Thanksgiving Swaps

Happy almost-Thanksgiving, y'all! It is so good to be home! 

Okay, so I know that Thanksgiving is all about spending time with family and eating a bunch of good food, but did you know that the average American will consume 4,500 calories and 229 grams of fat on Thanksgiving. Umm..ewww? When I read that, I seriously almost died. Now, for those of you who want to break out the stretchy pants and eat every bit of those 4,500 calories, go for it! BUT, for those of you who want to enjoy Thanksgiving without totally ruining your diet, here are a few simple swaps you can make on turkey day :) 

Ham has a lot more saturated fat and sodium than turkey. Also, the turkey has more protein in it. In terms of white vs. dark meat, technically the white turkey meat is a little better for you and has fewer calories, but the difference is really not that significant. 

Green bean casserole, while it is sinfully delicious and my personal favorite dish on Thanksgiving, is full of cream (which is synonymous with fat) and fried topping. This swap is pretty self-explanatory. Plain green beans are wonderful for you!

Whole grains are much better for you than the empty calories of starchy vegetables, like potatoes. However, be sparing with the butter on your rolls!

Cranberry sauce has fruit in it, and gravy doesn't have much nutritional value. 

Pies usually have more sugar and fat in them than cookies. And you are probably going to have a larger portion size of pie than you would by eating one or two small cookies. 

I hope y'all all have a WONDERFUL Thanksgiving! 

xoxo, y’all

Catherine