My Thanksgiving Day Eating Strategy

As someone whose favorite holiday is Thanksgiving, I used to think that I should just eat whatever and however much I wanted on Thanksgiving Day, because “it’s only one day, right?”. But then I had a “heart to heart” with myself, which I do quite often actually, and asked, “is it really only one day?” I realized that I was often continuing to eat the cornbread dressing, yams, honey baked ham, sweet potato pie, and red velvet cake for days after Thanksgiving ended. So, I opted to try a different approach.

Full disclosure: I have never been the person who makes the entire Thanksgiving meal. I’m usually the person who brings one dish or a dessert. Since I’m usually bringing one dish, I started opting to bring a vegetable. My strategy was that if I brought a vegetable, I could ensure that half of my plate was filled with the healthy option and then I could put my favorite indulgent dishes on the other half, loosely modeling my plate after the MyPlate Model.

 What is the MyPlate model?

The MyPlate model by the United States Department of Agriculture is a visual guide to promote healthy eating. It divides a meal plate into five sections representing different food groups:

1. Fruits: A quarter of the plate should be filled with a variety of fruits, emphasizing their importance for vitamins and fiber.

2. Vegetables: Another quarter is allocated to vegetables, encouraging a diverse selection to ensure a range of nutrients.

3. Grains: Approximately a quarter is dedicated to grains, with an emphasis on whole grains for added fiber and nutrients.

4. Protein: Another quarter is designated for protein sources like lean meat, poultry, fish, beans, and nuts.

5. Dairy: A side portion suggests incorporating dairy or dairy alternatives (such as soy, almond, or other nut milks and nut milk products), emphasizing the role of calcium for bone health.

 More information about the MyPlate model can be found here. They also have a great app where you can set your food group eating goals and they provide tips on how to meet your goals. See the video below for a brief overview of the app:

 Now let’s get back to my Thanksgiving plate. With the MyPlate model in mind, I usually skip fruits during this meal and just fill half of my plate with vegetables including the one that I brought, plus collard greens or cabbage, depending on what is available. For grains, there’s usually some type of rice or cornbread dressing. I will indulge and have the cornbread dressing if it’s available, after all its Thanksgiving. For protein, I tend to eat the leanest animal protein available, either turkey or salmon. I usually stay away from ham due to the high salt content, but if I have it, I’ll have a small slice. I usually don’t have dairy during my Thanksgiving meal.

I eat until I’m satisfied, not full, but satisfied. I define satisfied as a state where you don’t feel the urge to continue eating and you are not stuffed.

How do you know when you’re satisfied?

 In order to actually notice that you’re satisfied, you have to take breaks when eating. For example, after you’ve finished your first plate of food, before immediately getting up and going for seconds, check-in with yourself. Pause and ask yourself, “am I still hungry?” If the answer is “yes”, have a bit more. If the answer is “no”, stop eating.

 I tend to also keep in mind that I’m planning to have dessert as well, so even if I’m still slightly hungry, I’ll just save that appetite for dessert. With this said, I’m usually the first person eating dessert at Thanksgiving dinner, because of my sweet tooth and that I have no intention of eating additional plates of food.

You may be wondering, what about leftovers the next day?

My strategy is to only take leftovers of the lean foods that I eat regularly. For example, if there’s extra salmon or turkey, I can take that and put it over a salad or sauté fresh vegetables to go with it the next day. I leave everything else there, except maybe one more slice of cake/pie because of my sweet tooth. I snap back to my regular way of eating the next day.

I realize that my strategy won’t work for everyone. Remember to give yourself grace. In the long run, the goal is to make healthy eating a part of your daily life. The best way to promote longevity is choosing healthy options the majority of the time over a lifetime. Not all the time, but the majority of time. So, if you choose to “let it all hang out” on Thanksgiving Day, enjoy it and then try to snap back or start eating healthy meals the next day. You could download the MyPlate app and set goals for the types of healthy foods that you’d like to consume more of. Regardless of what you choose to eat, I wish you a Happy, Healthy, and Safe Thanksgiving filled with love, laughter, and unforgettable moments.