Thanksgiving is a day filled with friends, family, fun, and
(of course) food! While the traditions
of Thanksgiving may vary from gathering to gathering, the over-abundance is a
staple of this yearly feast. So here are
a few tips to help you to indulge while being mindful of healthy eating habits
and keeping your stress levels low.
1. Skip the Apps
The pre-meal munchies and appetizers are tempting, but
devastating to anyone looking to keep a moderate calorie count. Chips, dips, and finger foods may be yummy,
but when added to the massive meal that generally comes with Thanksgiving, they
are just extra calories that could be better consumed with holiday foods.
2. Downsize the
Turkey to a Chicken
Not only is a whole chicken easier and quicker to cook than
a turkey. This can help keep you from
getting frazzled in the kitchen and leave you to enjoy the holiday rather than
be stuck by the oven.
3. Make your Dressing
from Scratch
Skip the boxed stuffings and bring in the fresh
veggies. By doing it yourself, you can
add in a lot more nutritionally sound ingredients to this Thanksgiving staple
and reduce the excess salt that is often in the boxed stuff. Also, you can prepare this the day before so
all you have to do is cook it quick, like you would with boxed stuffing, giving
you fresh, homemade dressing without the stress.
4. Make Cranberries
from Scratch
Like above, doing it yourself will help you cut out excess
sugars and let you add in some yummy flair that will make your cranberry sauce
unique. While this might add some work
to your preparations, it generally can be prepared the night before.
5. Skip the Dinner
Rolls!
Unless it's grandma's fresh baked bread, or Uncle Steve's
famous rolls, skip the bread.
Thanksgiving is a meal filled with carbohydrates. Skipping the bread will allow you to enjoy
the other delicious carbs and starches, like potatoes, yams, and corn.
6. Make it Fresh
While green bean casserole may be a classic, plain green
beans with some light seasoning is just as yummy and not as heavy in
calories. Or, if you're feeling
adventurous, substitute in a fresh salad with Thanksgiving favorites like
cranberries, pecans, and other fall foods instead of that tired ol' bean dish.
7. Stick with the
Pumpkin Pie
It's a trademark of the holiday, so why stray? While some jazzy, new flavor of pie may be
tempting, the Thanksgiving classic is generally lower in calories than many
berry alternatives. It's also easier to
cut into smaller slices for the just the perfect cap at the end of an epic
meal.
Source: http://www.healthy-diet-habits.com/thanksgiving.html
