52 Expert Tips for Healthier Eating This Thanksgiving

The abundance of delicious (and often calorie-dense) holiday foods can be overwhelming. So, how can you indulge while still sticking to your diet? Our tips on diet and nutrition will help you trim calories while still enjoying a festive Thanksgiving spread.

MAIN COURSE OPTIONS

1. Go for Fish: Fish is naturally lower in calories than both chicken and ham, and certain varieties are packed with heart-healthy fats. Just be mindful to skip the creamy sauces!

2. Skip the Ham: Ham is one of the fattiest meats, with just one serving delivering 25% of your daily allowance of artery-clogging saturated fat.

3. Dark Meat is Fine: While dark meat has a few more calories than white meat, it provides more vitamins and minerals. To save on calories, avoid eating the skin.

4. Remove the Skin: Whether you choose white or dark meat, always opt for skinless. Just one ounce of skin contains 80 calories and 2 grams of fat!

5. Try Something Different: Pork roast includes both fatty and lean portions of meat, but it's seasoned with herbs and spices (not brown sugar and butter), keeping the fat content minimal.

6. Avoid Red Meat: Red meat is one of the fattiest sources of protein. Be sure to trim the excess fat and serve portions roughly the size of your palm.

7. A Simple Calorie Saver: Opt for light meat instead of dark meat to save 30 calories.

8. Use Gravy Sparingly: Roasted turkey is a great option for your holiday meal. Just don’t overdo it with the gravy—it adds about 20 calories per ounce.

9. Skip the Fried Foods: Piling fried chicken onto your plate takes up space for healthier sides. One serving packs nearly 500 calories and half of your daily saturated fat allowance.

SIDE DISHES

10. Decadent Sides: With a tempting mix of cheese, sour cream, and butter, au gratin potatoes are best enjoyed in moderation. Opting for low-fat cheese and cream is a good way to lighten the dish.

11. Skip the Baked Beans: Beans are a great source of fiber and iron, but this casserole is packed with brown sugar, molasses, and honey. Skip the bacon to save 42 calories.

12. Avoid Biscuits: Homemade biscuits typically use whole milk and butter for their soft texture. They are calorie-dense, so choosing cornbread might be a better option.

13. Steamed = Lean: Steamed broccoli is a light and nutritious side dish. Just don’t ruin it by smothering it with a heavy, fat-laden cheese sauce.

14. Choose Coleslaw Wisely: Coleslaw recipes can vary greatly. If it’s drenched in mayo, it's best to skip it. A version made with vinegar and herbs is a much healthier, diet-friendly option.

15. Skip the Butter: Cornbread is a Thanksgiving classic that’s tough to resist. Enjoy it without the butter to save 30 calories.

16. Fresh is Always Better: Canned cranberry sauce often comes with added sugars and preservatives, while fresh cranberry sauce is a healthier option. Either way, it won’t ruin your diet.

17. Make Your Creamed Spinach Lighter: Spinach is one of the healthiest vegetables, but adding butter and cream can add unwanted calories. For a lighter version, try swapping in reduced-fat cream cheese instead of heavy cream.

18. Skip the Bread Basket: Why waste calories on bread when you can enjoy another serving of your favorite holiday dish? Pass on the rolls and savor something else.

19. Go Green! Without the creamy, cheesy additions, green beans are a fantastic choice. Enhance their flavor with garlic, lemon juice, or a sprinkle of Parmesan.

20. Casserole Caution: While this dish includes green beans packed with vitamins, it’s covered in cheese, cream, and butter. Save 50 calories by skipping the fried onion topping.

21. Be Picky with Salads: While not overly caloric, congealed salad, a Jell-O-based dish, often contains added sugars and creams. Skip it and make room for something sweeter instead!

22. Control Your Mac and Cheese: This cheesy, creamy dish is hard to resist, but it’s loaded with cheese, milk, and breadcrumbs. If you must have it, go for a small portion.

23. Naturally Boost Flavor: Mashed potatoes can be made healthier by using low-fat milk, herbs, and garlic, while cutting back on butter and cream.

24. Skip the Pumpkin Bread: While pumpkin is full of vitamin A, pumpkin bread is loaded with sugar and fat. Opt for a side of sweet potatoes instead.

