Thanksgiving Foods Your Dog Can (and Can’t) Eat

If you’re celebrating Thanksgiving, your house is about to smell like roasted turkey, sage, chaos, and pure temptation. Your dog already knows it. The second everyone sits down, that hopeful face slides into position under the table, tail thumping like it’s auditioning for a bass solo. We’ve all got that one relative who thinks “just a little bite won’t hurt.”

This year, beat them to it. Screenshot this, text it to the family group chat, tape it to the fridge—whatever it takes. Here’s the

approved guide to what your dog can actually eat on Thanksgiving without ruining the weekend.

Green-Light Foods – Safe, Healthy, and Actually Beneficial

• Plain turkey meat (skin removed, no seasoning, no brining)
  The holiday jackpot. Lean, biologically appropriate protein. Raw or lightly cooked—both are perfect. White or dark meat works.

• Plain green beans – raw or lightly steamed
  Lowest-calorie, high-fiber veggie on the table. Raw = dental workout; steamed = senior-friendly. Most raw-fed dogs inhale them.

• Plain sweet potatoes – steamed, boiled, or baked (cooked only)
  Beta-carotene and vitamin C powerhouse. Cooking eliminates solanine and makes starches digestible. Serve soft and unseasoned.

• Plain pumpkin – fresh roasted or 100 % pure canned (no pie filling)
  Raw community gold standard for gut health. Firms loose stools, feeds good bacteria, keeps anal glands happy.

• Fresh or frozen cranberries – 2–5 berries max (cut up)
  Tart UTI fighters packed with antioxidants. A fun acidic pop most dogs love.

• Carrots – steamed, boiled, or lightly roasted (cooked only)
  Excellent beta-carotene source. Cooking softens them, boosts nutrient absorption, and prevents choking or hard-to-digest chunks.

Red-Light Foods – Toxic or Dangerous (Zero Tolerance)

• Turkey skin & cooked bones → pancreatitis + splintered intestines

• Gravy, pan drippings, butter, cream sauces → onion/garlic + fat overload

• Stuffing/dressing → almost always contains onions, garlic, raisins, or excess sage

• Mashed potatoes with dairy or garlic → lactose intolerance + allium toxicity

• Cranberry sauce → sugar + possible xylitol

• Onions, garlic, chives, leeks, shallots (any form) → hemolytic anemia

• Grapes & raisins → acute kidney failure

• Chocolate → theobromine poisoning

• Xylitol (sugar-free anything) → hypoglycemia + liver failure

• Yeast dough & baked rolls → bloat/alcohol poisoning or junk carbs

• Macadamia nuts, pecans, moldy walnuts → tremors and neurotoxicity

• Alcohol (even vanilla extract) → CNS depression/coma

Raw-Feeder Pro Move: Build Their Own Crudo Thanksgiving Plate

Skip the begging and the stress. While everyone else is passing the marshmallow sweet potatoes, give your dog:

• A big chunk of plain raw or lightly seared turkey

• A generous scoop of plain pumpkin

• A handful of raw or steamed green beans

• 2–3 fresh cranberries for zing

• Top with a freeze-dried liver treat as “dessert”

Portion note: Size matters!
Thanksgiving extras should be no more than 10–15 % of their normal daily calories so you don’t throw off digestion or weight.
Wondering exactly how many total calories (and grams) your dog needs this winter—especially once the Chicago windchill hits?
→ Check my full winter feeding guide here: Exactly How Much Raw Food to Feed Your Dog in Chicago Winter (Cold = Higher Calories)

They get the full holiday experience. You get peace of mind. Quick Survival Tips

1. Gate the kitchen or crate during the madness—prevention beats panic.

2. Appoint one “official dog treater” so ten different hands aren’t sneaking ten different things.

3. Save the ASPCA Poison Control number now: (888) 426-4435.

Save this post. Share it with every relative who thinks “he’s fine, he eats everything!” Your dog will thank you. Your wallet will thank you. And you’ll actually get to eat your pie in peace.

Happy Thanksgiving from one Chicago raw-feeding family to yours—may your turkey be juicy, your green beans plain, and your vet stay closed.

P.S. Hide the onions. Seriously.