Thanksgiving Gratitude & Yummy Food: Tips for a Nourishing Feast

Thanksgiving is a day for family, friends, gratitude, and all things delicious. Whether it’s turkey, ham, cranberry sauce, pie, or every little treat in between, it’s important to make sure you’re eating a balanced meal. It’s also important to make sure you’re taking time to reflect on what you’re thankful for and share those things with your loved ones. Follow these five tips for having a nourishing meal and mindset this Thanksgiving.

There are two things to remember when it comes to eating a balanced meal: 

1. It’s easier to add nutritious things to a meal than it is to take away the treats you love
2.  Everything is okay in moderation! 

So, how do you keep your plate balanced and give yourself all the nutrients you need?

• Add more veggies. This can be as simple as trying a new roasted squash or sweet potato recipe! Maybe give sweet and salty a try instead of marshmallow-topped sweet potatoes. Again, adding key nutrients will help keep that Thanksgiving feast nice and balanced.
• Choose the leaner meat. While turkey is great no matter how you slice it, opting for the whiter, leaner meat has greater nutritional value than the darker meat. One 4-ounce serving of the white meat has 32 grams of protein and only 214 calories!
• Load up on salad. While salad may not scream “Thanksgiving”, it’s a simple, tasty way to get more veggies and more fiber. And it doesn’t have to look like a traditional salad – you know, greens, veggies, and dressing. It can be more exciting and enticing like this beet salad, or a pear salad, or maybe this butternut squash salad. Just like we don’t want you to deprive yourself of treats, don’t force yourself to eat a bland salad.

We know Thanksgiving and holiday food is top tier. But it’s important to slow down! Studies have shown that slowing down while you eat can actually help you feel fuller faster, and will help your brain and belly communicate to tell you when you should put the fork down. One way to do this is to put your utensils down between bites! This gives you the opportunity to savor the food you’re eating, and will give you a few seconds before you’re ready to take another bite.

There’s a common misconception that skipping breakfast and/or not eating until the big Thanksgiving feast will help reserve calories or give you more room. But in reality, it’s important to eat throughout the day. Skipping meals can lead to overeating at dinner, and cause you to skip a day of getting some key nutrients. You’ll feel much better (both mentally and physically), enjoy the food more, and your body will thank you. So take time to eat meals or small, healthy snacks throughout the day!

While Thanksgiving can bring all the good foods and beverages, it’s important to keep yourself hydrated, especially in the colder weather. As the weather cools down, it’s important to remember your body still needs water. This Thanksgiving, limit your alcohol, juice, and soda and opt for water instead. Drinking water can help you feel full, so you won’t overeat. One way to stay hydrated is to drink a glass of water before you eat food. If plain water doesn’t sound appealing or you always forget to hydrate, try sprucing it up! Do what you need to do to make sure you’re staying hydrated. 

Practicing gratitude can actually help boost your overall physical and mental health. It can also help you feel more satisfied and content with your life. Some of the benefits to practicing gratitude include: increased happiness and positive mood, less materialistic, less likely to experience burnout, better physical health, better sleep, less fatigue, less inflammation, and more. Practicing gratitude can also reduce depression symptoms. A review of 70 studies found an association between higher levels of gratitude and lower levels of depression. 

From the stuffing and mashed potatoes to the salads and pumpkin pie, Thanksgiving is definitely one of the most food-centric holidays. Make sure you enjoy all the goodies and keep your plate balanced to keep your body operating well, and don’t forget to talk about what you’re thankful for this year. Happy Thanksgiving!