15 Healthy Christmas Dinner Recipes (2024)

It’s all too easy to overindulge at the holidays, but you can keep your family celebration healthy without sacrificing flavor. If you need a vegetarian option to accommodate your guests, a salad idea that will whet everyone’s appetite, or a table of lovely desserts to top things off, look no further.

15 Healthy Christmas Dinner Recipes (1)

15 Healthy Christmas Dinner Recipes

Cranberry Orange Quinoa Salad

When you need a SUPERFOOD that is packed with all of the nutrients and fuel you need, try this bold, bright, quenching Cranberry Orange Quinoa Salad.

Not only is it robust and delicious, it is LOADED with protein, nutrients, anti-oxidants, and vitamins. For sure, during our long winter weeks, this is on our menu at least once a week.

See full recipe here.

15 Healthy Christmas Dinner Recipes (2)

Winter Salad with Maple Candied Walnuts and Balsamic Fig Dressing

Winter Salad with Maple Candied Walnuts and Balsamic Fig Dressing – perfect for Christmas Dinner!

We love this hardy salad with bright, crisp greens, goat cheese crumbles, and a super easy and preservative free Balsamic Fig Dressing! You will love the savory sweet burst added through the Maple Candied Walnuts. SWOON

PROTIP: Make a double, or even a triple batch of these incredible Maple Candied Walnuts. They freeze great and can be pulled out to dress up any salad for months to come!

See full recipe here.

15 Healthy Christmas Dinner Recipes (3)

Honey Roasted Butternut Squash with Cranberries and Feta

Honey Roasted Butternut Squash with Cranberries + Feta is a great holiday side dish! This is a way to level up the traditional squash dish without loading it up with sugar, sugar, and more sugar. The honey is a natural sweetener, while the cranberries bring a burst of flavor to tie the feta chunks in perfectly!

This is as quenching as it is comforting – without all the garbage added to most holiday dishes!

See full recipe here.

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Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

This delightful Pork Tenderloin Stuffed with Shallots, Poached Pears, and Blue Cheese is super simple to prep and cooks in less than an hour! You will LOVE the flavors and the sophistication this simple dish brings to your holiday menu.

Truly a crowd pleaser, while also being something that celebrates excellent flavors, spices, and tender delicious pork!

See full recipe here.

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Roasted Carrots and Mushrooms with Thyme

Gluten Free

Vegan

Paleo

Simple

This side dish for your holiday dinner is perfection. Roasted Carrots and Mushrooms with fresh Thyme will level up your meal and dazzle even the fussiest eater. The flavors blend together in a perfect symphony of savory, sweet, and bold.

Super simple ingredients that you probably have on hand (be sure to pick up a batch of fresh thyme if you can!).

See full recipe here.

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Simple Garlic Lemon Green Beans

Oven Roasted Green Beans are flavored with lemon and garlic, then roasted to crisp-tender perfection! A fresh and easy side dish for perfect dinner and entertaining. No funky ingredients, no funky preparation. Straight forward and amazing dish that will level up any Holiday meal!

See full recipe here.

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Creamy Baked Corn with Parmesan

Creamy Baked Corn with Parmesan!

Simple delicious side dish that’s wonderfully creamy with bold parmesan flavor. We absolutely love this sweet and savory side. Serve it up with just about any meal to please the entire crew.

See full recipe here.

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Cranberry Glazed Pork Tenderloin

Cranberry Glazed Pork Tenderloin – Super simple, lean, healthy… and awesomely delicious! Step-by-step photos and video make this a totally fool-proof masterpiece that the whole family will dig into. We love to serve this over the holidays for gatherings with family and friends. Easy, economic, and changes up the menu to incorporate our favorite protein!

See full recipe here.

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Slow Cooked Red Wine Pot Roast

Let this holiday be about clean, delicious, no-fuss eating (and meal planning). When everyone is gathered around, give yourself the gift of this incredible meal and take all of the worry out of planning, prepping, and cooking! The Crockpot takes care of the slow simmer while you spend the day worry-free and enjoying your family and friends.

Slow Cooked Red Wine Pot Roast is straight forward ingredients and bold, bursting flavors that showcase the moist and tender meat.

