If you are working towards specific goals over the holidays, some structure around holiday meals may be necessary. Eating in social settings can bring some anxiety, but it really should be all about drawing from the habits you have built while tracking your food for a while rather than throwing “rules” out the window and eating whatever you want. So, how do you approach something like a Thanksgiving dinner with some semblance of balance and mindfulness?

Ultimately, it is important to recognize that one day of eating a little extra is very far from the end of the world or the end of your progress. Our goal should be to continually lean on the habits we’ve created, honor our hunger and fullness cues, and not let one day allow us to spiral into “screw it mode.” 

Wherever you’re at in working towards your goals, here are some of our best tips on how to approach your holiday meal:

CREATE AND STICK TO MINIMUMS

Make some “non-negotiables” or minimums for yourself before mealtime. Maybe that looks like creating guidelines like sticking to two drinks or two pieces of pie, maybe it’s waiting a full 30 minutes after dinner before digging into the desserts. Maybe it’s creating a minimum for movement or water intake for the day. Either way, sticking to your personal guidelines can help keep yourself in check and help you avoid the “screw it, I already messed up” mentality that is so easy to have when we’re out of our routine. 

DON’T GO INTO A MEAL ON EMPTY

Chances are, all intentions of staying on track will go out the window if you are hungry and surrounded by all the snacks, treats, and endless casserole dishes of yummy home-cooked food. Even with a big meal coming, you do still need to eat! You may want to even have a snack before the big celebratory meal. This may seem counterintuitive when you’re about to sit down to a family feast, but we know that our decision-making ability (and ability to listen to fullness cues) can be hampered when we’re hangry.

BUILD YOUR PLATE INTENTIONALLY

The same habits we practice on a ‘normal’ day can be applied on a holiday! We can start by loading our plate with more satiating, nutrient-dense foods like protein (turkey, ham) and veggies (think salad, green beans, Brussels sprouts, squash, greens, etc.) before dessert. We can keep in mind portion sizes relative to what we normally eat (check out this post for tips on how to estimate using your hand for portion sizes), and then we absolutely can enjoy all of the desserts and treats that are important in a holiday meal. 

While eating, we can do our best to eat slowly. Sit next to a family member you haven’t seen in a while and have a conversation while enjoying your meal. If you’re normally a very fast eater, you may even challenge yourself to put your fork down in between bites to implement some mindfulness practice to your meal. Once you’ve finished your first plate, give your body time to digest and take a few moments to assess your hunger levels before you head back for more calorie-dense casseroles and treats.

MACRO-FRIENDLY THANKSGIVING RECIPES

HONEY THYME ROASTED CARROTS

If you’re not a fan of glazed or creamed carrots, try this beautiful (and simple) dish of roasted rainbow carrots.

PREP TIME: 5  minutes || COOK TIME: 30 minutes || Makes 6 servings

WHAT YOU NEED:

2 lbs Trader Joe’s carrots of many colors (or other brand)

1 T raw honey

1 T olive oil

1 T apple cider vinegar

½ t salt

½ t thyme

WHAT TO DO:

1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.

2. Whisk together honey, olive oil, ACV, salt, and thyme. Toss carrots in mixture until evenly coated.

3.  Arrange on a baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes until brown and caramelized.

MACROS PER SERVING: 2P | 2F | 16C (90 CALS)

BUTTER DIJON GREEN BEANS

Try this tangy and flavorful dish that takes only minutes to prepare but still satisfies the craving for crunchy fried onions.

PREP TIME:  5 minutes || COOK TIME: 15 minutes || Makes 6 servings

WHAT YOU NEED:

1 ½ lb fresh green beans, rinsed and trimmed

1T coarse grain mustard

2T dijon mustard (or Trader Joe’s Pale Ale mustard for added flavor)

2T butter, melted

1T lemon juice

WHAT TO DO:

1. Blanch clean green beans by boiling in salted water for about 2 minutes until bright green in color. Immediately transfer green beans into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process.

2. Whisk together melted butter, lemon juice, and mustard. Heat a pan on stovetop on medium-high heat and sauté for 3-4 minutes or until beans are slightly browned.

3. Optional: top with a sprinkle of fried onions

MACROS PER SERVING: 2.5P | 4F | 8C (75 CALS)

PARMESAN PARSLEY DELICATA

Instead of cheesy scalloped potatoes or a sugary sweet potato casserole, try this beautiful parmesan crusted delicata squash so you can get your sugar rush for dessert.

PREP TIME:  10 minutes || COOK TIME: 20 minutes || Makes 6 servings

WHAT YOU NEED:

2lb delicata squash (or acorn squash)

1T olive oil

1T crushed or minced garlic

½ T Italian seasoning

1C grated parmesan cheese

Fresh parsley

Salt and pepper to taste

WHAT TO DO:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Prepare squash by cutting lengthwise, removing seeds, and slicing halves into ¼ inch slices.

