Better Thanksgiving Choices

It's about that time of year again, the meal cookers are rushing around to get the last of their Thanksgiving meal ingredients while the meal eaters are prepping their stomachs by fasting for the past few days. I just love it!! Thanksgiving is my absolute favorite holiday because of the 3 Fs; family, food and football (booze is also included, but for obvious reasons it's not listed). Families come in from all over the country to sit around, catch up, watch football and be thankful for each other...what's better than that?! Thanksgiving is definitely my Achilles heel, I can eat like a normal person the rest of the year but on this one day, I stack my plates (yes, I said plates) high with mountains of mashed potatoes, piles of turkey, stuffing, cranberry and lather it all with gravy.

I'm literally getting hungry just thinking about it. In this blog post, I will be making suggestions and comparisons on different choices you can make to ensure a healthier Thanksgiving. These are just merely suggestions, but just so you don't hate yourself tomorrow for eating more food in one sitting than all the meals of the week prior, take a read!

Turkey: White Meat or Dark Meat?
When it comes to turkey, most people have the part that they like, Uncle Bob gets a leg, your dad gets a wing, and everyone has to fight over the white and dark meat. To make your plate a little lighter this year, opt for the white meat. White meat (3 oz) packs 115 calories and 7 grams of fat, while its darker counterpart packs 160 calories and 11 grams of fat, respectively.
Better Choice: White Meat

Casserole: Green Bean or Sweet Potato?
In my opinion, the sides served at Thanksgiving are just as important as the turkey. Casseroles have been a staple on many Thanksgiving dinner tables and when choosing between the two, opt for the green bean casserole. About 1 cup of GB casserole has an average of 161 calories and 9 grams of fat (including the creamy mushroom soup and fried onion topping) which is a lighter pick than SP casserole which packs a whopping 285 calories and 5 grams of fat. The reason for this is that green beans are low-calorie foods to start with, although sweet potatoes are full of good-for-you nutrients, such as beta carotene which is packed with vitamin A and antioxidants.
Better Choice: Green Bean Casserole

Toppings: Cranberry Sauce or Gravy?
Believe it or not, gravy is the better choice here. Although there are tons of different ways to prepare both gravy and cranberry sauce, 1/4 of gravy has about 30 calories and 1.5 grams of fat while cranberries have 110 but 0 grams of fat. The elevated calorie count for the cranberry sauce is due to added sugars. That being said, you don't need to drench your whole plate in gravy, make your gravy mashed potato boat and fill it up so you can dip everything else later!
Better Choice: Gravy

Starchy Sides: Mashed Potatoes or Stuffing?
Personally, I love mashed potatoes, one of my all-time favorite foods. They are so versatile and you can put practically anything you want in them; bacon, cheese, sour cream, chives, horseradish or even sneak in some veggies! One cup of your typical mashed potatoes puts you at about 230-260 calories and about 7 grams of fat, while one cup of typical stuffing comes in with over 340 calories and almost 15 grams of fat. There are many ways to lighten up both these dishes; add some turnips, cauliflower florets or some sweet potatoes to your mashed to lighten up the load by up to 60 calories. As for the stuffing, lighten up on butter, and other fatty ingredients.
Better Choice: Mashed Potatoes

Dessert: Apple or Pumpkin Pie?
By this time of the meal, most people either take a nap or try and release a huge belch to make room for a slice of their favorite pie. For one slice of apple pie, it will cost you about 410 calories and almost 20 grams of fat, while the pumpkin pie has about 315 calories and 14 grams of fat per slice. Although neither are healthy options, the pumpkin has so many benefits and doesn't have the double-crust that apple pie does, which saves you on a few calories. The whipped topping that sits atop your pumpkin pie also has less calories than that warm vanilla ice cream that usually accompanies the apple.
Better Choice: Pumpkin Pie

There you have it my friends, just some things to keep you thinking healthier on your Thanksgiving day. I for one cannot wait for Thanksgiving and I wish you all a happy and healthy one!!

ENJOY!!