Counting calories isn’t at the top of many to-do lists on Thanksgiving Day, and it still doesn’t have to be. With a little planning and a few substitutions, your Thanksgiving can be a little healthier and every bit as delicious. 

Harriet S. Salzberg, RD,LDN,CDE, Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Educator at NorthShore, breaks down this decadent day, sharing health tips for before and during the big meal:

Before the Dinner

• Create a calorie deficit. Add an extra 20-30 minutes to your weekly exercise routine before and after the big day. That’s enough to create a calorie deficit and give you a little leeway at the dinner table. 
• Eat breakfast! While you may think you should try to save up calories for the big meal, eating breakfast will save you from snacking beforehand and gorging come mealtime.
• Prioritize. What would you regret not eating on Thanksgiving? What can you do without? The day is filled with rich, delicious foods, but you don’t have to eat them all. Determine what dishes are most important to you and then pass on the rest. 
• Avoid snacking beforehand. Crackers, nuts and cheese spreads are unnecessary calories compared to the Thanksgiving classics you’ll be served during your meal.

When Cooking

• Cut back on butter. A little butter goes a long way, and it’s also not the only way to boost flavors. Citrus fruits, like lemon, lime and orange, can add a burst of flavor to gravies and veggies with a fraction of the calories. 
• Replace cream with milk. In the same vein, avoid using cream if you don’t have to. For creamed onions or mashed potatoes, use low-fat milk. The calories saved will far outweigh the subtle change in flavor.
• Sweet potatoes are sweet enough. The natural sweetness of sweet potatoes is more than enough to sustain a yam-based dish. Bake them instead of mashing with butter, sugar and cream. 
• Start from scratch. Making stuffing from scratch is much healthier than prepackaged stuffing mix because it cuts back on sodium and additives. It also means you have control over what goes in, including cutting back on butter and oil as well as swapping wheat bread for white to up fiber content.
• Keep sampling to a minimum. It can be tempting to keep taste-testing your food, but try to avoid consuming those extra calories before the meal itself.

At the Table

• Serve up a colorful plate. Vegetables add the color, so try to craft a plate that is packed with veggies, approximately half the plate and then divide the rest evenly between turkey and stuffing or rolls. 
• Downsize dinnerware. Studies show that people serve themselves portions on scale with the size of the plate they’re given. In other words, smaller plates mean small portions. 
• Slow down. It can take around 20 minutes for your brain to recognize that your body is full. Before you serve up seconds, take a breather and drink a little water to make sure your body isn’t confusing thirst for hunger. Or, have a basic salad on hand—dark lettuce leaves and a light dressing—and eat that to see if your hunger holds out. 
• Less can look like more. If it’s too difficult to stick to ‘just a sliver’ of all your favorite pies, ditch the standard 9-inch diameter pie pan for something smaller. The piece will look big but be significantly smaller.