Top 8 Holiday Side Dishes (30 Minutes or Less)! Carrots & Cookies

Low sugar cranberry sauce, green bean casserole, mashed red skinned potatoes, and more! All but one of these 'healthy' family-favorite holiday side dishes come together easily in 30 minutes or less - perfect for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner!

Six images of various holiday side dishes.

When the holiday rush hits, don't let the idea of making 'perfect' festive dishes stress you out. Afterall, nourishing your crew should feel doable (and delicious!) even during the holidays.

This roundup of Thanksgiving and Christmas side dishes honors tradition while sneaking in nourishing fruits & veggies by using smart ingredient swaps so you can enjoy every bite without sacrificing your health goals... or your sanity.

Think colorful veggies, make-ahead options, and fun twists that keep holiday meals stress-free, so you can enjoy the holidays feeling energized instead of overwhelmed. 🙌

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Dietitian Tip
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Dietitian Tip

Don't let the idea of modifying every single recipe stress you out. Afterall, we all have some of those age-old holiday recipes that have been passed down for generations that deserve to be honored (by sticking to the original recipe 😍).

Modify recipes when you can (if you want to), and otherwise just enjoy the holidays!

Green Bean Casserole in a white, square baking dish with a serving spoon.

Green Bean Casserole with Fresh Green Beans

Classic Green Bean Casserole with a twist! Made with the familiar flavors you'd expect from this traditional holiday side dish, but with fresh green beans instead of canned.

Trust me when I say it's so much easier than you think!

Green Bean Casserole Recipe

Low Sugar Cranberry Sauce

Homemade cranberry sauce made with fresh cranberries, apples, orange juice, cinnamon, and brown sugar in 15 minutes!! The easiest make-ahead Thanksgiving side!

Serve this cranberry sauce as a simple side dish alongside roasted turkey, chicken, or roasted pork tenderloin. It can also be used as a spread for rolls and to level up a charcuterie board. You're going to love it!

Low Sugar Cranberry Sauce

A Christmas holiday salad in a large white serving bowl with a small white bowl with the salad dressing in the center of the salad greens.

Christmas Salad

Quick & easy Christmas salad made with mixed greens, thinly sliced apples, pomegranate arils, pecans, feta cheese and a delicious apple cider vinaigrette dressing in 10 minutes!

Serve this Christmas salad as a center piece for your holiday table, then toss it all together right before serving.

Roasted Brussels sprouts on a white rectangular shaped plate.

Easy Oven Roasted Sprouts (Brussels Sprouts)

The key to making the best oven roasted brussels sprouts is to drizzle on a small amount of balsamic vinegar right when you take them out of the oven, while their still hot.

These restaurant-quality brussels sprouts make the perfect addition to any holiday meal.

Oven Roasted Sprouts

A holiday salad in a white serving bowl with a gold serving spoon.

Thanksgiving Fruit Salad

10-Minute Thanksgiving Fruit Salad made with a variety of fresh fruit and a simple dressing of orange juice and honey.

A simple holiday side dish that will add color (and fiber 😉) to your next Thanksgiving feast.

Thanksgiving Fruit Salad

Easy Mashed Red Skinned Potatoes

Creamy mashed potatoes with a twist!

This Red Skinned Mashed Potatoes recipe calls for Greek yogurt instead of sour cream, milk instead of heavy cream, and just enough butter to give it the buttery flavor everyone loves.

A classic holiday side dish your whole family will love!

Mashed Red Skinned Potatoes

Gingerbread Muffins

Gingerbread muffins made with molasses, whole grain flour, and warm spices make a delicious addition to Christmas brunch!

Serving whole grain muffins as a Christmas side dish is an easy way to add fiber to an otherwise traditional holiday meal.

Gingerbread Muffins

Chunks of roasted sweet potatoes on a white plate with a white and gold serving spoon.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes (Air Fryer)

Run out of room in your oven? No problem! If your family is like mine, they'll take roasted sweet potatoes over sweet potato casserole any day, especially on holidays.

And the best part? It only takes 10 minutes when you use your air fryer!

Air Fryer Roasted Sweet Potatoes