Diabetes-friendly swaps for Thanksgiving dinner

Diabetes and Thanksgiving

The holidays are a special time, filled with family and friends, festive décor, and, of course, delicious food! While fun, holidays are often a stressful time (just ask any host or hostess!), and when you’re living with diabetes, they can come with an extra side of stress. That’s why we’re bringing you some easy diabetes-friendly foods to help make your Thanksgiving menu a little bit more enjoyable.
 

Diabetes-friendly swaps
 

While you can always stick to the well-known advice like eating a snack before heading to a get-together to avoid overindulging in carb-heavy cravings, limiting your portion sizes, and taking a walk after mealtime, here are some smart substitutions you can make to your menu for some healthier alternatives to traditional Thanksgiving dishes.

1. Swap soda for seltzer 
   When it comes to beverages, it’s easy to find yourself chugging the cinnamon apple cider or tossing back a cocktail or two (and it’s a known fact that people tend to eat more when tipsy!). For a sugar-free alternative, opt for sparkling water or seltzer instead of soda when mixing up holiday punches, or try a combo like ginger beer and unsweetened cranberry juice for a festive mocktail.
    
2. Swap deep-fried for herb-roasted turkey
   It wouldn’t be Turkey Day without the turkey! Luckily, the main star of Thanksgiving dinner is a great diabetes-friendly option. Turkey is rich in protein and has a low glycemic index, so we recommend being mindful of how it’s prepared: skip the brining or deep-frying in favor of a simple herb-roasted bird.
    
3. Swap white for wheat bread
   Speaking of turkey, it’s often served with a hearty side of stuffing. However, most stuffings are made with bread, which can spike your blood sugar. You can always swap out white bread in a recipe for whole wheat or sourdough bread for a lower glycemic index and more fiber. Go even further by trading in the pork sausage for turkey sausage for a leaner protein.
    
4. Swap potatoes for cauliflower
   A big bowl of buttery mashed potatoes is another common addition to the Thanksgiving table. A more high-fiber, diabetes-friendly option would be to combine with them root vegetable such as cauliflower, sweet potatoes, or parsnips. If you swap half your russet potatoes for a head of cauliflower, you’ll reduce the amount of carbs and still have a luscious mashed potato dish.
    
5. Swap casserole for almondine 
   Instead of a creamy, carb-heavy green bean casserole, try a dish of green beans almondine! This dish tops blanched green beans with butter or lemon juice, garlic, and toasted slivered almonds. Or, you can exchange the beans for a simple fiber-rich medley of roasted and seasoned vegetables (popular choices include asparagus, brussels sprouts, beets, carrots, onions, and squash).
    
6. Swap crust and crumble for bakes and mousse
   Diabetes definitely doesn’t mean skipping dessert! There’s plenty of sugar-free options out there. To cut carbs, try diabetes-friendly recipes without a pie crust or crumble topping, like brown sugar baked apples instead of an apple crisp, or pumpkin mousse or pumpkin pie pudding in a cup instead of a traditional pumpkin pie. There’s even recipes for crustless cheesecakes!

No matter how you choose to navigate your Thanksgiving, we hope you have a happy and healthy time celebrating with your family and friends! For more holiday inspo, check out Beyond Type 1.