Perfect Low Fat Turkey for Thanksgiving

JoSwann | Sep 30, 2010 |

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While Thanksgiving is a time that many of us pile on the pounds, very little of it comes from the basic contents of a Thanksgiving dinner – the meat, vegetables and gravy can be low fat and delicious. However, most of us add to the fat that is already there with lots of butter, cream and oil, which all adds to the waistline. Today, a regular Thanksgiving dinner, with all the trimmings (with wine), can be anything between 1750-2250 calories – that's virtually an entire day's calories in just one meal, not to mention the leftovers we love to nibble on.

By following these tips, you can reduce the fat content of your Thanksgiving dinner, keeping 100% of the taste:

Always use a rack in the roasting pan for the Turkey – This helps drain the excess oil.
If you are using the meat juices for gravy, use a fat separator to skim off the excess fat.
Use extra virgin olive oil instead of butter or bacon to cover the meat before roasting. Extra virgin olive oil is low in saturated fat, and full of healthy fats, making it an ideal substitute.
Don't eat the turkey skin – this is where most of the fat and cholesterol is, and not eating it can save you 50% fat per portion.
Hold the bacon – bacon is a fat haters nightmare. Just one slice of streaky bacon has 5.6g of fat.
Instead of roast or mashed potatoes, opt for baked. If you simply can't live without the luxury of mashed potato, try mashing with garlic and a little extra virgin olive oil and parmesan. If you need to have roast potatoes, roast with a zero calorie spray-oil and go easy on the portion size.
Sweet potatoes are not only delicious, but good for you too. Low in carbs and high in taste, they can be easily turned into a healthy element of the Thanksgiving dinner. Try baking in the oven, scooping out the flesh and mashing with a little cinnamon and 2tbsp of low fat crème fraiche or cream cheese. Or try roasting cubes with zero calorie spray oil, then, when 5 minutes from done, drizzle with a little maple syrup and a handful of chopped pecans. Just don't add cream, butter or lots of sugar – let their natural sweetness shine through.
Go large on the vegetables. Presuming these haven't been laden with butter, these are nutritious, filling and great energy food. Try steaming them to retain as many nutrients as possible.
Find a lowfat pumpkin pie recipe and use it! There are plenty out there that taste and look just as good as the real thing.
Choose fruit for desert. Try and eat it on it's own, and appreciate it's natural sweetness and flavors. If you must indulge in a sweet desert, choose a small portion - just a few spoonfuls are enough to quell that sweet craving. And hold the ice cream or cream on the side.
Follow the 'half and two quarters' rule on your plate. Fill half your plate with vegetables, half with lean meat and half with a starch of choice. Don't pile your plate high or be tempted back for seconds.
If you're drinking alcohol, stick to dry white wine. Know what healthy drinks choices to make and stick to them.

Making careful choices needn't mean a miserable Thanksgiving – in fact, by offering a healthy and varied, low-fat selection, you're also helping to ensure your guests are around for many more Thanksgivings to come – see it as your gift to them!

Other Christmas & Thanksgiving Articles You May Be Interested In:

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I lost over 20lbs by making smart eating choices, without elminating the foods I love. For more ideas, read 101 weight loss, fat loss and diet tips here!