Planning a Healthy Thanksgiving:

The beginning of school seems long ago and suddenly it is November. Fall is a wonderful time to gather with family and friends. It is also a time when busy parents tend to get even busier. So many more things are added onto your plate including what to cook, how to avoid overeating at Thanksgiving and whose house will host Thanksgiving this year. ‘tis the season’ as they say, Thanksgiving is a special time for family and friends to gather together, enjoy seasonal foods and appreciate things we are grateful for. Thanksgiving and the holiday season is also a busy time for parents with the emphasis on food preparation and eating! Throw in the added holiday stress and it can be a challenge to keep up with good nutrition, calorie management and being active. With a little planning, you can take steps to create a healthy and fun holiday season with less stress! The Following Tips may help:




 Take time to plan your meal - planning ahead can save time and be less stressful

 Simplify your menu – less thanksgiving dishes and desserts means less to prepare & less to clean up!

 Make a shopping list

 Shop early - look for bargains on nonperishable foods

 Make it a potluck – save time and have family and friends help with some of their favorite healthy side dishes

 Prepare some foods in advance - appetizers and desserts can be prepared in advance, reducing your "to do" list closer to the holiday

 Reduce your “To Do” list – prioritize to create time for rest, fun and being active



                               Get kids involved in Thanksgiving planning and cooking:


Most young children enjoy being a 'helper' and it’s a fun way to spend time together. They also enjoy cooking and will be proud to share the healthy dish they helped prepare for Thanksgiving. As you prepare for Thanksgiving you can use this time to get kids involved and teach them about new foods and healthy eating. There are plenty of ways to get kids involved:

Kids can:

 help come up with the menu

 find items on the grocery list

 find different colored seasonal vegetables

 wash vegetables and fruits

 help measure and mix ingredients

 add fresh fruits and vegetables to platters

 make cute Thanksgiving decorations

 set the table


This holiday season is a great time to take steps to keep your family healthy. Kids are developing their habits through the daily experiences. Since Thanksgiving is the kick off for the holiday season, demonstrate healthy holiday habits. This Thanksgiving you can teach the kids how to prepare for Thanksgiving by making healthy choices.

 Don’t forget breakfast. Start the morning with a healthy pumpkin smoothie.

 Don’t starve. Avoid trying to save your appetite for dinner or you will tend to overeat.

 Cook with natural ingredients. The first Thanksgiving celebrated in 1621 had no processed foods and no access to sugar

 Shop smart. Buy fresh seasonal fruits and vegetables for a better price such as squash, carrots, turnips, and pumpkins.

 Go for Veggies! Cook healthier, low calorie seasonal vegetables for a nutrient packed meal.

 Cook healthy. Look for healthier substitutes for your recipes by substituting whole grains and low fat items whenever possible. See our list of healthy Thanksgiving substitutes.

 Think out of the box! Consider fish or a vegetarian meal for your main entrée.

 Start the festivities with healthy choices. Offer some tasty and healthy appetizers with low fat dips to keep the calories down!

 Use low fat creams for soups and desserts.

 Get moving! After dinner, get the family active with fun indoor or outdoor activities.

 Don’t beat yourself up! If you feel like your family forgot their healthy habits, then just get the family back on the healthy track.

Did you know that the average person will eat about 4500 calories on Thanksgiving Day! With so many delicious foods and the excitement of the holiday it is easy to get carried away and over eat. But with a few portion control tips, you can eat less and teach your children to eat sensibly, even during the holidays.

 Think small - serve in smaller serving dishes to encourage smaller portions

 Use smaller plates and bowls to help portion control

 Plan for leftovers to reduce the chance of over-eating- you’ll save time on future meal preparation too!

 Make a low fat vegetable based soup as a starter

 Limit starches such as potatoes, stuffing, and rolls, instead fill your plate with more vegetables

 Drink plenty of water.

 Avoid seconds. If you can't resist the second helping, focus on refilling your plate with vegetables and other lower calorie choices

 Enjoy desserts however, slice your pie into 16 slices and use nonfat whipped cream.



The Thanksgiving holiday can be the start of a hectic holiday season. We get into such a rush that we might be tempted to throw all our healthy habits out the window. But it can also be a time to take steps to simplify, slow down and enjoy the simple pleasures of family. It can be a time when the whole family can remember to be thankful for healthy foods and a healthy family. And isn’t being thankful about our blessings what this holiday is really about. Here at the Polk County Extension Service we hope all of you have a wonderful, enjoyable and healthy Thanksgiving!!



                                                                     Recipes:

                                                             Cute Cornucopia:  

This mini horn of plenty guarantees that hungry young guests will have something to nibble on. Set one at each place as a meal-starter, or make a bunch to serve as a kid-friendly

Hors d'oeuvre platter before the big Thanksgiving feast. Be sure to check out more ideas for a fun-filled Kids' Thanksgiving.

Ingredients:



• Tortillas

• Toothpicks

• Small veggies -- we suggest peas, baby carrots, baby corn ears, grape

• tomatoes, and a small pickle

• Dip or dressing

Instructions

1. To create each cornucopia, cut a tortilla in half. Roll it into a cone with the rounded edge at the open end. Secure the cone with a toothpick, and then fill it with small veggies. Serve with your favorite dip or dressing

                                                                       Teeny Turkeys: 

Looking for a fun snack that will tide over the kids until the big feast? These bite-size birds are easy for kids to make and are sure to be gobbled up.

Ingredients:



• Cocktail pumpernickel bread

• Vegetable cream cheese

• DECORATIONS:

• Peas (eyes)

• Red pepper

• Pepperoni

• Cheese

• Cashew

• Slivered almond

• Parsley



Instructions:

• For each sandwich, spread vegetable cream cheese between 2 slices of cocktail pumpernickel bread.

• For the head, use a small drinking glass or round cookie cutter to cut a circle from another slice of bread, then stick it to the top of the sandwich with a dab of cream cheese.

• Likewise, add facial features such as pea eyes, a red pepper or pepperoni snood (above the beak), and a pepper, cheese, or cashew beak. Finally, wedge pepper, slivered-almond, or parsley-sprig feathers between the bread slices.

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