How to Prepare a Thanksgiving Meal with Less fat and Calories.
Real feast– these words describe the celebration of Thanksgiving Day. Thanksgiving Day is one of the busiest days in the U.S. because of the parties, parades and the festivities all over the towns and the cities. It is also a time when people get the chance to spend time with their families and friends since it’s a holiday.
Thanksgiving Day is all about showing your gratitude to all the blessings you have received. In addition, it is also a special day when people are busy preparing sumptuous foods for their families and friends. Traditionally, the meal often consists of turkey, cranberry sauce, gravy, stuffing, potatoes and pumpkin pies. According to NurtitionData.com, turkey, which is the main ingredient of every Thanksgiving meal, contains high calories, and, most of all fats, which you should avoid the most because it can cause heart diseases.
The key to a healthy Thanksgiving meal is not to eliminate the turkey as a primary meal, rather, make substitutions and adjustments some of the ingredients and the manner you prepare the food.
Below are some suggestions in making your Thanksgiving dinner healthier by reducing the fat and calorie count:
The Turkey
The big turkey is the main recipe in any Thanksgiving meal. Instead of buying a whole turkey, buy the breast part as its meat 
contains low calories. It is also an alternative if you don’t have much time to cook or if you have no room for whole turkey. The breast part of the turkey, in addition, contains selenium, a mineral which helps prevent the occurrence of heart diseases and cancer. Moreover, avoid “self-basting” turkeys because they contain added fats. Use oil spray instead of rubbing the turkey’s skin with butter or oil. Last but not least, instead of frying, roast the turkey instead.
The Stuffing
For stuffing the turkey cavity, you can use onions, apples or lemons and herbs such as rosemary to make it more palatable and tasty. Stuffing with cranberries is also recommended as cranberries help fight cancer, diabetes, aging and bacterial infections. It can also be mixed with parsley and chestnuts to make it tastier. Stuffing can also be done separately from the turkey to save calories and fats. You can put it in a casserole dish to absorb the fats as it bakes. Avoid using bacon and sausages in your stuffing. As an alternative, grains and wild rice can be used because it is more nutritious.
Gravy
The gravy is one of the major contributors of fats and calories on the table. 
than turkey drippings because it contains lesser amount of fats. If you plan to use turkey drippings, use a gravy separator. Just pour the gravy and allow it to settle for a couple of minutes.
Vegetarian gravy can also be made by using a yeast extract. Just stir the yeast extract together with onion powder, salt and cornstarch in a sauce pan until it is thickened.
Thanksgiving is the time to celebrate and to be thankful of what you have. And, as with any celebration, food is always there. Preparing and cooking the food in a healthy way is essential. You can’t afford to jeopardize your health on the Thanksgiving Day!
Happy Thanksgiving,
Johanna Oosterwijk N.D.