Here are healthy Thanksgiving tips to help you stay on track this holiday, with Thanksgiving food portion sizes and calories.
Thanksgiving is a special holiday that allows us to gather with family and friends and to share a little bit of extra thanks to those around us. As we all know, this gathering is also very much centered around food and the traditional Thanksgiving dishes. Having a plan from these healthy Thanksgiving tips will allow you to enjoy this special holiday and also help you feel good about the food choices that you make.
Your mentality with portion control and building your Thanksgiving plate is an important first step to a healthy holiday. Another key factor is an understanding of the foods you may see, and how their nutritional values add up.
It’s also important to remember that one meal can’t derail you from all of your health goals. We are all human and should enjoy foods that bring us joy. The key element is finding a place of moderation and realizing how to make the most of the holidays while also being conscious of how you feel and what is on your plate.
10 Healthy Thanksgiving Tips
These tips for the holiday are ten main things to keep in mind during Thanksgiving as well as the full holiday season. It can be a challenging time of year for weight loss with the holiday parties, gatherings with family and friends, and the introduction of new delicious foods. But you can still reach your goals!
- Practice portion control
- Include vegetables
- Be extra aware of portion sizes for heartier foods
- Give yourself 20 minutes before going for seconds
- Bring a homemade dish to a gathering
- Eat well the day before Thanksgiving
- Eat breakfast on Thanksgiving
- Remember portion control for desserts
- Bring a snack with you
- Be smart with leftovers
Keep reading for more about each of these healthy Thanksgiving tips.
1. Practice Portion Control
Remember to practice portion control when deciding what to put on your plate. Your hand can be a great measurement tool.
- For females the palm of your hand is about 3-4 oz of meat and your fist is about 1 cup of grains.
- For males the palm of your hand is about 5-6 oz of meat and your fist about 1.5 cup of grains.
2. Include Vegetables
A healthy Thanksgiving meal should also include vegetables such as greens, cauliflower, green beans, carrots, or another favorite. Don’t hesitate to add a bit more of these to your plate so that you can fill up on fibrous foods before feeling like you overdid it.
3. Be Aware of Specific Food Portions
Try to stick to smaller portions of richer foods such as mashed potatoes and gravy as well as stuffing and fattier meats such as the dark meat on the turkey and the less lean cuts of ham and beef. View the charts below for portion sizes and calories. You can jump to any of them by clicking on one of these links:
4. Be Aware of Portion Sizes for Heavier Foods
Remember to wait at least 20 minutes before going back for seconds (this is when your body’s fullness detection really kicks in), so that you can tell if you really need to eat more.
5. Bring a Homemade Dish to a Gathering
Another great idea for keeping calories down is to take your own dish to a potluck event, or to offer to bring a dish to add to your host’s dinner selections. This way you’ll know exactly what ingredients were used (and that you like the dish!) as well as what the serving size is. You can also show off your cooking talents to your friends and family.
6. Eat Well the Day Before Thanksgiving
Start eating wisely the day before Thanksgiving, beginning with a healthy and nutritious breakfast. Eat throughout the day to avoid overeating tomorrow too.
7. Eat Breakfast on Thanksgiving
When you wake up ready to enjoy the holiday, start your day out right by again making sure to EAT BREAKFAST. Don’t even think about trying to save calories up for the generous Thanksgiving meal. By eating breakfast and lunch, you’ll not only eat less, but you’ll also enjoy your food more at dinner time.
8. Remember Portion Control for Desserts
If you are planning to eat desserts like I am then portion control your sizes and you can have it all. Remember to eat slowly and enjoy every bite of your pumpkin, apple, or pecan pie. Mmmmm.
9. Bring a Snack with You
Bring a small snack with you just in case. I know it sounds weird but if you are going to some else’s home and dinner is delayed because Uncle Ben is running late, then you may end up very hungry and eating more than you were planning.
10. Be Smart with Leftovers
Another great tip is to send your guests home with leftovers. Don’t keep extra food around. On the contrary, remembering that you will have some leftovers will also help you feel better about not overeating on Thanksgiving Day. There will be more to enjoy on the other days to come! Share your food to maintain or lose weight! I know you can do it!
Portion Sizes and Calories for Common Thanksgiving Foods
While the preparation methods of some foods can change the caloric value, it is helpful to have a general idea going into the day. This way, you can already have a few foods in mind ahead of time that you know you’ll feel better about eating. Below you will find these portion sizes and calorie values broken down for protein foods (fish, poultry, and meat), carbohydrates (grains and starches), desserts, and drinks.
