Thanksgiving dinner can be the best meal of the year, but the worst for your diet. One estimate puts the traditional turkey feast at 2,100 calories; another tops out at about 3,500. You don't need to hit either amount to have a delicious, abundant meal. You don't want to be actually dieting on Thanksgiving either. The sense of denial might send you off on a rebound quest for rich desserts and high-carb snacks.
The trick is to cut back on the calories without feeling deprived. Here are a few suggestions for a better Thanksgiving. You'll notice some smarter versions of traditional favorites. Depending on your choices, you could save more than 1,000 calories with these delightful dozen tips. Even if you're dining at someone else's home, you don't have to be at the mercy of whatever fattening dishes are there. You can take along a smarter choice or two to share.
The Delightful Dozen
- Be thankful for turkey, and load up on white meat. Dark turkey meat has more fat.
- Have fat-free gravy.
- Use 98% fat-free mushroom soup for the green-bean casserole.
- Have baked sweet potatoes topped with a little light margarine and nutmeg or cinnamon.
- Have two types of healthy vegetables steamed with herbs, not swimming in buttery or creamy sauces.
- Sip one glass of red wine instead of having several mixed drinks.
- Have lighter stuffing, made with minimal fat and cooked as a side dish, not in the bird.
- Use sugar-free gelatin for molded salads.
- Serve whole-wheat dinner rolls, and have only one.
- Wait 10 minutes after you finish your first plate before going back for seconds (you probably won't be hungry by then because your satiety center will have kicked in).
- Have pumpkin pie, not pecan pie, and have a smaller piece.
- Take a long walk during the day, and one after dinner if possible.
