Healthy Alternatives To Classic Thanksgiving Dishes
Comments (0)
Thanksgiving is the perfect opportunity to reconnect with friends and family and feast on delicious food. The usual Thanksgiving Day cuisine is rich and creamy, yet loaded with fat, sugar, and sodium. The good news is, the dreaded food coma is avoidable. Try these healthy alternatives to your favorite Thanskgiving dishes that skimp on calories, but not on taste. These substitutes are just as delicious but will not leave you hating yourself the next day. Seconds, anyone?
 Candied yams are full of unnecessary sugar (Twitter @DulciaBakery). |
Candied Yams ---> Sweet Potato Casserole
Candied yams are smothered with butter and have 38 grams of sugar per serving - that’s 400 extra calories on your plate! Instead, try this recipe for a sweet potato casserole. It has only 7 grams of sugar and 193 calories per serving. |
 Pecan pie is one of the most sugary Thanksgiving treats that should be avoided (Twitter @Albertsons). |
Pecan Pie ---> Classic Apple Pie Pecan pie may be delectable, but sugar, butter and corn syrup make it one of the worst desserts on the menu. One slice alone packs in 500 calories, 37 grams of fat and 26 grams of sugar. Avoid this unhealthy overload and opt for this classic apple pie recipe. It's much lighter on the tummy and only has 298 calories per serving. |
 Cranberry sauce is packed with sugar (Twitter @Food_Frenzy). |
Canned Cranberry Sauce ---> Cranberry Relish Cranberries may seem like a nutritrious holiday choice, but don't be fooled. This dish contains 105 grams of sugar per serving. For a healthier spin on the turkey topping, try this cranberry relish recipe. It trades in sugar for cinnamon and cloves to achieve its sweetness. Plus, it only has 74 calories per serving. You can also opt for this cranberry sauce made with coconut oil and honey. |
 This beloved side dish is a calorie bomb (Twitter @Foodista). |
Mashed Potatoes ---> Rosemary Roasted Potatoes Who doesn't love mashed potatoes? They're so smooth and melt right in your mouth. Unfortunately, the scrumptious dish is lade with waistline enemies: whole milk, butter, salt and sometimes sour cream. To reduce calories, try this recipe for rosemary roasted potatoes. These seasoned wedges only have 123 calories a pop. You can also try this recipe for mashed butternut casserole for another healthy option. |
 Pay attention to the amount of gravy on your plate (Twitter @WoodlandsShow). |
Gravy ---> Simple Sherry Gravy Gravy has always been a Thanksgiving staple because no one wants to eat dry turkey. But before you douse your meat and mashed potatoes with the traditional sauce, keep in mind that it is chock-full of undesired fat and salt. Choose this recipe for simple sherry gravy instead. It only has 115 milligrams of sodium and 150 calories per serving. |
 Try a stuffing alternative to dodge the extra pounds (Twitter @CookingChannel). |
Stuffing ---> Corn Bread Stuffing Thanksgiving just wouldn't be the same without stuffing. However, many of the ingredients -- sausage, bacon, butter, and white bread -- make it a less-than-desirable option at the dinner table. Try this recipe for corn bread stuffing. With only 190 calories per serving, you'll be able to happily enjoy this signature dish. |
Reach Staff Reporter Gabi Duncan here. Follow her on Twitter.
