How to make your Thanksgiving meal a little healthier

Thanksgiving is the day diets die.

And while you have the right to eat as much as you want—that’s what this day is all about for many people—that doesn’t mean you can’t make a few subtle changes to add new flavors and a few health benefits to yours Supplements.

Jennifer Dixon Cravens, an off-campus lecturer at the University of Maryland Extension, teaches nutrition in the agriculture program. Her advice is to make a conscious effort to be healthier about some things, and that means balancing any carbs you eat with fruits and vegetables and healthy proteins.

“Cook with ‘healthy’ in mind, so you don’t feel like you’re sacrificing flavor,” Cravens said. “You’re still eating your comfort food, but it’s healthier for you.”

She explained that it wasn’t that hard.

“You can use nuts and vegetables in your stuffing to add more heartiness to the stuffing since nuts are very high in protein,” Cravens said. “You could add mushrooms. You can add more onions, peppers and nuts to make it a little heartier and less greasy. You can also use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.”

She also suggested setting out a charcuterie board or fruit tray to graze on while you wait for the entrees to cook.

“It’s a way to get people to eat more fruits and vegetables than they normally would,” she said. “Raw vegetables, fresh fruits, dried fruits, healthy cheeses and the like.”

It’s actually a way to make portion control easier when you’re sitting down for the bird and any other side dishes. And even after that, she said it was a good idea to start with a soup or salad first.

“This way you eat less and get a healthier choice before you start the meal,” Cravens said. “You will feel fuller. You would eat less.”

She also suggested skipping the marshmallows that many people use to make sweet potato casseroles. Instead she said to try putting pecans or walnuts on top.

“You can put nuts on top and it has a nice, nutty, warm, comforting feel, as opposed to the processed marshmallows,” Cravens said.

She also said dried onions might be a healthier way to top your bean casserole instead of fried onions. And if you’re making macaroni and cheese, Cravens says you could replace the milk with non-dairy Greek yogurt or sour cream. A low-fat or dairy-free cheese can also make the dish a little healthier.

Instead of using sugar in certain recipes, add more cinnamon, nutmeg, or cloves.

“There’s still a sweetness to them, but it’s not as sweet anymore,” she said.

Instead of salt, add more herbs and spices, such as basil or oregano. Garlic powder, turmeric and cumin are also good alternatives.

“The whole thing is to reduce calories,” she said. “Research shows that people consume 3,000 to 5,000 calories during a holiday meal.”

That’s far more than people typically eat in a day, and with all the holidays happening between now and January, it’s an easy time to pack on a few pounds.

“A great way to start the new year,” she said, “is to close out the past year with a healthy diet.”

Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.

© 2024 WTOP. All rights reserved. This website is not intended for users within the European Economic Area.