Thanksgiving is by far my favorite holiday. I start decorating for Fall when it is still triple digits and am adamant there be no Christmas decoration until after Thanksgiving. There is something magical in the air as the weather starts to cool. Family and friends gather, and memories are made. With many special events and holidays cancelled last year, I have a feeling this year will be all the sweeter but savoring these moments while balancing special dietary needs can be a challenge.
Here are some easy tips and swaps to keep keto this Thanksgiving while still enjoying those traditional favorites:
Consider time-restricted eating (TRE). Plan when your Thanksgiving meal is going to be and consider an extended fast in advance (which means no nibbling as you prepare the feast). Fasting increases levels of ketosis, which may allow for a few extra carbs during your eating window. Note, a “few extra” is not a hog-wild binge, but rather room for a bigger portion of non-starchy vegetables or keto-friendly dessert. A good starting point is 16 hours of fasting with an 8-hour time frame for eating. TRE is a tool that is not appropriate for everyone, so talk to your dietitian to see if and how this can be factored into your nutrition plan.
Eat off a salad plate. Choosing a smaller plate will naturally reduce portion sizes and ultimately carbohydrate intake while tricking your brain into thinking your portion is sufficient because it is filling up the plate. Fat is more than twice as calorically dense than protein or carbohydrates - meaning you will get the energy you need, in a smaller volume.
Choose dark meat over white meat. While turkey itself is zero carbs, dark meat has a higher fat content than white meat. If you do opt for white meat, make sure to add extra fat (butter, oil, avocado, mayo, or cream).
Stuffing swap. Regular bread is an obvious keto no-no, but you can substitute a keto bread or biscuit as an easy swap in your favorite stuffing recipe.
Sugar-free cranberry sauce. Add equal parts of water, fresh or frozen cranberries, and strawberries or peeled oranges to a small saucepan and simmer until the cranberries have popped. Blend or mash to fully incorporate the fruits. If you need a little more sweetness, add your favorite keto-approved sweetener such as liquid stevia, monk fruit, or powdered erythritol to taste. I personally like to add a few dashes of ground cinnamon, cardamom, clove, and ginger.
Sweet potato casserole. Sub sweet potatoes for butternut squash, which is much lower in carbs and use a keto-friendly brown sugar alternative. Skip the marshmallows and serve to the whole lot, keto or not. It’ll be our little secret. I made this recipe two years ago and it was a hit!
Mashed potatoes and gravy. Steam chopped cauliflower and use a cheese cloth to squeeze out extra water. Blend cauliflower with a little heavy cream and a generous amount of butter to recreate that fluffy texture we all crave. Add garlic, salt, and pepper to taste. If there is a cauliflower hater in your midst, try turnips. Roast turnips at ~350 degrees until tender and blend or mash with cream, butter, and desired seasonings.
Crustless pumpkin pie. Using a standard pumpkin pie recipe, you can easily swap out sugar in the recipe for powdered keto-approved sweeteners like erythritol, which is available in both brown and white sugar replacements. Skip the crust and bake in small ramekin dishes for single servings. If you prefer the whole shebang when it comes to pie, check out this recipe from the Charlie Foundation for a keto pumpkin pie, crust and all. Whichever you choose, top it off with some homemade whipped cream.
Whatever you serve this holiday season, remember to savor the moments with the ones you love most of all. Enjoy!
Wheeler, Christi MS, RDN, CSP
Christi Wheeler holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Clinical Nutrition from Arizona State University. As a Registered Dietitian board certified in pediatric nutrition, Christi works in the nutritional management of children with special healthcare needs with a subspecialty in ketogenic dietary therapies since 2010. Christi is actively involved in research, education and program development to expand the use of the ketogenic dietary therapies. Her current focus is in collaboration with the Barrow Neurological Institute at Phoenix Children’s Psychology Department to reduce barriers to dietary adherence and improve patient care with this powerful dietary therapy.
FAQs
There Are Plenty of Conscious Ways to Have a Keto Cheat Day
Or, if it's Thanksgiving, don't offer to cook green beans or turkey (which are already keto-compliant). Instead, bring a low-carb pumpkin pie or make mashed cauliflower instead of potatoes.