More Tips

25. Watch Your Salt Intake: Sauerkraut may be low in calories, but it's high in sodium. Keep your serving size small to prevent feeling bloated.

26. Add Brussels Sprouts to Your Menu: Brussels sprouts are packed with vitamins K and C. Toss them with a bit of olive oil and herbs for a nutritious side dish.

27. Limit Sweet Potato Servings: While sweet potato casserole can be overloaded with sugar, sweet potatoes themselves are rich in fiber, which helps keep you satisfied. Stick to a 1/2 cup portion.

28. Choose Stewed Tomatoes: Stewed tomatoes are low in calories and a great source of vitamin C, which helps protect against cancer.

29. Revamp the Stuffing: Traditional stuffing can be high in sodium from broth and loaded with croutons, making it a diet trap. Lighten it up by using turkey sausage, adding plenty of onions and mushrooms for flavor, and opting for low-sodium broth.

DESSERTS

30. Go for a Plain Slice of Pie: Skip the extra calories from a la mode and save 250 calories by enjoying a simple slice of pie.

31. Make Banana Pudding Lighter: By using low-calorie dairy products, you can keep banana pudding under 300 calories. Switching to reduced-fat vanilla wafers further cuts down on calories.

32. Lighten the Pie Crust: Reduce calories in blueberry pie by cutting back on butter in the crust and flavoring the berries with vanilla extract instead of sugar.

33. Revamp Mincemeat Pie: Mincemeat pie can be packed with calories from nuts and dried fruits, but these ingredients are a healthier alternative to butter-laden chocolate, making it a better option to end your meal.

34. Try Half and Half: Pecan pie is not exactly diet-friendly, but it's hard to resist. To make it easier on your waistline, try taking half a slice of pecan pie and half a slice of pumpkin pie.

35. Pumpkin Is Your Friend: Canned pumpkin creates a low-calorie filling, and even when combined with brown sugar and cream, it’s still a lighter choice that won’t ruin your diet.

36. Skip the Whipped Cream: Adding whipped cream adds another 80 calories, but even without it, pumpkin pie is still one of the lighter dessert options on the table.

37. Opt for Sweet Potato Pie: Sweet potato pie, like pumpkin pie, uses a vegetable base to cut down on calories. Skip the meringue topping, and you can save yourself 100 calories.

DRINKS

38. Choose the Bubbles: Want to feel fancy? Stick to a single glass of sparkling wine to keep your calorie count in check.

39. Brew a Cuppa: Plain coffee is virtually guilt-free. However, if you add cream and sugar, you’re piling on unnecessary calories. Keep it black to stay on track.

40. Lighten Up: One beer won’t hurt your waistline, but if you’re planning to drink several, try alternating between light beer and regular beer to cut down on the empty calories.

41. Skip the Beer Belly: Opting for light beer instead of regular beer can save you 50 calories per drink.

42. Brew a Cup: Tea is a great option as long as you skip the extra sugar. Choose green tea to potentially give your metabolism a little lift.

43. Flavor Without the Calories: Tea is already super low in calories, and you can add a burst of citrus by spiking it with lemon or lime juice – just skip the sugar.

44. Skip the Milk: With all the rich butter and cheese on your plate, you might want to stick to water instead of adding milk to your drink.

45. Red Wine is Fine: One glass of red wine may stain your teeth, but it won’t sabotage your diet, and it might even benefit your heart.

46. Cut Back on Cocktails: Rum mixed with fruit juices can pack in more calories than a slice of pumpkin pie. Drink with care!

47. Skip the Sangria: While the fruit in sangria adds flavor, it’s loaded with sugar, making it a poor choice for your waistline. Opt for a plain glass of wine instead for fewer calories.

48. Can It: A single can of soda contains 10 teaspoons of sugar. Wouldn't it be better to enjoy a sweet dessert instead?

49. Feel Free to Go Fizzy: Sparkling water looks elegant in a glass and is completely free of calories and guilt.

50. Avoid Apple Cider: Apple cider is essentially sweetened apple juice with little nutritional value. Keep your serving size small if you indulge.

51. Water is Where It’s At: Water contains zero calories and might even help curb your hunger while you sip.

52. Welcome White Wine: A single glass of white wine won't add too many calories to your intake, and it won't stain your tablecloth if you happen to spill. Just avoid finishing the whole bottle.