ByAcademy of Culinary NutritionLast updated onReading Time: 9 minutes
The holiday season can be a challenging time of year for foodies who like to eat to maintain their health. Many holiday gatherings include loads of packaged foods, unhealthy oils, refined sugars and a glut of preservatives and artificial colours that can damage our health. But it doesn’t have to be that way – as we tell our students every year, it is possible to create a healthy holiday dinner without compromising on flavour or visual appeal and the best part is you’ll feel great afterwards! For some holiday inspiration, today we’re sharing our 30 best healthy holiday recipes. We’ve got an array of main dishes and sides that will make your mouth water, plus gluten-free, grain-free, vegan, dairy-free and plant-based options to choose from.
And if you’re looking for more holiday recipes, check out these posts:
This creamy, high-protein alternative to mashed potatoes is an ultra-comforting holiday side dish. We like to use ghee in recipes like this, and draw upon our gluten-free flour substitutions .
Cut down on your food waste by saving those carrot tops to make pesto! Rainbow-coloured carrots are especially pretty in this dish, but you can use any type and this will still be a delicious healthy holiday recipe!
With its mix of textures, flavours and bright colours, this hearty winter salad will brighten up any holiday table. If you’ve got vegans in the crowd, make extra so they can have this as a main!
We love this bread-free tempeh stuffing because it comes together quickly and allows us to take advantage of fermented foods – which we absolutely love.
Go grain-free with this Paleo cauliflower stuffing. It makes a satisfying and tasty side dish and is even safe for those on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet.
This quick and easy healthy holiday recipe has a Mediterranean flair to it, and is packed with briny olives for a wallop of anti-inflammatory and brain-boosting fats. ‘Cause we know we’ll need our wits about us when we’re negotiating for the last spoonful.
This creamy is soup is absolutely delicious, and will help you support your immune system during cold and flu season. That’s the best holiday gift you can someone, isn’t it?
There is so much to love about this hearty winter salad – the roasted veg, the satiating protein, the crispy Brussels sprouts and of course the luxurious tahini dressing. Make this!
Stuffed Sage Lentil Loaf with Wild Rice Cranberry Pumpkin Stuffing
This vegan entree wraps up all of the traditional holiday flavours in one tasty package. And there’s a handy prep schedule included in the post to help you ensure you get everything done on time!
This is one of those healthy holiday recipes that will elicit plenty of ‘oohs’ and ‘ahhhs’ from everyone at the table. Just smile and accept the praise.
Looking to do some holiday prep in advance? Make these salmon cakes, which freeze amazingly well so you can just pull them out when you’re ready to cook your holiday dinner.
This side dish is basically a work of art, is it not? Add some sweetness to your holiday table with roasted carrots and beets. In this recipe, we like to sub in coconut oil or ghee as well for extra health benefits.
Pumpkin, Kale and Millet Salad with Balsamic Reduction
If you’ve been curious to experiment with gluten-free grains like millet, this is your chance! We love this hearty salad’s mix of textures and the balsamic dressing pulls everything together beautifully (and makes the salad look beautiful!).
Want to sneak some extra kale into your holiday dinner? Try these Paleo meatballs, which are packed with sautéed kale but are so delicious that no one will notice.
Buckwheat with Kabocha Squash and Porcini Mushrooms
This vegan lentil loaf gets some major flavour oomph by simmering the lentils with herbs before incorporating the rest of the ingredients. You can pair this one with classic holiday sides like mashed potatoes and veg for a satisfying vegan meal!
We love our Paleo cauliflower rice, but it’s nice to switch it up with different veggies. This carrot rice is a lovely sweet alternative, topped tangy balsamic and creamy cashews. Yum!
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Reading Time: 9 minutes 
