Thanksgiving is a time for feasting and indulging in good food. But Thanksgiving is for many also an excuse to overindulge and make less healthy food choices. While there’s nothing wrong with enjoying some good holiday food, you can still do it with an eye towards healthier choices. Here are some tips that can help you eat healthier for Thanksgiving.
You can start with a better choice of stuffing. It may be a serious time-saver, but you’ll pay dearly in other ways for premade or boxed stuffing mixes. Boxed stuffing mixes are usually very high in sodium, that’s what gives it a salty taste. Better to go with whole-grain options which like whole-wheat bread are a better base for Thanksgiving stuffing because they’re naturally more flavorful than white bread.
Two of the more traditional pies for Thanksgiving are pecan and pumpkin pie. Of the two, pumpkin pie is by far the healthier choice. While pecan pie is traditionally made using generous amounts of sugar and corn syrup, pumpkin pie is loaded with fiber and beta carotene. If you’re looking for a healthier desert with less calories pumpkin pie is the way to go.
The turkey itself is relatively low in calories if you stick to skinless white meat. Most nutritionists agree that it’s OK to eat a little more than the recommended 3 ounces of protein during the holiday meal. Other than that, it’s a good idea to keep the serving sizes down. When we get large serving sizes we’re more apt to try and clean the plate, so it makes more sense to get smaller servings and just get more if you’re still hungry.
Just remember that the first bites of any food are the often most enjoyable, so it doesn’t take a lot to satisfy your cravings for certain holiday foods. Above all, just enjoy the meal for what it is, a chance to gather with friends and loved ones.
