Thanksgiving 101
Written by: Heather Gerrish, MS, RDN
Thanksgiving is a Holiday you might associate with friends, family, and thankfulness - which is absolutely true and representative of how many Holiday meals and celebrations are centered. Thanksgiving also tends to be the Holiday most commonly associated with - you guessed it food! Specifically, overeating, countless “Turkey Trots” or “Burn the Bird” workouts and that’s ok! An important consideration to this food-focused Holiday is how to balance your preferences, traditions and focus on enjoying the traditional meals you love while still feeling in control of what you choose to put in your body (aka - nutrition!). It’s not about depriving yourself of the dishes you crave all year long, but instead creating a healthy balance ensures that you can not only enjoy them but also feel good about sitting down and enjoying Thanksgiving with those you love.
This week we will review how to balance your personal nutrition practice and food preferences with the oftentimes unpredictable (or possibly, very predictable) Holiday dishes that will be served.
Things to Think of and Ask Yourself (Thanksgiving Prep):
Do you know the menu? What are 3 items you feel comfortable including on your plate?
Do you have any dietary restrictions that need to be addressed? If so, how do you plan to communicate this with the individual hosting dinner? Could you offer to arrive early and help prep? Bring a side dish that fits your dietary needs?
How will you prep ahead of time (specifically, how will you plan to not arrive “hangry”) so that you can enjoy reasonable portions of the foods you would like to try but also knowing that you at minimum ate something to provide your body energy if you find out that there are not as many options as you had hoped.
Create a signature dish. This could include a healthy spin, something specific to your dietary needs that you have tried and loved (and want to share!) or something simple you know is already a crowd-pleaser (everyone loves a good fruit tray).
Know that it is one day, one meal and one opportunity that will not disassemble your hard work, but more of an opportunity to practice balance and sustainability that will definitely come around again (we know that to be true!)
If you are curious to try out a new spin on a more traditional recipe, check out the tips and tricks below, many of which are so slight that the end product is oftentimes unrecognizable compared to the “original”!
Substitute sugar in baked goods with applesauce (this works well for breads/muffins and other sweet treats. Applesauce contains sweetness naturally from the sugars found in the fruit itself, but also you are getting in more fiber and nutrients by creating this sweet alternative. Try substituting half sugar/half applesauce at first and modify for taste.
Swap out heavy cream for ½ low-fat milk, ½ heavy cream. This will ensure that the flavor is still present in the dish, but also reduce the total calories and fat by a substantial amount!
Throw in vegetables at every opportunity available. Adding a double serving of green beans to your green bean casserole not only allows you to enjoy more for less (you end up eating more green beans vs. crunchy onions and cream of mushroom soup) but also you still get the flavor of a single serving. Focusing on fruits and vegetables is still an important trick even when enjoying savory dishes.
Don’t be a sorry snacker. Don’t allow yourself to graze the entire day. This can lead to mindless eating and is not as satisfying as sitting down to a delicious plate of food. Also, visualizing your food before eating it in one sitting can help to focus on one meal versus an entire day of snacking. If snacking is more of a trend in your home, try to limit yourself to one plate, just as if you were to dish up a plate. This will provide the same visual guidance to ensure that you are still in control of your choices and are mindful of the foods you select for the coveted spot on your Holiday Plate.
Practice some of these tips this week and beyond and know that this is only the start of a great Holiday Season!