Thanksgiving on the Mediterranean Diet: Menopause-Friendly Recipes

5 min read

Written By

Brittany Dick

Published

November 24, 2025

Medically reviewed by

Alyssa Dweck MS, MD, FACOG, MSCP, Chief Medical Officer

Think you’re destined to ditch healthy eating over the holidays again this year? Not so fast.

Thanksgiving is a time for family, friends, and—yes—food, but there are plenty of ways to enjoy eating while still nourishing your body with meals that honor a healthy lifestyle during menopause.

Here, we’ll review a few healthy diet tips for Thanksgiving gatherings and cover Mediterranean diet-friendly Thanksgiving dinner recipes you may want to try for your next holiday meal.

Healthy Diet Tips for Thanksgiving

Centered on foods readily available in nations bordering the Mediterranean Sea, the Mediterranean diet places emphasis on consuming fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts, legumes, healthy fats, like olive oil, lean protein, and heart-healthy fish.¹ These food sources have been shown to reduce the risk of several chronic diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, and even some cancers.²

At face value, this may not seem compatible with the Thanksgiving feasts we’re accustomed to in the U.S.—with many holiday tables offering all-you-can-eat helpings of mashed potatoes drowned in gravy, heavy casseroles, and an assortment of sugar-laden desserts to top the night off.

Look a little closer, though, and you’ll find that it’s not impossible to tweak several traditional Thanksgiving dinner recipes to be both equal parts of nourishing and delicious.

Before we dive into recipe ideas, let’s review a few basic healthy diet tips to consider for Thanksgiving Day.

Don’t Skip Breakfast

It may be tempting to fuel feast mode by skipping meals prior to Thanksgiving dinner, but most experts agree this sets you up for failure if your goal is to eat healthy.³ Instead, try to keep your hunger levels and metabolism balanced by consuming a satiating, nutrient-rich breakfast: think about having something like oatmeal and fruit, eggs and toast, or yogurt and berries, to name a few options.⁴

Choose Your Must-Haves Wisely⁵

Eating on Thanksgiving doesn’t have to be all or nothing. In fact, you can still enjoy the holiday foods you love without derailing your efforts to remain healthy.

As you scan the Thanksgiving buffet, consider your must-haves. What food options are available all year round, and what are the Thanksgiving staples that are a nostalgic, once-a-year option? Consider choosing moderate portions of those must-haves, rounded out with other nutritious foods, to enjoy the benefits of a balanced meal.

Fill Half Your Plate with Fiber⁶

As you make your plate, try to ensure at least half of it is micronutrient-rich vegetables and/or fruits. Even better, consider eating these foods first. Most vegetables are full of both fiber and water,⁷ which can help keep you full and satiated (at least until it’s time for pie).

Mediterranean Diet-Friendly Thanksgiving Dinner Recipes

Need a few Thanksgiving dinner menu ideas that stick a little bit close to the principles of the Mediterranean diet? Check out these meal starters to get you thinking.

The Main Course

Fortunately, you don’t need to stray far from the standard Thanksgiving main course staple—the turkey—to stick to the Mediterranean diet. In fact, the American Heart Association gives turkey its seal of approval, saying it’s a “great protein source” with loads of vitamins and minerals like magnesium, selenium, and B vitamins.⁸

To stay Mediterranean diet friendly on Thanksgiving, consider sticking to white meat (which is leaner and has less fat) and skipping the skin (or consuming moderate amounts). Additionally, roasting your turkey will yield an end product with less fat compared to frying.⁹ If your whole family prefers white meat or is also health conscious, you can choose to prepare a turkey breast (all white meat) for the main course instead of having a whole bird.¹⁰ Other, non-turkey Mediterranean diet-friendly main courses might include roasted chicken or fish.

A few Mediterranean diet-friendly recipes we’ve found that you may like for your main course might include:

Herb-Roasted Whole Turkey¹¹
Roast Turkey Breast with Garlic and Herbs¹²
Holiday Baked Salmon¹³

Sides

You can also make small tweaks to traditional casseroles, bakes, and other side dishes to lighten them up and adhere more closely to the Mediterranean diet. Consider subbing high-fat creams with fat-free half-and-half or skim milk and using olive oil or avocado oil instead of butter.¹⁴ Additionally, chicken broth makes a delicious gravy and yields much less fat compared to pan drippings.¹⁵

Here are a few Mediterranean diet-friendly side dishes we’ve found for you that are equal parts nutritious and delicious:

Dessert

Love dessert but still want to stick to your health goals? Not to worry—there are plenty of healthy Thanksgiving dessert recipes that can satiate your sweet tooth while keeping you on track.

To lighten up dessert, consider creating recipes that take advantage of a fruit’s natural sweetness, using less sugar, and utilizing Mediterranean diet-friendly fats, like olive oil, in place of butter.^20,21

Healthy Baked Cinnamon Apples²² by The Clean Eating Couple
Best Ever Healthy Pumpkin Pie²³ by Ambitious Kitchen
Vegan Chocolate Tart with Walnut Crust²⁴ by Something Nutritious

Healthy Eating Is Possible During the Holidays

It’s entirely possible to enjoy a Thanksgiving meal while sticking to your health goals and diet. With a few tweaks and substitutes, you can still adhere to the basic principles of the Mediterranean diet while enjoying the family, friends, and all the flavors the holiday brings.

Interested in more recipes that can support you during menopause and beyond? Browse our blog for more ideas on healthy meals, nutritional information for menopause, and more.

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