Fill Your Thanksgiving Table With Nutritious Foods Your Family Will Love
Editor’s Note: This article was written and originally posted by our partners at Metro Parent.
In homes across metro Detroit, families and friends are preparing to gather and celebrate everyoneโs favorite holiday of the year: Thanksgiving!
Thanksgiving is a time for sharing gratitude and stories, welcoming new family members and celebrating traditions old and new. Parents and kids agree that the holiday comes just at the right time for a much-needed break.
But Thanksgiving, with its traditional menu of turkey, potatoes and stuffing, is also a great opportunity to try new foods and bring some extra nutrition to your table, too.
โMost families have a lot of people at their Thanksgiving table and the point of the holiday is to indulge, create a colorful table and make it special. But you can even use Thanksgiving as a time to over-indulge in vegetable side dishes,โ says Sarah Woodside, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and Director of Marketing and Communications withย Milk Means More.
For a big boost of nutrition on your Thanksgiving table, add as many vegetable-filled side dishes as you can. โI love to have three, four or even five vegetable side dishes,โ Woodside says. This is a time to try some new recipes and maybe even get your kids hooked and asking for more.
Why is it so important to add an extra vegetable spin to Thanksgiving? โThe key is that vegetables have vitamins and minerals, especially in the more colorful vegetables,โ Woodside explains. Sweet potatoes, for instance, are a great source of vitamin C, potassium, vitamin A and vitamin K, plus fiber and magnesium. And that orange color brings a great seasonal feel to the meal, too.
But donโt stop there. Butternut squash, beets, turnips, radishes, mushrooms โ even leafy greens like kale, arugula and spinach โ grow late into the season here in Michigan and are nutrient-dense and delicious.
Here, Woodside offers some simple tips for making your own Thanksgiving extra special with creative and inspiring vegetable-forward side dishes โ and some recipes, too!
Delegate by the vegetable or fruit
When Grandpa asks what he can bring, donโt be shy. Be specific about what vegetables or fruits youโd like him to bring โ and encourage his creativity! โSay โHereโs what else Iโd like to have on the tableโ and be specific,โ Woodside suggests. โGuests like this because it makes it easier. I never mind being told what to bring.โ
Assign thisย modern green bean casseroleย recipe to a guest you know will enjoy bearing a fresh take on the humble green bean. Everyone at the table will benefit from the fiber, protein and great taste of this particular dish!
Think colorful
โThe seasonal vegetables available at Thanksgiving offer lots of different colors, from carrots to cranberries. Vegetables and fruits can bring all of this to your table,โ Woodside says. Parsnips, Brussels sprouts, cranberries, apples are all fresh and available now.
โMy experience with buying, say, strawberries this time of year is that they are not so great. Theyโve traveled far to get to your store and they donโt taste as good,โ Woodside says. โBut when you find vegetables and fruits that are in season, they just taste better and are more cost-effective. They havenโt traveled so far to get to you.โ
Want to dress up your carrots? Try theseย Moroccan roasted carrots with yogurt dressingย for a change. Good thing this recipe is so simple because your kids may ask for this again and again!
Kid-friendly, all day
With a whole day โ or potentially a whole weekend โ of Thanksgiving festivities ahead, Woodside encourages us to think beyond the Thanksgiving meal itself. โIf youโre going to or hosting an all-day event, think appetizers because thereโs some nutritional opportunity there. Bring in the fruits!โ she says.
Aย creamy lime dipย of Greek yogurt, lime juice and lime zest served with an array of fresh fruits is very kid-friendly and works as an appetizer or even late in the day to freshen up leftovers. โThis dip is one of my favorites and itโs easy to prepare, nutritious and great served with apples, oranges and pears,โ Woodside says.
Keep it simple
Adults may love creamy scalloped potatoes and traditional green bean casserole, but for many, they are an acquired taste. โWhat Iโve learned with my own kids is they donโt like that kind of recipe at all, so what I do like to have is a simple vegetable, too,โ Woodside says. โPlain green beans, plain corn, broccoli. Something simple they recognize outside of a casserole-type dish. Theyโre much more apt to eat it.โ
Add a topping
Then, offer a creative topping to elevate that simple vegetable, Thanksgiving-style.
โMarshmallows on sweet potatoes are not my favorite, but kids love to add just a couple of mini marshmallows to bring some fun to their plain sweet potatoes,โ Woodside says, also suggesting some butter for cooked green beans and cheddar cheese sprinkled on steamed broccoli.
Michigan cheesesย and other dairy foods like sour cream, cream cheese, yogurt and buttermilk can add just the right flavor andย additional nutritionย to Thanksgiving favorites.
โAdding a little flavor from marshmallows or cheeses can really help kids to eat the vegetables and get that nutrition, which is the goal,โ she says.
Adults can try this, too. โSteamed green beans tossed with a little parmesan cheese and toasted almonds really elevates a simple vegetable to the next level,โ Woodside says.
Dessert can be nutritious, too!
Whatโs Thanksgiving without pumpkin pie? It may not be everyoneโs personal favorite, but pumpkinโs vitamin A and beta carotene mean pumpkin pie is a dessert that makes sense, nutritionally.
โI absolutely love pumpkin pie and my three kids give mixed reviews. One loves it, one will try a little bit, and the third doesnโt like it at all. But a big dollop of whipped cream on top always helps, I think. And thatโs the fun part about Thanksgiving,โ Woodside says.
The great thing about pumpkin pie is that there are so many variations, from traditional to praline, maple syrup-sweetened, five-spice and streusel-topped. Itโs a very versatile dessert that can form a tradition for each family. Try these funย mini pumpkin almond cheesecakesย this year. Kids love their tiny size and sweet, creamy flavor.
What about leftovers?
Thanksgiving leftovers are a boon for busy parents because it means thereโs always something to eat in the fridge. And leftover basics like turkey, cranberry sauce, rolls and mashed potatoes come together nicely for hungry kids. โAnd, these foods keep very well,โ Woodside adds.
If youโre looking to get more creative with leftovers, recreate your own childhood family traditions and even come up with some new takes.
Reheat those leftover sweet potatoes and green beans with a little garlic and olive oil. Or, add those sweet potatoes to pancakes, but make it easy โ the genius who came up withย sheet pan pancakesย deserves a medal!
โAdd milk and sour cream to mashed potatoes to make creamy potato pancakes,โ says Woodside. Or give leftover roast potatoes a new life in a hash with some onions and peppers, topped with a fried egg. โThat was always our tradition in my family growing up,โ she adds.
Honestly, itโs worth making a double batch of baked sweet potatoes when you can turn the leftovers into something as luscious asย twice-bakedย sweet potato with chili oat topping.
Pro tip: Donโt limit this dish to just dinner. The crunchy oats, cream cheese and cinnamon make these sweet potatoes a great brunch treat, too.