Today, Thanksgiving is a holiday all about the comfort of family, friends and food. Though turkey is the traditional centerpiece of the holiday, it isn’t the only meat that deserves a place at the table.

The traditional Thanksgiving dinner includes any number of dishes: turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, candied yams, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie. But have you ever thought about how the first Thanksgiving dinner looked? Do you think their spread looked like ours does today or was it different?

It’s very likely that the Native Americans present at the first Thanksgiving provided seafood for the pilgrims to eat. While crab cakes were not in existence at this time, it's likely that the Native Americans served seafood such as crabs, clams, mussels, fish and oysters.

Seafood is light, easy to prepare and full of valuable nutrients. It is a great source of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, protein, selenium, vitamin D and vitamin B. Best of all, shellfish and fin fish are low in calories. The Calorie Control Council has estimated that most Americans eat approximately 4,500 calories during their Thanksgiving meal between dinner and drinks. That is more than twice the number of calories recommended per day! Substituting seafood to replace sausage, bacon or ham in your side dishes is a good way to make your Thanksgiving dinner a little lighter without giving up the foods you love.

So, whether you’re trying to get back to the original Thanksgiving “roots” or just trying to find healthier and lighter options for this year’s Thanksgiving dinner; keep seafood at the top of your list of ingredients to buy. 

We have posted 4 new seafood side dish recipes sure to make your Thanksgiving Day feast a success. 

Check out our recipe section for ideas to help you create a seafood Thanksgiving menu that will transport you to new fresh and flavorful holiday territory.