It seems like the minute Halloween ends, the Christmas season begins, with the stores in my neighborhood decked out with trees and stockings, and my inbox full of gift guides!
But can we also talk about the other holiday? The one in November that we almost all celebrate?
Here are some of the ways you can make this year’s Thanksgiving healthier (and saner!).
Use Gimme’s Thanksgiving Recipes
There are several healthy Thanksgiving recipes that we’ve been making since I was born, and my unbiased opinion is that they are not only the healthiest, but also the yummiest.
We’ve published super simple recipes for:
- My dad’s top-secret cranberry sauce, with chia seeds as the secret ingredient.
- My mom’s favorite maple yams.
- My mom’s famous sprouted stuffing, which is made with sprouted bread.
Order Healthy Food
If you don't have a local farmer you love, check out Farm to People for everything from turkey to produce--or you can get pies, sides, or even an entire heat-and-serve feast. Use code MAIAJ14 to get $25 off your first box.
If you want to do a semi-homemade Thanksgiving, I really love Wildgrain fermented bread and pastries. I got a bunch of stuff for hosting Thanksgiving last year (my kids also love the croissants, and they are healthier than the organic kind in the tubes).
You could even order the entire Thanksgiving meal kit from Sunbasket, which takes all the planning and shopping off your list.
Finally, don't forget that we sell healthier, toxin-free essentials in Gimme's marketplace, including salt, olive oil, bread, honey, bone broth, and maple syrup.
Pour Something Festive
If you don't care about a real buzz, but just want to be festive and get maybe a little relaxation, I am SO into Recess adaptogenic mocktails. The Mule and the Cosmo are the two best holiday flavors.
I also always love kombucha and this is my new favorite brand.
If you’re in the mood for wine, I’m currently most into Maker, especially their sparkling varieties, which typically are lower ABV.
Cook with Safer Cookware
Check out our Safe Cookware Guide to help you choose safer cookware for the biggest cooking season of the year.
Some of my favorites for holiday cooking are this Dutch oven, this saucepan, and this roaster. You can see in the photo above that last year we also used some Xtrema, some Le Creuset, and some Lodge for items that went from stove/oven to table.
For carving and serving the Thanksgiving turkey, I like this carving knife and fork set.
Make Movement a Tradition
I've never participated in a Turkey Trot, but growing up in Vermont, we'd always take a walk up a mountain road after the meal.
Now that we often host in Brooklyn, we play football at the playground (or some of us do, anyway).
Get Some Good Stuff to Kick Off the Holiday Season
It's already dark and cold here in NYC, and it's only going to get worse. So starting now, I'm going all in on the holidays. Here are a few ideas if you'd like to do the same.
- Our scented candles come in cozy scents that are perfect for autumn and the holidays.
- Hallmark movies are already airing, so any minute now I will begin watching this year's crop. Did you know that there are more than 150 new made-for-TV holiday movies every year?!?!
- If you have littler kids, you need these pajamas. Or get a matching set for the family.
- There are SO many fun advent calendars these days. A few that I've spotted for 2026:
- PORTA’s Night Before Christmas Advent Calendar builds a festive little house one day at a time, with 24 cardboard pop-out pieces.
- True Botanicals’ Advent Calendar has 12 clean skincare formulas tucked inside.
- Sarah’s Silks makes several beautiful advent calendars, from nutcracker to nativity themes.
- This wine calendar from Maker is amazing for a teacher or a friend, and it sells out every single year.
- Coral & Tusk's advent calendars are legitimate works of art.
- My mom would love this advent calendar for a book-lover, and Wolfie would love this candy one (but I'm no fun and won't get it for him--we need a healthier candy version!).
- Haba's wooden-figure advent calendar is perfect for toddlers.
- One year, my MIL gave me this great advent calendar and I tried every tea bag!
