Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday! I know everyone LOOOOOOVES Christmas, but I think Thanksgiving is highly underrated – we have an excuse to take a few days off of normal life and just hang out with family and eat. How great is that?! However, if you’re trying to eat healthy or manage a chronic illness, it can be difficult to navigate the holiday season that so strongly revolves around food. So, how do you find balance this holiday season?
Luckily, I have some tips for us from my friend and dietitian, Betsy Britt of GroWell Nutrition! She has three recommendations for us:
- Start the day with fitness: consider getting the family outside for a touch football game or even a 5k walk or run.
- Eat a good breakfast: don’t skip breakfast to ‘save room’ for the afternoon feast. This may lead to binge eating less healthy foods later in the day.
- Skip the seconds: enjoy your first plate of food and wait 20 minutes before deciding whether you are still hungry for more.
Personally, I’m choosing to be intentional about what to eat – and where to splurge – for Thanksgiving. I’m swapping out the typical green bean casserole for this delicious, and much healthier, roasted honey garlic green bean dish. I’m also looking forward to sharing my favorite kale salad with everyone!
I plan to splurge on my mom’s sweet potato casserole (the kind with the roasted mini marshmallows on top – yum!). I’m allergic to apples, but every year I have a slice of my mother-in-law’s award winning apple pie and just deal with the consequences. 😆
If you’re looking for anti-inflammatory-approved side dishes to ‘upgrade’ your typical Thanksgiving fare, here are some excellent options:
Maple Roasted Sweet Potatoes & Brussel Sprouts
GF, DF Cornbread with Paleo/Keto options
I’ll be making this fresh salad with kale, pears, cranberries, fresh beets, quinoa, goat cheese, walnuts:
Grain-free Paleo “Cornbread” Stuffing
Dairy-free Paleo Mashed Potatoes
Butternut Squash Soup with Rosemary + Bacon
A friend sent this to me – this dish looks so beautiful! Had to share it here:
Anti-Inflammatory Diet Thanksgiving Desserts:
Keto, Vegan, Paleo Pumpkin Pudding
AIP Keto/Paleo/Vegan Apple Pie Bars
AIP/Vegan/Paleo Pumpkin Pie Truffles
GF Sweet Potato Pie w/Pecan Crust
I hope this is helpful to you as you are crafting your Thanksgiving menus this year! Don’t forget to check out some of my favorite anti-inflammatory meals that the whole family can enjoy and 8 Ways to Keep Your Kids Healthy This Holiday Season!
Happy Thanksgiving!
If you’re looking for simple anti-inflammatory meals that you can make on a weeknight for the whole family, check out my 7-Day Anti-Inflammatory Diet Meal Plan & Guide!
2 Comments
I love your tips for how to have a healthy Thanksgiving! And the reminder that it’s not all or nothing – you can make compromises for the things that you really want to enjoy! Skipping seconds will be hard BUT probably a good choice! HAHA! 😀 Thanks for a great list of recipes!
Yes so true! I’m often in an all-or-nothing mindset but striving for balance for sure.