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How I Shaved a Few Calories Off My Thanksgiving Dinner

ShaveCaloriesI survived Thanksgiving. And yes, I splurged a bit and ate too much, but that is the nature of the holiday, no? When it comes to Thanksgiving, I could really care less about the turkey. I’m all about the sides—the stuffing, mashed potatoes, rolls and pumpkin pie. Just listing it all out makes me excited for next year.

We had a small family Thanksgiving, so my husband and I were in charge of the menu. And for our first real go at it, things went pretty well. The turkey took way longer than anticipated so dinner was a bit later than we’d planned, but it was delicious and there were leftovers for days. My mother-in-law was in charge of making the pumpkin pie per tradition, so she finished that job in the morning before I got to cooking. I noticed that my new package of sugar hadn’t been touched, but I didn’t think anything of it, even though I knew that I had been completely out of sugar.

So after the turkey was eaten and the leftovers were put away, it came time for pumpkin pie. My mother-in-law served herself up a piece, and when she took her first bite, she discovered that it was an accidental sugar-free pumpkin pie. She had completely omitted the sugar. And although I adore pumpkin pie, I figured if it wasn’t the perfect pumpkin pie, why waste the calories on it? I had certainly eaten plenty for dinner, and I was still really, really full. Why put myself over the edge for a sugar-free pie? So I didn’t. Instead, I had a dab of something sweet and called it a day. Now, when I go for some pumpkin pie because of my unfulfilled craving, it’ll be on a day when I haven’t eaten a day’s worth of food in a single meal. And I’ll probably enjoy it even more.

Ever skipped a holiday favorite because you just didn’t need it? Or had a baking mishap on the big day? I’m sure we’re not the only ones… —Erin

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