BEST AND WORST THANKSGIVING FOODS

If you’re wondering which, calorically speaking, are the best and worst Thanksgiving dishes to choose, we’ve got the skinny. 

Which is the skinnier pick: White or dark meat (turkey)?

White meat. Per 3 ounces, opting for the "white" turkey breasts over the "dark" meat will save you 50 calories and 4 grams of fat: 115 calories and 7 grams of fat versus 160 calories and 11 grams of fat, respectively. 

Which is the skinnier pick:  Green bean casserole or sweet potato casserole?

Even with its creamy mushroom soup and crispy fried onions, traditional green bean casserole (161 calories, 9 g fat per 3/4 cup) is a lighter pick than sweet potato casserole (285 calories, 5 g fat per 3/4 cup). Part of the reason is that green beans are so low-cal to start. That said, the starchier sweet potato is full of good-for-you nutrients, including beta carotene, a potent antioxidant and precursor to vitamin A.

Which is the skinnier pick: Pumpkin pie or apple pie?

At 316 calories and 14 g of fat per slice (1/8 of a 9 inch pie), pumpkin is a slimmer choice than apple, which will cost you 411 calories and 19 g of fat for that same-size slice. One explanation for the higher calorie count: the double crust. Another bonus of picking the pumpkin: whipped topping has significantly fewer calories and less fat than the vanilla ice cream often served atop apple.

Which is the skinnier pick: Traditional sausage stuffing or a dinner roll with butter?

If you’re all about the calories, go for the dinner roll with a pat of butter, which will set you back 140 calories and 4.5 g fat, versus the 371 calories and 19 g of fat you’ll gobble down in 3/4 cup of the stuffing. But if you love stuffing, go for it—maybe just go for a smaller serving: Thanksgiving comes but once a year, after all.

Which is the skinnier turkey topper: Jellied cranberries or gravy?

Surprise! Gravy is actually the skinnier selection in this case. Per 1/4 cup, gravy delivers about 30 calories and 1.5 g fat, versus the cranberries, with 110 calories (and 0 g fat) per 1/4 cup. Why so high? Lots of added sugars.

Courtesy of eatingwell.com