3. In a bowl, mix together olive oil, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and half of the parmesan cheese. 

4. Toss sliced squash in seasoning until evenly coated. Lay seasoned squash flat on a baking sheet and sprinkle with remaining parmesan. 

5. Bake until tender, about 20-25 minutes. Garnish cooked squash with fresh parsley before serving. 

MACROS PER SERVING: 13P | 11F | 16C (215 CALS)

MACRO-FRIENDLY SWEET POTATO PIE CASSEROLE

Traditional sweet potato casserole dishes can be packed with tons of sugar and butter. If you prefer a healthier spin on a sweet potato dish, this macro-friendly version tastes just as good, but without the added calories!

PREP TIME:  25 minutes || COOK TIME:  55 minutes || Makes 10 servings

WHAT YOU NEED

3 lbs.  Sweet potatoes, raw, peeled and cut into 1” cubes

240 grams (1 cup) Unsweetened almond milk

120 grams (½ cup) Unsweetened applesauce

100 grams  Egg whites

2 teaspoons Vanilla extract

2 teaspoons  Baking powder

8 grams (2 tsp.) Cinnamon

4 grams (1 tsp.) Nutmeg

4 grams (1 tsp.) Salt

60 grams (½ cup) Pecans

Cooking oil spray

Hand-mixer or stand-up mixer

Large mixing bowl

Large pot (half full of water)

9 x 13 Casserole dish

WHAT TO DO

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit.

2. Peel & boil sweet potatoes in large pot until soft enough to mash with a fork; drain sweet potatoes and transfer to a large mixing bowl.

3. Whip sweet potatoes with hand-mixer or stand-up mixer

4. Add almond milk, applesauce, egg whites, baking powder, spices and salt; mix until well-combined.

5. Add mixture to casserole dish that’s been sprayed with cooking oil spray

6. Bake casserole for 40 minutes; add pecans on top and bake for an additional 15 minutes.

MACROS PER 200g (about ¾ cup) SERVING: 4P/5F/36C

NOTE: Traditional sweet potato casseroles are around 8P/35F/70C per serving!

You can find the recipe in the MyFitnessPal database by searching:

“KLN Recipe Macro-friendly Sweet Potato Pie Casserole”.

MACRO-FRIENDLY MINI BAKED APPLE PIES

Anyone else love cute desserts?! These mini baked apple pies are adorable and delicious. They have minimal ingredients and are really simple to put together if you need a yummy dessert on the fly. You can choose to make them with or without the crust depending on your macros!

PREP TIME:  20 minutes || COOK TIME:  22 minutes || Makes 4 servings

WHAT YOU NEED

300 grams (about 3 medium apples) apples, cored and diced

140 grams (about ⅔ cups) Unsweetened applesauce

½ cup Water

5 grams (1 tsp.) Vanilla

6 grams (1 ½ tsp.) Cinnamon

2 grams (½ tsp.) Nutmeg

2 grams (½ tsp.) Allspice

2 grams (½ tsp.) Salt

40 grams (4 servings, 2T each) Fat Free Cool Whip

20 grams Toasted Pecans (roast in the oven at 350 for 8-10 minutes)

Keebler Ready Crust Minis, pack of 4

Medium mixing bowl + wooden spoon

Medium saucepan

Baking Sheet

WHAT TO DO

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Add apples, applesauce, vanilla, and spices to a mixing bowl and combine using a wooden spoon, until apples are evenly coated.

3. Transfer the mixture to a medium saucepan and simmer over low heat for 10-12 minutes, stirring frequently. Add more water as needed. (The mixture should be somewhat thick, but add water to deglaze the pan if apples begin to stick.) Cook until apples begin to break down, right before they become mushy.

4. Evenly distribute the apple mixture between 4 mini pie crusts. Place crusts on a baking sheet and bake for 12 minutes.

5. Remove from oven and let cool on a cooling rack for 10 minutes. Top with 10 grams (about 2T) of Fat-Free Cool Whip, a dash of cinnamon, and 5 grams of toasted pecans.

NOTE: you can also make this without the ready-made crust for even fewer calories. Simply transfer the mixture into 4 small ramekin dishes (sprayed with cooking oil spray) and bake. Let cool and then add topping!

MACROS PER SERVING (with crust): 2P/8F/35C

MACROS PER SERVING (without crust): 1P/3.5F/22C

You can find the recipe in the MyFitnessPal database by searching:

“KLN Recipe Mini Baked Apple Pie (with crust)” -OR-

“KLN Recipe Mini Baked Apple Pie (without crust)”

Find more macro-friendly recipes here or grab our Dinner Party cookbook for beautiful, delicious, and macro-friendly 3-course meals that are perfect for the holidays or meals with friends!