. Try cranberry orange glaze, honey lime glaze, herb infused glaze or a spicy turkey rub. A new flavor with your turkey can liven up the meal.


Try some new side dishes with your meal soups, salads, potatoes, vegetables, and pasta dishes. Buy prepared ravoili, pasta, or side dishes to serve with the meal. Celentano makes ravoili, cavetelli, tortellini, and stuffed shells. Just boil and serve with sauce.


Use leftovers for turkey sandwiches, and to make other turkey dishes. Use leftover turkey bones and scaps for stock. Serve less entrees do not have too much food to use up. Try some new dessert recipes instead of just pumpkin pie. Fruit desserts pies and cakes can become a special treat. Buy one or two dessert instead of several.


Opt for more vegetarian side dishes making soup, salad, and vegetable side dishes. Below are some websites with tradtional Thanksgiving Recipes.


  • The Pioneer Woman 50 Healthy Thanksgiving Recipes

  • Healthy Thanksgiving Recipes Eating Well

  • Leites Culinaria Thanksgiving Recipes

  • Our Top 50 Thanksgiving Recipes Food Network

  • Healhy Thanksgiving Recipes at Healthy Seasonal Recipes




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Alternative Thanksgiving Menu Ideas


Pehaps you do not really like turkey and you and your family prefer to have something else. Many families make other dishes on Thanksgiving. Below are some ideas to get your started.



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Some families have leg of lamb, chicken, roast beef, salmon, ham, duck, goose, pork, Cornish game hens, beef tenderloin, grilled lobster tail, shrimp, pasta dishes, lasagna, stuffed shells, and chicken fried turkey. Check these sites below photo for recipes:



Photo Source: David O/Flicker


  • 25 Course Alternatives For Thanksgiving Food and Wine

  • 30 Alternative to Turkey For Thanksgiving Dinner Taste of Home

  • 35 Non-Traditional Thanksgiving Dinner Ideas of Suprise Your Family Pioneer Woman



Alternative side dishes can be cheese souffle, mashed potato pancakes, pumpkin mac and cheese, pumpkin chili, crab stuffed mushrooms, green bean salad, cauliflower gratin, pumpkin soup, beef vegetable soup, onion soup, and mushroom soup. Check these websites for recipe ideas :


  • 30 Tasty Thanksgiving Day Soup Taste of Home

  • 20 Best Thanksgiving Day Salads Love and Lemons


A salad goes well with a Thanksgiving meal try a simple green salad, Casear Salad, Green Bean Salad, Avocado Salad, or Carrot Salad. There are the many sites with ideas for a new and different salad.



Photo Source: Foto Weuestenigel


Think about trying a different dessert and buy or make less. like Vegan Chocolate Pie, Microwave Mug Cake, Cashew Energy Bars, Pear Crisp Gluten Free, Cranberry Clafoutis, Cranberry Crumple Bars, Carmelized Spiced Pears, or Spiced Pumpkin Cookies. Check out these websites below the photo for recipes:



Photo Source: Tom Head/Flicker


  • Dietitian Approved Thanksgiving Recipes and Low Calorie Thanksgiving Desserts Eating Well

  • 27 Healhty Thanksgiving Desserts All Nutritious



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