With Thanksgiving this Thursday you might be planning your meal as we speak. Before you do that have you thought about how you can make your Thanksgiving meal healthier? There are about 4,500 calories in a typical Thanksgiving meal, that’s not including dessert. That’s a ton of calories for just one meal, that you will most likely have leftovers for. So how can a person enjoy the delicious food of Thanksgiving while also being mindful of what you’re putting on your plate? I have a few tips to help you in this area.
The Appetizers
The first thing is to remember to avoid the finger foods, such as chips and dips or anything that might just be lying around. Most finger foods are there to fill you up, but by skipping these quick fill-ups you will be able to avoid unnecessary calories. If you do choose to go for finger foods, look for the vegetables. A light salad would be fine, carrots, celery or even a cheese dip. Be sure to stay away from the slow-cooked meatballs and anything that might be fried. When it comes to the rolls, it’s better to avoid them altogether, and if you do decide to eat some, stay away from the butter. The appetizers themselves might be pleasing to the eyes, but remember that it’s not the main course.
Main Courses
When dealing with the main course, it will be important to choose the healthier options instead of what looks better. Instead of the calorie filled casserole, why not eat a vegetable soup. Instead of starches with tons of butter like mashed potatoes and yams, try something more with more greens. I know its hard to resist, but turn away from the gravy, which can contain tons of calories. Instead of eating that fried turkey skin, peel it off your turkey, which significantly makes the meal a lot healthier. When it comes to stuffing your turkey, look for alternative options. You can find tons of alternative options here. White meat for turkey has been proven to have fewer calories than dark and it might be a change you want to try to.
Desserts and Drinks
When it comes to the desserts, its worth to note, pumpkin pie is probably the lowest amount of calories you can have when it comes to the different pies. Although you would think that nuts are a healthier option, that’s not the case with a pecan pie, which can easily add 200 to 300 calories. If you can, stay away from the cheesecake, which can have at least 400 calories for one slice. When it comes to alcoholic beverages, stay away from the beer or any other empty calories that come with drinking and instead try a cranberry sparkler or even a spritzer, which taste far better and are a lot healthier. Here is a list of thanksgiving drink recipes for those who are interested.
Very informative article! I really learned a lot from this. Thank you so much for posting!