The phone rings at Grandma's.
“Hello?” she answers.
“Hey, Grandma! Count our family in for Thanksgiving at your house this year! And oh, by the way, Junior tested positive for Celiac disease and I was recently diagnosed with an autoimmune condition, so we've made a few, uh, dietary modifications. We don't do dairy, grains, gluten, nightshades, or nuts. Let us know if we can bring anything, okay? See you next week!”
Can you even imagine? Or maybe you can…
Raise your hand if you love to meal plan! (Haha, oh the sarcasm.) If the number of meal-planning services and websites is any indicator of how much we adore meal planning… well… I won't finish that sentence. 😉
Maybe this is your first Thanksgiving to follow a special, healing diet, and you're at a loss over how to enjoy your traditional Thanksgiving favorites without cheating. Maybe you're the cook this year, and you've got people coming who must follow a particular eating style for health reasons and you just don't know where to begin.
You're in luck. I've done all the work for you. Whether you're gluten-free, dairy-free, grain-free, Paleo, GAPS, or all of the above, I've gotcha covered.
Today, I'm sharing complete menu plans, from appetizers and stuffing to lots of side dish options and desserts. These will take the guesswork out of figuring out what you or your loved ones can eat on these five special diets: Traditional/WAPF-Style, Gluten-Free, GAPS Diet, Paleo, and Autoimmune Protocol.
These recipes aren't the school cafeteria's turkey, gravy, and nasty green beans. I've found your favorite, classic Thanksgiving dishes (and a few unique not-so-classics) that are not only nourishing to your body, but gourmet delights. I mean, the photography on these is enough to make me start drooling.
Traditional Foods/WAPF-Style
Appetizers and Snacks:
Kefir/Yogurt Cheese Balls
Cheese and Soaked Cracker Tray
Roasted Toasted Hazelnuts
The Main Event:
Turkey Cutlets with Pan Gravy
Sprouted Grain Stuffing
Traditional Turkey Broth Gravy
Side Dishes:
Creamy Smashed Rutabaga
Easy Artisan Bread with Sprouted Grains
Soaked Crescent Dinner Rolls
Bone Marrow Butter
Savory Sweet Potatoes with Bacon and Swiss
Fermented Cranberry-Orange-Apple Relish
Desserts and Drinks:
Pumpkin Cheesecake Mousse Pie
Sourdough Chocolate Cake
Coconut Creme Brulee
Cinnamon Spice Kombucha
Gluten-Free
Appetizers and Snacks:
Beet and Goat Cheese Salad
Fresh Fig Canapes
“Cheezy” Gluten-Free Crackers
The Main Event:
Pot Roast with Apples, Sweet Potatoes, and Prunes
Southern Cornbread Stuffing
Holiday Turkey Gravy
(Any of the turkey, lamb, or chicken recipes suggested on other menus can be used as they are all gluten-free!)
Side Dishes:
Roasted Asparagus
Sweet Potatoes Anna with Spiced Ghee
Dairy-free Potatoes Au Gratin
Gluten-free Sourdough Bread
Cultured Butter
Desserts:
Chocolate Cheesecake Pie
Pecan Pie
Pumpkin Swirl Bars
GAPS Diet (Suitable for Gluten-Free/Casein-Free too!)
Appetizers and Snacks:
Almond Sunny Seed Crackers
Crispy Mushroom Chips
Salmon Avocado Dip
The Main Event:
Cook's Illustrated Roasted Brined Turkey
GAPS Thanksgiving Stuffing
Side Dishes:
Butternut “Sweet Potato” Casserole with Pecan Crunch
Roasted Radishes
Green Beans with Bacon and Shallots
Almond Orange Spinach Salad
“Looks Like Whole Wheat” Biscuits
Desserts:
Pumpkin Custard Bars
Honey-Sweetened Pecan Pie
Probiotic Water Kefir Tea
Paleo/Grain-Free/Dairy-Free
Appetizers and Snacks:
White Wine and Pecan Cashew “Cream” Cheese Ball
Sesame Sunflower Seed Crackers
Olive Tapenade
The Main Event:
Mark's Daily Apple Roasted Turkey
Grain-free Stuffing with Sausage
Homestyle Stuffing
Turkey Giblet Gravy
Side Dishes:
French Green Bean Casserole with Crispy Shallots
Best Sweet Potato Casserole (with WAPF and GAPS modifications)
Roasted Broccoli with Crispy Prosciutto
SCD/Paleo Cranberry Sauce
Radicchio with Fennel and Apple Salad
Grain-free “White” Dinner Rolls
Desserts and Drinks:
Pumpkin Pie (GF/DF/EF)
Spicy Chocolate Gingersnaps
Paleo White Chocolate Pie
Mulled Wine
Autoimmune Protocol
Appetizers and Snacks:
Garlic-Rosemary-Plantain Crackers
Bacon-Beef Liver Pate with Rosemary and Thyme
Deep-Fried Rutabaga Chips
Bacon-Wrapped Butternut Squash Bites
The Main Event:
Roast Lamb with Olives, Lemon, and Oregano
Oven-Roasted Chicken with Pears
Beef, Celery, Apple Stuffing (omit nuts)
Side Dishes:
Roasted Butternut Squash with Maple-Sage Brown Butter (omit black pepper)
Bacon-Braised Brussels Sprouts
Raw Cranberry Sauce
Cauliflower Mash-tinis
Whipped Sweet Potatoes with Cinnamon Cream
Colorful Kale Salad
Desserts and Drinks:
Slow Cooker Apple Pie Filling
Cinnamon Clove Coconut Macaroons
Pumpkin-Coconut-Maple Custard Cups
Hip Apple Rose Tea
Follow these menus exactly, or feel free to pick and choose from the lists to create your own! Many of these recipes can work or be modified to fit any special diet. I hope this helps you get a stress-free holiday meal on your table!
Are you following a special diet during the holidays? Share your experiences with us, or share your own diet-friendly Thanksgiving recipes!
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Is it really possible to "eat what you want to eat" like bread and butter, cinnamon rolls and cookies, meat and potatoes...
Bible-based cooking program...
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What a TERRIFIC Thanksgiving round-up. Love how you cover so many different diets. Will definitely be sharing this via social media. Thanks for the kind shout out too! 🙂
Kelly, thank you so much! It was a lot of fun to put together!
I would be interested in knowing which of the recipes are both dairy and egg free, as we have some egg allergies to deal with.
Jenni, all of the Autoimmune Protocol Recipes are egg-free, as eggs are not allowed on AIP. I’m sure there are others that are also egg-free. For that, you’ll have to sit down with a cup of coffee and browse. 😉
Thank you for putting this together. I appreciate it as it is always a challenge to make holiday dinners special and traditional with special diets.
You’re very welcome!
This is great! Thank you for making my Thanksgiving holiday cooking easy and stress free!
I’m glad this helps! I understand how challenging it can be.
That pumpkin pie looks almost divine 😉 ~ rather comprehensive article, thanks.
Make sure you let us know how it turns out if you try it!
I like the Kefir Tea a lot.