Enjoy All the Trimmings--and Still Stay Trim

SparkPeople's 500-Calorie Thanksgiving Feast

Thanksgiving is a time for family, gratitude, and, of course, food. The typical holiday meal can have more than 4,500 calories and 229 grams of fat, according to the Caloric Control Council. That's almost three days worth of food for most of us! Butter, cream and white bread seem to be lurking in almost every dish, and the meal never seems to end.

For those of us who are trying lead healthier lifestyles, moderation and healthy eating are just as important on Thanksgiving. Fortunately, it is possible to eat right and still enjoy yourself on Turkey Day!

To help, I created brand new SparkRecipes for a three-course Thanksgiving meal that clock in around 500 calories! (Dessert, not included in that number, will add 150 calories or fewer, if you have room for it.)

Use the chart below to compare my Thanksgiving feast with a traditional meal. The more recipes you use from this list, the more calories you'll save--without sacrificing taste or tradition!

SparkRecipes Feast	Calories	Fat	Traditional Meal	Calories	Fat
Herb Roasted Turkey, 3 oz light meat	140	3 g	Turkey, 3 oz light meat	140	3 g
Apple Cider Gravy, 2 T	20	0 g	Gravy, 2 T	50	2 g
Vegetable and Fruit Stuffing, 1/2 c	78	1 g	Stuffing, 1/2 c	180	9 g
Roasted Root Vegetables, 1/2 c	82	2 g	Mashed potatoes, 1/2 c	220	8 g
Cranberry Relish, 2 T	42	0 g	Cranberry jelly, 2 T	55	0 g
Steamed green beans (or another green vegetable), 1/2 c	15	0 g	Green bean casserole, 1/2 c	120	8 g
Roasted Squash Soup, 1 c	128	3 g	Cream-based soup, 1 c	250	18 g
Total:	505	9 g	Total:	1,015	48 g

This SparkPeople meal has 510 fewer calories and 39 fewer grams of fat than a traditional feast! You'll find all the recipes to make it below! These recipes include a veggie-rich soup to start your meal off right, the juiciest turkey you'll ever taste, several sides, two desserts, plus a cranberry relish that will leave the store-bought jelly quivering in its can.