Most retail websites have already begun their pre-Black Friday blowouts, and I don't know about everyone else, but I'm feeling a little overwhelmed. After all, the best thing about Thanksgiving break is getting to relax and spend time with friends and loved ones you might not get to see otherwise.
With such a short time away from work and school, it can be tempting to try to fit in as many shopping trips, get-togethers and outings as possible--and that can be fun, don't get me wrong! My point is that it's important to make valuable use of the time off, keeping unimportant distractions to a minimum. That's where I come in!
Tomorrow, as the food is being passed around, you don't want to find yourself in a panic, thinking: What can I eat? Is it even possible to eat healthily on Thanksgiving? It ALL looks good! Eh, forget it! I'll just eat some of everything and worry about it later! ... until later comes, and a tempting variety of homemade pies and desserts circulates before you--too good to refuse, even in your post-feast comatose state.
"Discipline" is not a word one typically associates with the holidays, and these are the least practical times to try to exercise discipline. It's better and more practical to go into Thanksgiving day with a game plan.
So without further ado...
HD's Simple Thanksgiving guidlines:
1. Choose your carbs wisely. This is perhaps the single most essential rule for holiday meal success. Carbs are hidden everywhere in a traditional Thanksgiving meal--from stuffing, to mashed potatoes (sweet or regular--usually both are offered at my house), to casseroles, and, of course, pie. I'm not one of those carb-nazis, who advocates total withdrawal from anything that might resemble the dreaded offenders, but I am all for minimizing consumption of refined carbs. My advice is to consider your favorites (think of it as your "carb budget"--this is good prep for Black Friday frugality). If you absolutely have to have your aunt's potato salad, consider skipping the mac and cheese. For me, stuffing is a must; I only have it a few times a year, and I consider it to be a justified splurge. With that in mind, I'll probably forgo the mashed potatoes--a small sacrifice, considering that I normally would just eat these as a matter of tradition.
2. Get your greens. Just because it's green, doesn't mean it's healthy. Go for fresh vegetables whenever possible--salad and veggie trays are perfectly sensible options, as long as dressing is used moderately. Cooked veggies are fine as well, as long as a lot of butter and salt isn't used to appeal to the indulgent crowd of holiday diners. Avoid veggie casseroles if you can help it. Casseroles in general are loaded with hidden bread crumbs, heavy condensed soup, cheese, and plenty of butter. Green bean and mushroom casseroles are delicious, but take my word for it, you'll be happy you passed them up--especially if you're a dessert person (like me) who likes to have the pie and eat it too.
3. Keep it simple. Food magazines and shows introduce new holiday recipes each year, and it seems like the meals get more elaborate as time goes by. My advice is to enjoy the classics! Like with great works of literature and music, classic holiday foods deserve their proper recognition. Turkey, salad and/or green beans (cooked plain, not the casserole), stuffing or potatoes, and pumpkin or apple pie. The simpler the meal, the easier it is to keep track of what exactly is being consumed, and how much.
4. Eat dessert! If you want--but why wouldn't you?! Like my third tip points out, you want to keep it simple here. Although it might seem tempting to try your cousin's pecan-cheesecake pie (yes, such a thing truly exists--run from it!), Thanksgiving dessert should be a nice way to end a good meal, not wreck your diet altogether. Fruit pies (apple, pumpkin, wildberry) feel just as indulgent as any dessert, but at least here there's the potential for some fiber, and, if it's a berry pie, antioxidants. With dessert, serving size is crucial. Use three fingers to measure the crust width of a reasonable serving of pie. If you can do without whipped cream and ice cream, it's a good idea to cut empty calories wherever possible. Tea and coffee can be helpful, calorie-free dessert accompaniments (or even substitutes, if dessert isn't your thing) that will help you feel satisfied faster.
Have a happy and safe Thanksgiving everyone! Eat, enjoy time with others, and above all, don't stress!
