Healthy Guide for Thanksgiving Dinner - kcentv.com - KCEN HD - Waco, Temple, and Killeen

(KCEN) -- We're just a few days away many of us will be enjoying Thanksgiving dinner.

But did you know the average Thanksgiving meal packs more than anyone's daily calorie intake should be.  

But there is a solution people.

Grocery store aisles are packed with ingredients for favorite Thanksgiving fixings.

Thanksgiving shopper Pauline Powell says, "Always have turkey, we always have corn bread dressing, we always have green bean casserole, we always have sweet potatoes, pumpkin pie."

Powell is loading her cart today.

"All the good stuff. Not very healthy, huh?"

But there are some ways to enjoy all the good stuff and not gain weight Thanksgiving Day.

Anne Gilmore, a Registered Dietitian at St. Joseph says, "The best place to start is portion control and portion size. So try to, even if you want to eat a little bit of everything that's there, try and fill a plate that's not heaping, but that's just a standard plate."

Nutritionists say your turkey serving should be about the size of the palm of your hand on Thanksgiving Day.

Make half of that plate non-starchy vegetables like broccoli, green beans, plain green beans, carrots and watch what you're cooking with.

By choosing low sodium or reduced fat ingredients in casseroles, you can cut out excess calories.

"You could even look at a different green bean recipe and just have plain green beans that maybe have some roasted almonds and some different seasonings like dill."

But some cooks will always stick to their usual. Still enjoying the traditions of turkey day with a healthy spin.

Dietitians also suggest sticking to a balanced diet the days before and after Thanksgiving.

This helps you keep on track throughout the holidays.