It’s that time of year again. Time for one of the biggest eating days of the year! In fact, I’ve seen differing sources reporting the average thanksgiving meal is anywhere from 2300 to 5000 calories–WOW! I think those numbers need a bit of trimming, don’t you?
But you know me, it’s all about eating both nutritously AND deliciously. So I’m not about to tell you to just measure out your 3 oz of turkey, skip the gravy and fill up on salad. You could if you want certainly, but in my mind it’s all about finding a happy medium. So here are several ideas from which you can choose to do one, two, or all.
- Skip the turkey skin
- Skim the fat from the drippings before making gravy
- Take advantage of fall veggies for sides: carrots, sweet potatoes, squash, and more–there’s no rule that you can only have one vegetable side dish
- Skip the rolls and butter–with so much food it’s just an extra you don’t really need
- Take advantage of the chance to have fruit a your dinner plate–applesauce and cranberry sauce can be colorful, light additions to your meal
- It’s a long day, and for many work-free, so take some time for a brisk walk before or after the big meal, take the kids outside to play, or pull together a flag football game
- Eat a nutritious breakfast including fruit, some whole grain toast or cereal and lowfat or fat free yogurt or milk AND have small snacks every 3 to 4 hours to prevent that overhungry feeling which usually leads to overeating
A short post in a busy week–now you can get back to your holiday preparations and I can get back to mine. No matter what you choose to eat or not eat, be sure to have a Happy Thanksgiving!
Hi! I'm Heidi and I'm a Mom, a foodie, and a dietitian all rolled into one. Here I share my common sense thoughts, opinions, ideas, and more about raising healthy kids, eating nutritiously, and eating deliciously in the real world.
