Cookeville Dietitian: Healthy Options, Moderation For Healthy Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving may be centered around eating, but that does not mean it has be unhealthy.

Cookeville Dietitian Holly Bundrant said it is important to keep calorie intake and nutrition in mind even during Thanksgiving. She said, if you can, ensure there are some healthy options on the table. She said if that is not an option, then pick and choose what you put on your plate.

“I think sometimes people might just eat food because it’s there, and if people can be intentional about which foods they’re going choose,” Bundrant said. “Some foods they may enjoy better than others. The ones they don’t like so much leave those to the side and focus on the ones they do like.”

Bundrant said you can eat less calories throughout the days leading up to Thanksgiving dinner. But fasting before Thanksgiving is unhealthy and not recommended.

“You know we want to think about good health every day,” Bundrant said. “When you restrict food you have the potential to restrict nutrients from specific foods. We want to think about that too.”

Bundrant said you could bring healthy dishes to your Thanksgiving dinner. She said if you enjoy the dish, then odds are others will too. She said moderation is key.

“There’s so many different options of foods out there especially during the holidays,” Bundrant said. “We are made to be able to enjoy food, so you don’t want to restrict everything. If someone knows that they’re going to eat a bunch of high sugar things, or there is a potential to eat a bunch of foods that have a lot of sugar, try to not eat too much of each one of those, so you’re not going overboard with that.”

Bundrant said it is important for some to maintain healthy eating habits everyday. She said for some people once they break the habit, they have a hard time returning to healthy eating. Bundrant said it is also important if you do overeat a bit on Thanksgiving to remember it is not the end of your health journey.

“If we can do that every day that’s great,” Bundrant said. “I know some days are going to be different from others, giving ourselves grace too right? Knowing that we’re not always going to eat exactly the way we were hoping to, but knowing the next day is another opportunity to make healthy choices for ourselves.”

Bundrant is the owner of Hope & Health Nutrition Services in Cookeville. The firm aids individuals while transitioning into a healthy lifestyle.