A T1D Thanksgiving Feast

Editor’s note: This article is part of our library of resources for Celebrations & Holidays. Check out our food and drinking tips as well as an array of holiday carb charts here.

On November 7, 2008, my then 21-month-old son was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (T1D). We were drowning in all of the emotions that come with a T1D diagnosis, and on top of that, just a few short weeks later, we were faced with our first major (food-centric) holiday—Thanksgiving.

We all know that there isn’t anything “off-limits” for a person with T1D, but for parents who were just learning the ropes of T1D this holiday occurring so early on in our journey brought on some major anxiety. Needless to say, it didn’t take me long to begin exploring lower-carb alternatives to some of our Thanksgiving staples.

For those of you that may find yourselves in the same boat of navigating a Thanksgiving meal with T1D, I wanted to share some recipes for a complete Thanksgiving meal. All are some healthier/lower-carb alternatives to many traditional Thanksgiving dishes.

Click on the images below, for full recipes and nutritional information:

Autumn Fruit Salad

Roasted Carrots with Herbs

Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes

Cranberry Sauce

Greens Beans with Goat Cheese and Almonds

The Traditional Turkey

Crustless Pumpkin Pie

Hopefully, one, a handful, or all of these recipes will help you navigate Thanksgiving this year! Be sure to also check out these Thanksgiving tips for extra help.

WRITTEN BY Brooke Wheeler, POSTED 11/20/17, UPDATED 07/25/23

Brooke lives in the heart of the Midwest where, along with her husband, they raise their three children (two boys and a girl). Her 10-year-old son was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when he was just 21 months old. His diagnosis, and the desire to make an imprint on the diabetic community, ultimately led to the creation of her recipe blog, Finger Prickin' Good (fingerprickingood.com), where she shares kid-approved and diabetic-friendly recipes.