Portion Sizes & Calories for Thanksgiving Fish, Poultry & Meats
| Food Item | Serving Size (oz) | Calories (kcal) |
| Turkey White Meat Without Skin | 3 | 105 |
| Turkey Dark Meat Without Skin | 3 | 165 |
| Turkey White Meat With Skin | 3 | 165 |
| Turkey Dark Meat With Skin | 3 | 225 |
| Deep-Fried Turkey White Meat Without Skin | 3 | 165 |
| Deep-Fried Turkey Dark Meat without Skin | 3 | 270 |
| Deep-Fried Turkey White Meat With Skin | 3 | 270 |
| Deep-Fried Turkey Dark Meat With Skin | 3 | 315 |
| Ham | 3 | 201 |
| Pork Tenderloin | 3 | 165 |
| Roast Pork Loin | 3 | 165 |
| Roast Beef | 3 | 165 |
| Roast Chicken (skinless white meat) | 3 | 105 |
| Roast Chicken (skinless dark meat) | 3 | 165 |
| Prime Rib | 3 | 225 |
| Duck Breast | 3 | 105 |
| Cornish Hens | 3 | 105 |
| Roasted Salmon | 3 | 165 |
| Roasted Skin-on Goose | 3 | 305 |
| Roasted Skin-off Goose | 3 | 238 |
Portion Sizes & Calories for Thanksgiving Grains and Starches
| Food Item | Serving Size (oz) | Calories (kcal) |
| Mashed Potatoes (w/ milk, butter) | 1/2 cup | 125 |
| Stuffing | 1/2 cup | 207 |
| Sweet Potatoes, cooked with skin | 3 oz | 80 |
| Candied Yams | 1/2 cup | 241 |
| Wild Rice Pilaf | 1/2 cup | 195 |
| Dinner Rolls | 1 (3 oz) | 240 |
| Biscuits | 1 biscuit | 125 |
| Crescent Rolls | 1 (1 oz) | 110 |
| latkas (potato pancakes) | 145 grams | 240 |
| Loukoumades (Fried Honey Puffs) | 1 puff | 92 |
Portion Sizes & Calories for Thanksgiving Desserts
| Food Item | Serving Size (oz) | Calories (kcal) |
| Pumpkin Pie | 1/8 of 8″ pie | 230 |
| Pecan Pie | 1/6 of 8″ pie | 460 |
| Pumpkin Cheesecake | 1 slice (5.5 oz) | 535 |
| Apple Pie | 1/8 of 9″ pie | 311 |
| Bread Pudding w/ Rum Sauce | 1 (7 oz) | 850 |
| Bread Pudding w/ Caramel Sauce | 1 (5.7 oz) | 449 |
| Fruit Crisp or Cobbler | 1/2 cup | 185 |
| Pumpkin Spice Cake | 1 slice | 412 |
| Sweet Potato Pie | 1/6 of 8″ pie | 358 |
| Lemon Meringue Pie | 1/6 of 8″ pie | 334 |
| Lemon Cream Pie | 1 slice (2.3 oz) | 185 |
| Custard Pie | 1/8 of 8″ pie | 255 |
| Chocolate Cake | 1 slice (2.3 oz) | 260 |
| Chocolate Chip Cookie | 1 Cookie /(3 oz) | 435 |
| Oatmeal Cookie | 1 Cookie /(3 oz) | 408 |
| Sugar Cookie | 1 Cookie /(3 oz) | 450 |
| Peanut Butter Cookie | 1 Cookie/ (3 oz) | 408 |
| Sees Candy | Assorted Chocolates /2 pieces | 165 |
| Soofganiyot Hanukkah Doughnuts | 1 Piece | 287 |
Portion Sizes & Calories for Thanksgiving Drinks
| Food Item | Serving Size (oz) | Calories (kcal) |
| Apple Cider | 1/2 cup | 60 |
| Sangria | 4 oz | 150 |
| Eggnog | 1 cup (8 oz) | 360 |
| Red Wine | 4 oz | 90 |
| White Wine | 4 oz | 90 |
| Champagne | 4 oz | 90 |
| Beer | 12 oz | 170 |
| Light Beer | 12 oz | 90 |
| Hard Liquor | 1.5 oz | 90 |
What to Do After Thanksgiving Day
On the day after Thanksgiving, some people feel guilty for their food choices, and think they ate too much. Remember, one meal can’t completely turn your weight loss efforts around. Take the time to reflect on how the day went – the positives and how you felt about your food choices, then move forward with motivation to keep working towards your goals.
If you can get back to the habits you formed with building a balanced plate, staying active, and making sure to optimize your intake of fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and quality carbohydrates, you’ll feel more confident in these situations in the future.
Final Thoughts for Healthy Thanksgiving Tips
Enjoy this wonderful day, and don’t forget the simple 10 healthy Thanksgiving tips as your guidelines. Have a happy and relaxing Thanksgiving, enjoy some time with friends and family, and take some time out for yourself if you can. Make it a wonderful holiday!
If you feel like you need a little extra accountability during the holidays or want to start the New Year on the right foot, I offer a customized weight loss program that can be tailored just for you!
