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When you’re on the keto diet, the holidays can be rough (pie, boozy punch, and stuffing, I’m looking at you). But going low-carb doesn’t mean you can’t feast.
Let’s get this out of the way first: If you’re going to a loved one’s house for Thanksgiving, you’ll probably only be able to eat the turkey. Womp, womp. Many seemingly low-carb dishes like green bean casserole or gravy are made with flour, which adds too many carbs for the keto diet (sorry, folks).
Your fix: BYO. Make a couple of side dishes (or dessert!) at home to take with you—or go all out and host a keto Thanksgiving on your own. You can make all the traditional dishes, but with keto-compliant ingredients, says Los Angeles-area dietitian Sarah Jadin, R.D., of Keto Consulting, LLC. (She’s even crafted a full keto Thanksgiving meal for under 20 grams of carbs!) “There’s a substitute for everything,” she says.
A few general tips for making your Thanksgiving keto-friendly: Swap out mashed potatoes for mashed cauliflower, nix adding any flour to thicken recipes like green bean casserole or creamed spinach, and load up on the low-carb veggies like Brussels sprouts, spaghetti squash, and mushrooms.
Oh, and a word on booze: Jadin says if you do opt for an alcoholic drink, go for a pure distilled spirit (plain vodka, for instance) mixed with a splash of diet soda or tonic. A dry wine is another option. And, stick to a glass or two—max. “Alcohol tends to affect people on a keto diet sooner and harder compared to people eating a general diet,” she says.
And you didn’t think you’d have to start from scratch, did you? Here are 25 keto Thanksgiving recipes to put on your menu.
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