Thanksgiving is a great time to celebrate with family, eat good food, and enjoy the holidays. At the same time, eating and enjoying Thanksgiving dinner may seem overwhelming. We've come up with 7 simple tips to help you enjoy and celebrate this year worry free.

1. Plan Ahead: Know if you're cooking or if you're going to someone else's house. That way you can prepare yourself and your eating plans. If you're going to someone else's house offer to bring a low-carb dish or two.
2. Eat a balanced breakfast: Before you head off to start cooking or to Thanksgiving dinner, eat a filling breakfast. If you go to dinner hungry you're more likely to overeat or make poor food choices.
3. Choose Wisely: When it comes to food choices think about all aspects of the meal. That includes appetizers, dinner, desserts, and drinks. Check out the American Diabetes Association recommendations for alcohol here. Another suggestion is to start with your veggies and greens, then work around the plate.
4. Use a Smaller Plate: Using a smaller plate can help you control the amount of food that you do consume. It's a great way to limit the food you do eat and helps you prioritize the right foods.
5. Take the Spotlight Off of Food: Thanksgiving is more than just about eating food, it's about family memories. Bring a board game, start a conversation, and stop the focus on the food. It's never too late to start a new tradition.
6. Plan a Post Dinner Walk: Fall is a great time of year to go for a stroll outside. Take the party outdoors, and spend some time walking with family after dinner. Sometimes you'll even find that people have holiday lights, so it's a great way to enjoy the season together.
7. Enjoy Yourself: Do your best to enjoy yourself, celebrate with family. Just remember everything in moderation!

Additional Resources

For some more tips for a happy and healthy Thanksgiving, check out these resources:

• What to Eat and What to Avoid this Thanksgiving
• A Thanksgiving Day Meal Plan
• 10 Tips for a Diabetes-Friendly Thanksgiving
• 5 Things to Keep Your Blood Sugar in Check on Thanksgiving
• Enjoying Thanksgiving with Diabetes
• Diabetes-Friendly Holiday Dishes

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