By Danielle Denenberg
Staff Writer
Thanksgiving is around the corner and we all know what that means: an abundance of food, perhaps prepared by the best cook in the family. For those of you who are trying to stay healthy, throw your worries aside now! There are plenty of ways you can enjoy Thanksgiving dinner and still stay healthy:
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Swap the food for healthier choices:
There are many ways to do this: you can have white meat instead of dark meat, vegetables as a side dish instead of stuffing, or flat bread on the table instead of rolls. Why not help out with the cooking this year so that you can ensure there are healthier options on the table? You can either do the cooking yourself, or provide your relatives who are cooking with suggestions of healthier choices. Your family can enjoy apple pie instead of pecan pie. Or, instead of regular apples, baked apples are a delicious alternative. If you decide you are a fan of stuffing, there are ways you can make it healthier: for example, if your family tends to use bread in the recipe, make it with whole grain bread instead of white. The ingredients in stuffing can include vegetables or low-calorie foods.
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Control your portions:
While white meat is healthier, you may prefer dark meat. That is okay. Just pick one or the other instead of both and eat the dark meat in small quantities. Pick one side dish to eat and save a different one for the next day’s leftovers. This way you can enjoy both foods but eat less at a time!
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Exercise:
There are plenty of ways to exercise on Thanksgiving. Participate in the family football games this year. If you’re not a fan of football, gather up some family members and take a walk or play another sport. With all the dinner guests around, any of these activities should be twice the fun.
Happy feasting!