See full recipe here.

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Herb Roasted Turkey Breast

The Barefoot Contessa’s Herb-Roasted Turkey Breast Recipe is absolute perfection. When the holidays demand your best game, let this be your go-to dish. Full of the comforts of home, this turkey breast is honest, simple, and absolutely delicious.

Add your favorite fresh veggies to round this healthy meal out for the power punch the whole family needs.

See full recipe here.

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Winter Kale & Wild Rice Salad

Bright, bold flavors, fresh and crisp crunch – this salad delivers all that you need! Winter Kale and Wild Rice Salad is gorgeous, healthy, and packed with whole grain nutrition.

Winter Kale and Wild Rice Salad – A gorgeous, healthy, and flavorful whole grain salad perfect for serving this holiday season!

ProTip: Add your leftover Roasted Herb Turkey Breastto this salad to make it the lunch of your dreams.

See full recipe here.

15 Healthy Christmas Dinner Recipes (12)

Orange Glazed Brussels Sprouts and Butternut Squash

This Orange Glazed Brussel Sprouts and Butternut Squash recipe is perfection for fall. I love to make this simple, healthy dish for holiday dinner parties or potlucks. It is a real mind blower, converting ‘non-vegetable’ eaters into gushy, gooey puddles of vegetable LOVE. This is a savory sweet dish that levels up any meal!

See full recipe here.

15 Healthy Christmas Dinner Recipes (13)

Skinny Holiday Fruit Crisp

This healthy Skinny Holiday Fruit Crisp recipe makes for an awesome festive treat for your family! A simple filling with apples, pears and cranberries topped off with a delicious oat crunch! Less sugar and butter than you’d find in ordinary recipes, making it a dessert that checks all the boxes for my family.

See full recipe here.

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Healthy Harvest Buckeyes

You guys. Stop everything. Do this.

ZERO SUGAR added. This is a rowdy little Buckeye packed with protein, dark chocolate (can be made Vegan), peanut butter and absolute bliss…without missing any of the comfort of your favorite candy.

See full recipe here.

15 Healthy Christmas Dinner Recipes (15)

Clean Eating Curry Butternut Squash Soup

Gluten-free

Paleo

Vegan

KAPOW!!!!!

Clean Eating Curry Butternut Squash Soup with coconut milk is creamy, yummy, soul food. Only 180 dreamy delicious calories per bowl. This is the perfect antidote for the overindulgences of the holiday season!

See full recipe here.

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The Holidays are the best time to shine in all of the ways! Here are some foolproof ways to level up your game for the greatest time of the year:

These gluten-free Christmas cookies have only 3 ingredients.They’re perfect for cookie exchanges!

Looking for more elaborate dessert ideas?Here are 15 of the VERY BEST Christmas Desserts!

Do you love using your crockpot?Here are 15 Crockpot Dessert Recipes.(Yes, you can make dessert in your crockpot!)

These Jelly Tarts are always my favorite thing to make and eat during the holidays.I used to bake them with my great-grandma when I was growing up!

NEED MORE IDEAS FOR CHRISTMAS COOKIES AND DESSERTS?

Apple Dessert Recipes

Chocolate Dessert Recipes

Healthy Dessert Recipes

Mini Desserts

Oreo Dessert Recipes

No Bake Dessert Recipes

‘Tis the season for a party – and there’s nothing better to bring than a holiday appetizer. But no sweat, this should NOT be what brings you stress this holiday season!

Here are 15 of the very best Christmas Appetizers on the planet.Not even kidding.

Thisyummy hot cheese dip is so good that even your kids can make it. This is my #1 requested potluck contribution, which is amazing because I can make it in just a few minutes!

And here are15 of the best EASY recipes for parties. Translation: crazy easy appetizers that will cause you ZERO stress!

Feeling super fancy? This is my favorite way to entertain because it is a meal created by tons of small dishes with bold and easy ingredients. Make one of these TAPAS recipes instead of appetizers.Just make sure you correct anyone that dares to call your tapas an appetizer!

Click here to see all things Christmas.

