Build a Better Thanksgiving Plate
Practice healthy eating this Thanksgiving with our tips for people with diabetes, GERD, celiac disease, and weight control concerns.
Give thanks: Even if you're on a special diet, you can have a fun and tasty Turkey Day. Here's how to construct a meal worthy of the celebration, whether you're trying to lose weight, managing a digestive disorder, need to keep diabetes in check or must eat gluten-free. Here's a cheat sheet of safer and healthier options to help you make the most of the available Thanksgiving menu — without giving you anything to regret in the morning.
Dietary Challenge: Weight Loss
Goal: Fill up, but don't fill out
According to the Calorie Control Council, the average person puts away approximately 4,500 calories on Thanksgiving Day, well over twice the recommended daily calorie intake. Some say that may be an overestimate, but it's safe to assume that Thanksgiving isn't exactly a weight-loss-friendly event. For a holiday meal that's in line with your goal, select high-volume, low-calorie foods that will fill your stomach but keep your calorie intake moderate.
Choose from: Butternut squash soup, roasted turkey, green salad, wild rice, roasted potatoes, sweet potatoes, roasted acorn squash, peas and carrots, green beans, sauteed spinach, brussels sprouts, a small piece of pumpkin pie, a ramekin of creme brulee, fruit salad.
Skip these: Cranberry sauce, stuffing, green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole, macaroni and cheese, corn bread, dinner roll, pecan pie, apple pie.
Tip: Start with a soup course. Research shows that people who eat soup first consume up to 20 percent fewer calories over the course of a meal and may face a lower risk of obesity or being overweight. And limit yourself to one glass of wine. The more alcohol you drink, the lower your inhibitions, and the less likely you'll stick to your plan for eating well.
Dietary Challenge: GERD
Goal: Feel satisfied and hold back heartburn
Gastroesophageal reflux disease, also known as GERD or acid reflux, occurs when stomach acid is released into the lower esophagus because of a relaxed lower esophageal sphincter (LES). If you have GERD, try to keep meal size to a minimum — large amounts of food cause pressure on the stomach, which can push the LES open and lead acidic fluids to irritate the esophagus. You may also want to eat meals relatively low in fat and free of acidic foods, including tomatoes and citrus fruits, and avoid anything with caffeine, such as chocolate or coffee. Everyone has different triggers, though, so be aware of what irritates your stomach.
Choose from: White meat turkey, roasted potatoes, sweet potatoes, peas and carrots, brussels sprouts, green beans, sauteed spinach, stuffing, sweet potato casserole, dinner roll, a small slice of pumpkin pie.
Skip these: Cranberry sauce, gravy, green bean casserole, coffee, chocolate cake.
Tip: Use a salad plate instead of a dinner plate — you'll naturally choose smaller portions, according to research from Cornell University.
Dietary Challenge: Diabetes
Goal: Eat well and balance your blood sugar
"Thanksgiving is no excuse to go way off the rails — you won't feel very well if you do," says Robyn Webb, MS, a nutritionist, cookbook author and culinary instructor in Washington, DC. "But you don't have to skip everything in favor of a bland plate of food." There are plenty of choices on the Thanksgiving table for people with diabetes, adds Webb, who is also the food editor of Diabetes Forecast magazine. Focus on protein, whole grains, and nonstarchy vegetables (lower-carb ones like leafy greens) and whole grains, and opt for portion-controlled desserts.
Choose from: Deviled eggs, butternut squash soup, turkey, green salad, wild rice, roasted potatoes, sweet potatoes, roasted acorn squash, green beans, brussels sprouts, sauteed spinach, a small slice of pumpkin pie, a ramekin of creme brulee.
Skip these: Cranberry sauce, sweet potato casserole, macaroni and cheese, stuffing, corn bread, dinner roll, pecan pie, chocolate cake.
Tip: Resist the temptation to save calories by skipping breakfast, says Webb. Doing so will make it harder to maintain stable blood sugar levels throughout the day. And don't skimp on exercise. "Taking walks in the crisp, cool autumn air is a great way to keep things in balance," she adds. Research shows a stroll after eating can even help prevent a blood sugar spike.
Gluten Free
Goal: Eat simply and deliciously
There's no wiggle room on a gluten-free diet—even a mere bread crumb can bring about a reaction in someone with celiac disease, which causes an autoimmune response to the protein found in wheat, barley and rye, resulting in intestinal damage. But that's not to say you can't have a great meal if you're off gluten.
"Enjoying a safe Thanksgiving dinner is all about how you approach and manage it," says Rachel Begun, MS, RDN, a gluten-related disorders expert in Boulder, CO. She recommends calling your host when you get the invitation, so you can discuss your needs before she's started planning, and share tips for preparing gluten-free foods. If you've missed the boat, you can still enlist your host's assistance in helping you spot less obvious sources of gluten, like gravy thickened with flour (tip: try using cornstarch instead!). Keep an eye out for cross-contamination — when foods with gluten make their way into gluten-free ones, for instance, on a cheese plate riddled with cracker crumbs. In general, the simplest foods are your safest bets.
Choose from: Green salad (check the dressing), turkey (be sure it wasn't pre-seasoned with any gluten-containing ingredients or cooked with stuffing inside), wild rice, baked sweet potatoes, roasted acorn squash, green beans, sauteed spinach, collard greens, fruit salad.
Skip these: Gravy, green bean casserole, macaroni and cheese, stuffing, corn bread, dinner rolls, mashed potatoes (unless you're sure they're homemade and safe; some mixes contain gluten).
Tip: "Put your plate together before the rest of the group has started passing dishes and swapping serving utensils, to avoid cross-contamination," says Begun. And offer to make a dish yourself, she adds. "That way, you'll know there's something safe to eat."
Rachel Meltzer Warren, MS, RDN is a New York area-based nutrition writer, educator and counselor and author of the book The Smart Girl's Guide to Going Vegetarian.
Written on September 30, 2014
Reviewed by Shira Goldenholz, MD on October 20, 2014.