Prepare for a Healthier Turkey Day

Soon it will be time to gather and celebrate the harvest and other blessings of the past year. While it’s also a time to shop, prep, cook, bake, share and enjoy great food, Thanksgiving can also be an excuse to overeat.

Here are some tips to get through late November without becoming as stuffed as the turkey:

Eat a normal breakfast. Saving calories all day leads to overeating. Instead, eat light so you’re not starving for the big meal. Food variety also stimulates appetite: the more colors, textures, and options, the more your brain will drive you to eat.
Plan for a walk, run or bike ride. Sneaking in some physical activity throughout the day keeps metabolism humming and helps lower blood sugar, blood pressure and stress.
Think outside the box(ed stuffing mix). Consider shrimp cocktail with low-or no-added sugar cocktail sauce, roasted butternut squash soup sweetened with pumpkin pie spice or try one of these fall-based appetizers: 35 Fall Appetizer Recipes to Make Forever | EatingWell
Eat plants first. A charcuterie platter with fruit, veggies, hummus, nuts, seeds, pickles and mushrooms adds color with health benefits. Plant foods provide vitamins, minerals, water and, most importantly, fiber. Fiber fills you up, feeds your microbiome, decreases appetite, improves satiety (feeling satisfied and full) and helps lower your cholesterol level. Adults should aim for 30 grams of fiber daily from a variety of sources.
Anticipate alcohol and plan around it. Cocktails can drive appetite, which can cause overeating or lead to less-healthy choices. Serve alcohol in smaller glasses, add club soda or other sugar-free mixers, and limit servings. Try “skinny” versions of your usual drink, or stick with non-alcoholic versions or mocktails: 26 Best Mocktail Drink Recipes (thespruceeats.com)
When cooking, reduce the added salt and increase dried or fresh herbs and spices. Aromatics add flavor and many health benefits. Think onions, garlic, mushrooms, leeks, lemons, carrots, celery, apples, pears, chili peppers, ginger and parsnips. Substitute white flour for some whole wheat or other intact, ancient and whole grains: look for 100% on the label or check the Nutrition Facts panel for at least 3 grams of Dietary Fiber per serving. Try oats, quinoa, spelt, buckwheat, amaranth, teff, millet or other sprouted, seeded and multigrain options.
Find low-or no-added salt broth, bases, sauces, condiments and gravy. Check the Nutrition Facts panel for % Daily Value for Sodium; choose 5% or less for low-salt options and note 20% or more is a salty choice. The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggests adults stay under 2300 milligrams (mg) daily for sodium.
During baking, use less added sugar than the recipe calls for or try subbing unsweetened applesauce or prunes. Try fruit-based treats, add nuts and seeds, spices and extracts.
Use your fist. Your fist is roughly the size of your stomach at rest. Eating four times your stomach’s size will allow plenty of food choices without putting you into a food coma. Aim for only one fistful of grains or starches (bread, crackers, rice, noodles or pasta), one fistful of protein (meat, eggs, poultry, seafood or fish) and two fistfuls of plants.
Use a to-go container. If hosting, have reusable containers for folks at the ready. If visiting, bring your own food storage containers to take favorites home.
Be mindful. Focus on the people around you, be grateful for this meal and savor each bite, taking time to chew well and lay down your fork between bites. Cut food into smaller pieces, use a smaller sized plate or eat with your non-dominant hand.
Aim to sustain. We all live downstream, so take care of Mother Earth this holiday season. Spend food dollars on companies and services that keep our ecosystem healthy and intact or who give back to the planet. Take your turkey game to the next level by buying a locally raised bird.

Mindy Athas, R.D.N., is a diabetes care and education specialist at Carroll Hospital.

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