With Thanksgiving less than a week away, you may be starting to plan your holiday menu and getting all of your traditional family recipes ready. While Thanksgiving is a time to enjoy delicious food with friends and family, it doesn’t mean you have to completely get off track with your healthy eating habits.
If you are looking for delicious ways to make Thanksgiving healthier this year, here are six food swaps to make your recipes just a tad bit healthier without changing the flavor!
6 Thanksgiving Food Swaps
#1 Coconut Milk VS Heavy Cream: Heavy cream is found in many recipes like mashed potatoes and holiday desserts. However, not everyone tolerates dairy well, and heavy cream can be very hard on the digestive system. Instead of using heavy cream in your recipes this year, try full-fat unsweetened coconut milk. Coconut milk is still super creamy, so it won’t change the consistency of the recipe, but it adds many additional health benefits and cuts the risk of digestive upset often linked with dairy consumption.
#2 Almond Flour VS Regular Flour: To make some of your recipes gluten free this Thanksgiving, consider using almond flour instead of regular flour. You can even use almond flour as the breading for any breaded vegetable recipes you would make, and it can be used in your baking recipes as well.
#3 Pure Maple Syrup VS Sugar: To help cut back on the amount of refined sugar you consume on Thanksgiving, consider using pure maple syrup instead. You can use pure maple syrup in mashed sweet potato recipes, baked goods, and pretty much anything else that calls for sugar. Plus, it has a delicious flavor that will compliment just about any holiday dish.
#4 Sweet Potatoes VS White Potatoes: Instead of using regular potatoes, consider trying sweet potatoes this year. Sweet potatoes are loaded with beta-carotene, B vitamins, and vitamin C. You can make a mashed sweet potato dish in place of regular mashed potatoes for an added health boost.
#5 Mashed Cauliflower VS Potatoes: If you’re looking for a low-carb way to enjoy mashed potatoes, masking mashed cauliflower is an excellent option! While it won’t have the same creamy consistency as regular mashed potatoes do, mashed cauliflower can be a delicious side dish without the added carbs.
#6 Dairy Free Pumpkin Pie VS Regular Pumpkin Pie: Pumpkin pie is one of the most enjoyed Thanksgiving desserts, so why not put a healthy spin on it? Try making your pumpkin pie dairy free by using coconut milk instead of regular milk and using coconut oil in place of butter.
You would be surprised at just how easy it is to make healthier Thanksgiving food swaps without sacrificing flavor. Try making some of these swaps this year to feel less bloated and sluggish after Thanksgiving dinner!