Would it surprise you to know that some vegetable dishes top the list when it comes to favorite sides at Thanksgiving? Google Thanksgiving food trends reveal that there can be some fun ways to approach this meal. Here are a few tasty tidbits inspired by this trend report to help round out your turkey dinner from a taste, balance and nutrition perspective:
Green bean casserole and sweet potato casserole
How fun that two colors of fruits and veggies that are called out in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (orange and green) are on the favorites list for Thanksgiving! How we prepare these tasty veggies matters, and the holiday meal is no exception. If your recipes call for ingredients that may be higher in fat (cream soup and fried onions with your green beans), added sugar (marshmallow with your sweet potatoes), you have some nice options to choose from.
- Practice portion control in a classic dish made “as is”.
- Consider reducing the amount of ingredients that aren’t as nutritious.
- Try serving a new version of this favorite.
- Consider the other side dishes so the total meal offers options to balance out the choices overall.
…And it’s pumpkin (pie) for the win!
From this favorite to pecan to sweet potato and more, pies are a favorite dessert to end our meal of thanks. What can we do here? Take your pick:
- Make a one crust instead of two crust pie.
- Cut smaller slices (there’s that portion control option again!)
- Alter ingredients where you can. Can you use a reduced fat version of anything? Would a smaller amount of a high calorie ingredient work? Can you use a more nutritious version of something?
Breakfast, snacks, and exercise
When it comes to food choices, take a moment to consider the total day, total week, and how everything fits together. If one meal will be higher in calories and treat type foods, use your other meals and snacks to fit in food groups that may not be available at that particular meal. Fitting in activity is a great way to help manage your day and intake, too.
We can be thankful for the wonderful food choices we have and for the memories of sharing favorite dishes. What will be your favorite fall food memory for 2018?