How to get through Thanksgiving on keto? ›
Keto diets aren't meant to be protein-rich, but it can be easy to forget veggies on Thanksgiving, when meats and dairy abound. A keto feast could include a salad with avocado, onions, green peppers, cucumber, and tomatoes, or a crudité platter. Deviled eggs are also a keto-friendly hors d'oeuvre.
What is sabotaging my keto diet? ›
Not Eating Enough Carbs
According to experts, a person should consume up to 50 grams of carbs per day to be able to stay in ketosis, so instead of cutting carbs completely, incorporate complex nutrient-dense carbs in your meal prep.
How do I get back into ketosis after Thanksgiving? ›
Here are a few tips to help you get back into ketosis:
- Try intermittent fasting. Combining intermittent fasting with the keto diet may help your body shift its fuel source from carbs to fat ( 9 ).
- Track your carb intake. ...
- Try a short-term fat fast. ...
- Exercise more. ...
- Try a medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) supplement.
Why does eating too many carbs disrupt ketosis? Not following accepted ketogenic diet guidelines can disrupt ketosis because carbs are the body's preferred energy source. If your carb intake is too high, carbs may be used for fuel instead of ketone bodies, which is the main source of fuel during ketosis.
Will one slice of pizza take you out of ketosis? ›
Regular Crust
This type of pizza crust can have up to 33g of carbs without any added sauce or cheese. If you're limiting your carbs to 20-50 grams per day, one slice of this type of crust will likely kick you out of ketosis.
What foods can you eat unlimited amounts of on keto? ›
Foods you can eat on the keto diet include fish and seafood, meat and poultry, non-starchy vegetables like bell peppers, broccoli, and zucchini, avocados, berries, nuts and seeds, eggs, high-fat dairy products, olive oil and other oils, and high-cocoa chocolate.
How much weight can you lose in 1 week on keto? ›
The rate of weight loss on the keto diet without exercise ranges from 1-2 pounds per week. Therefore, if you want to lose significant weight, reaching your goals may take a few months. Exercise is essential to any weight loss plan, as it helps burn calories, build muscle, and improve overall health.
Why am I not losing weight on keto Week 3? ›
The main reason why many people find that they are not losing weight with keto is that they are eating too many carbs. In order to achieve ketosis, you need to drastically cut back on your carb consumption. However, carbs are tricky and can be hidden in vegetables, sauces, and dressings.
How to jump start ketosis in one day? ›
It's possible to get into ketosis in 24 hours by taking strict actions such as fasting and high intensity exercising. It's important to take mineral supplements and drink tons of water in order to prevent negative side effects.
Going on a 24-hour fast before you start the keto diet can actually put your body in a state of ketosis. During that period, your body will burn through its glucose reserves, which will set you up to begin burning body fat and dietary fat for fuel.
What happens when you quit keto cold turkey? ›
Without carbohydrates to build up glycogen stores, or muscle fuel, muscles will run out of gas. And when you don't have the energy to work out, muscle loss can occur. This is especially true since carbs are necessary to renew and repair muscles.
Can I break my diet for Thanksgiving? ›
The reality is, you're probably not consuming that many calories—and even if you did, “consuming more than the needed amount of calories in one day due to a holiday meal will not negatively impact your health in any way,” says Kage.
Is it OK to take a break from keto? ›
Some people choose to have five or six days on keto followed by a day or two off. Others will do keto for 10 to 12 days followed by three to four days off. Devine typically doesn't recommend taking more than two days off keto.
What happens if you suddenly break keto? ›
A significant cheat, even for one meal, can stall your weight loss, make you feel sluggish, experience significant brain fog, and if you're somewhat new to keto, perhaps cause you go through keto flu symptoms all over again. More than that, you will need to work your way into ketosis again.
Is it bad to break keto once a month? ›
If you know that you'll spend a week getting back into ketosis, then schedule your cheat days for once a month or once every other month. This way, you'll be able to remain in ketosis long enough to reap the benefits of the diet.
