Save Hundreds of Calories on Thanksgiving — Without Even Noticing

By Leta Shy

Updated on 11/24/2015 at 6:10 PM

The average Thanksgiving plate will set you back more than a day's worth of calories — 4,500 to be exact. Looking to cut a few calories from your Thanksgiving feast? Here's how to shave hundreds off your plate without even noticing.

POPSUGAR Photography | Anna Monette Roberts
  1. Choose white meat over dark: If you're a dark-meat eater through and through, this one may be hard to swallow, but if you have no preference, opting for turkey breast (153 calories per four-ounce serving) over dark meat (183 calories per serving) will save you 30 calories.
  2. Skip the skin: Eating your turkey without the skin will save you 20 calories per serving.
  3. Choose dry Champagne over white wine: Celebrate with a glass of sparkling instead of a Chardonnay, and save 22 calories per glass.
  4. Scoop less: Instead of piling on the mashed potatoes (236 calories per cup), halve your portion and save 118 calories.
  5. Go easy on the gravy: Using two tablespoons of homemade gravy instead of three will save you 35 calories per plate.
  6. Pick your casserole: Opt for a three-quarter-cup-sized serving of green bean casserole (148 calories) over sweet potato casserole (177 calories for a three-quarter cup serving), and save 29 calories.
  7. Hold the butter: Eat your roll without butter and save 102 calories.
  8. Eat this dessert: Have a choice between pies? Having a slice of pumpkin pie instead of apple pie will save you 95 calories.
  9. Hold the à la mode: Instead of a scoop of vanilla ice cream (145 calories for a half-cup), go for whipped cream (16 calories for two tablespoons), and save 129 calories.