For many, Thanksgiving is a day to indulge and enjoy with a fabulous, home cooked meal. With traditional Thanksgiving recipes, most aren’t known for skipping out on diet unfriendly ingredients like butter or sugar. To keep your wellness goals on track while still enjoying the holidays, we have a few easy and healthy Thanksgiving recipe swaps for you, here.
Easy & Healthy Thanksgiving Recipe Swaps
Healthier Mashed Potatoes
Substitute plain Greek yogurt for some of the butter and milk or heavy cream called for in your favorite mashed potato recipe. This swap keeps mashed potatoes creamy while adding healthy protein to the dish. You can also use this for recipes that call for mayonnaise, ranch dressing, or sour cream. And, you can swap as much or a little as you want, to taste. Try it with tuna or chicken salad!
Less Sugary Cranberry Sauce
Homemade cranberry sauce is easy to make, however most recipes call for copious amounts of sugar. Cut the sugar by adding orange juice or zest for flavor. You can also swap honey for sugar to make cranberry sauce that’s healthier. We love this version of naturally sweetened cranberry sauce, that calls for a simple list of ingredients; fresh cranberries, maple syrup, water, and fresh orange juice with zest. A super easy swap? Simply cut back on the amount of added sugar you use. Reduce by as much as half in typical recipes that call for around 2 cups of added sugar.
Go Easy on Butter
Many traditional Thanksgiving recipes go heavy on the butter. Usually you can cut back the amount used without noticing much of a difference in your dish. Start by halving or quartering the amount used in buttery classics like casserole, mashed potatoes, or gravy. Use additional milk, stock, or herbs to boost the flavor if needed.
Embrace Herbs for Flavor
Swap salt for fresh or dried herbs to add flavor without the added sodium. Rosemary and sage pair well with many Thanksgiving dishes. Herbs can also be used to enhance the flavor in side dish favorites like stuffing, vegetables, salads, and sides.
Swap seasonings for sausage in your stuffing, or use herbs to replace bacon bits, fried onions, or other toppers in salads.
Balance Big Meals with Activities
Plan one activity that gets you moving on Thanksgiving. A walk around the neighborhood or lawn games are a fun way you can get outside and get moving. Play an interactive or dance video game if the weather isn’t inviting you outside. Spend some time doing yoga or stay active by moving around the house instead of sitting throughout the day. You can also find a local workout class that’s offered the day of Thanksgiving or over the weekend.
Recipe swaps don’t have to be limited to Thanksgiving. Carry over these ideas to prepping other meals or holiday celebrations. Small changes in the way we cook can have a big impact on our overall health.
Cheers to celebrating the holidays in a healthier way!