• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Marisa Moore Nutrition
  • Home
  • About
  • Work With Me
    • Speaking
      • Worksite Wellness
    • Spokesperson
    • Writing
    • Consulting
      • Business
      • Consumer
    • Students and Interns
    • Disclosures
  • Media
    • Recent Media
    • Media Archives
  • Blog
    • Monday Morsels
    • All Recipes
    • Appetizer Recipes
    • Beverage Recipes
    • Breakfast Recipes
    • Dessert Recipes
    • Entrees
    • Sandwiches
  • Contact
You are here: Home / Blog / 5 Ways to Create a Diabetes-Friendly Thanksgiving Table

5 Ways to Create a Diabetes-Friendly Thanksgiving Table

November 12, 2012 by Marisa Moore

Ironically this most food centric holiday falls during National Diabetes Month every November.

A heaping helping of fried turkey, dressing and gravy, ham, macaroni and cheese, greens and a table of pies and cakes that spans the dining room wall. This is Thanksgiving in the South.  It’s a table of delight but if you have diabetes it can be a little difficult to navigate at first.

No matter where you live, your Thanksgiving table doesn’t have to spell diabetes disaster. Try these tips to create a diabetes-friendly Thanksgiving table:

Play up the turkey.  It’s the star. Adorn the turkey with aromatics like onions and carrots and fresh sage to add an extra flavor boost.  Slow roasted turkey is a flavorful, lean protein that won’t raise your blood sugar.

Volumize with veggies. Vegetables are the most diabetes friendly foods on the planet.  Add more to the table. Try garlicky green beans, roasted or air fryer Brussels sprouts and braised collard greens.  Fill half your plate with vegetables.

Put fruit (or vegetables) in the dessert. Naturally sweet, sweet potatoes are a great dessert starter.  Because it’s so low in calories, pumpkin is another delicious base for desserts. Think pumpkin pie, butternut squash pie, whipped sweet potato pudding.  You can also play up pears and apples with cinnamon and whipped cream or dollop of vanilla yogurt.

Focus on flavor. Instead of the packaged stuff, make your own stuffing using fresh celery, onions, sage and thyme to for bold flavor.  Go light on the butter and cream and add fresh garlic and vegetable broth to mashed potatoes for deep, satisfying flavor.  Add vanilla, extra cinnamon and nutmeg to cut back on the sugar and butter in sweet potato dishes.

Get physical. Moving your muscles can help control blood sugar levels.  Go for a morning run or a brisk walk before or after dinner to burn off some of the extra holiday grub. And also keep stress at bay. Keeping up with your physical activity can help with stress management with also helps keep blood sugar in check.

Remember, Thanksgiving is one day.  If you’re still eating pumpkin pie on Sunday, I’d be surprised… enjoy the holiday, your family and the food while you can.

Filed Under: Blog, Food and Nutrition, Health and Wellness, Seasonal

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Marisa Moore in a yellow top in a white kitchen

MARISA MOORE

Hi! I'm Marisa, a registered dietitian nutritionist living in Atlanta, GA. I use this blog to share (mostly) vegetarian recipes, credible nutrition information and a peek into my Southern roots and travels!

Learn more about me →

Popular Recipes

  • Cheddar Cauliflower Bites on Marble with Chives in Background
    Cheddar Chive Cauliflower Bites
  • Overhead moon milk photo
    Moon Milk
  • Egg Roll in Bowl side view
    Vegan Egg Roll in a Bowl
  • Blood Orange Mocktail Overhead
    Sparkling Blood Orange Mocktail
  • Pumpkin pasta in bowls with a fork on the side
    Creamy Pumpkin Pasta
    with Toasted Walnuts and Spinach
  • Slow Roasted Tomato Basil Linguine with Toasted Pine Nuts
    Slow Roasted Tomato Basil Linguine
    with Toasted Pine Nuts

Dinner Time Recipes

  • Pinto Bean and Cheese Burritos Stacked on a plate
    Freezer Friendly Pinto Bean Cheese Burrito
  • Cheese Tomato Tart on parchment
    Easy Tomato Cheddar Tart
  • Two filets of black cod in skillet with sauce.
    Honey Garlic Alaska Sablefish with Broccoli
  • Roasted Cauliflower Chickpea Arugula Pasta
  • sliced flatbread with bowls of arugula
    Easy Roasted Vegetable Flatbread
  • Salmon Pesto Pasta in a White Skillet
    Salmon Kale Pesto Pasta
See more Entrees →

Footer

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Marisa Moore, MBA.RDN.LD. | Registered Dietitian Nutritionist | Food and Nutrition Consultant | Speaker | Writer | Spokesperson

Copyright 2019 · Marisa Moore Nutrition · All Rights Reserved · Privacy Policy