15 Healthy Christmas Dinner Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What makes the best Christmas dinner? ›

You likely will want to choose a main first, like a turkey, Christmas ham, casserole or other show-stopping dishes. Then, you can compliment your main with Christmas side dishes and holiday appetizers. And of course, you can't forget about sweet Christmas desserts and festive co*cktails to sip on throughout the night!

Is Christmas dinner healthy? ›

A traditional Christmas dinner isn't the worst choice when it comes to your health. Turkey is a lean meat (as long as you avoid basting it in too much butter) and plenty of vegetables with your meal is good.

What is the 12 course Christmas dinner? ›

The bread is broken by the head of the household and begins the meal, which consists of 12 courses including sauerkraut with gravy, pierogi, halupki made with mushrooms and rice, fish, dry fruit, beans , peas, honey and other dishes.

What is the number one Christmas meal? ›

According to a 2020 survey, turkey's the main event for 73% of Americans, with prime rib (69%), roast beef (66%), steak (65%), chicken (64%), roast pork (64%) and ham (62%) also coming in as popular contenders.

What do most people eat for dinner on Christmas? ›

Traditional Christmas dinner features turkey with stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, and vegetables. Other types of poultry, roast beef, or ham, are also used. Pumpkin or apple pie, raisin pudding, Christmas pudding, or fruitcake are staples for dessert.

How to make xmas dinner easy? ›

Top 10 tips for hosting your first Christmas
  1. Practical planning. Before you plan your menu, consider the size of your oven and the size and amount of tins, pans and hob space you need. ...
  2. Don't roast everything. ...
  3. Write a time plan. ...
  4. Pre-cook and get ahead. ...
  5. Stress-free sauce. ...
  6. Try an all-in-one. ...
  7. Cook the food you like. ...
  8. Delegate.
Jan 8, 2016

What is the most popular item on a Christmas dinner plate? ›

Roast potatoes and gravy are the most ubiquitous items on the Christmas dinner, with only around half opting for turkey.

What food do Italians eat on Christmas? ›

In Southern and Central Italy, baked pasta is a must. In Northern Italy, Lasagne Bolognese and filled pasta like manicotti and ravioli are traditional Christmas fare. Next comes the main event, the meat. Roasted veal, baked chicken, sausages or braised beef are common Natale entrées worth celebrating.

What vegetables do you have with Christmas dinner? ›

Discover the perfect amounts of potatoes, carrots, parsnips, sprouts, peas and red cabbage to serve with your roast turkey. Need help planning your Christmas dinner?

What do French people eat at Christmas? ›

Christmas Dinner

Dishes might include roast turkey with chestnuts or roast goose, oysters, foie gras, lobster, venison and cheeses. For dessert, a chocolate sponge cake log called a bûche de Noël is normally eaten. Another celebration, in some parts of France, is that 13 different desserts are eaten!

Is it OK to eat unhealthy on Christmas? ›

And it's a very ok thing to do (in moderation of course). There's nothing wrong with treating holidays like they're one long extended cheat day – you deserve it after the year everybody has gone through. Also, there's so much temptation around you that resisting it is very likely to just stress you out.

Is it OK to eat a lot at Christmas? ›

But let's say you're only going to be indulging on Christmas day. It's unlikely you can eat so much in a single day as to lead to significant weight gain. This is partly because of how our metabolism works – which balances itself over several days.

What is a traditional Christmas dinner menu? ›

Traditional Christmas foods are very similar to Thanksgiving and consists of roast turkey, turkey stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, dinner rolls, cranberry sauce and pies such as apple or pumpkin. Other non-traditional main dish favorites are ham, roast beef or lasagna.

What is the most popular Christmas meat dish? ›

1. Turkey. Let's admit it, a whole turkey is the best and most traditional meat for Christmas dinners. Originally gracing our plates in the 16th century, popular history tells of King Henry VIII being the first English monarch to have turkey for Christmas.

What is the most popular Christmas dinner around the world? ›

More countries eat pork

Pork is the most popular traditional holiday dish in 23 countries, more than the 17 that focus on turkey, she said. Suckling pig is the center of the traditional Christmas table in Spain and Cuba, while the Philippines feasts on roasted pork, according to the map.

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