Tips for a Healthy Thanksgiving Dinner

Instead of huge amounts of heavy cream and butter to season your potatoes, substitute skim milk, low-sodium broth, and roasted garlic to add flavor and creaminess. Cutting out the heavy cream and butter can reduce the fat and calorie content. And a bit of garlic can add a nutritional kick to your meal. A 1-ounce serving of garlic contains 23 percent of your recommended daily allowance (RDA) of manganese, 17 percent of your vitamin B6 and 15 percent of your vitamin C. Also, garlic contains a good amount of selenium, fiber, calcium, copper, potassium, phosphorus, iron and vitamin B-1. You might even consider switching to Yukon gold potatoes and leaving the skin on. This variety is naturally creamy and sweet, and the skins are full of fiber, potassium, vitamin C and other nutrients. If you’re feeling adventurous, try adding some pureed cauliflower and Greek yogurt to your mashed potatoes for another healthy nutrition boost.