Thanksgiving, a holiday for celebrating those we’re most thankful for in our lives, has already arrived! Everyone has headed home ready to see family and enjoy quality time away from the stress of exams and papers. More importantly, though, everyone is heading home ready to enjoy the feast of a lifetime: Thanksgiving dinner.
Whether you celebrate with a large extended family or a small intimate one, everyone cooks and enjoys a feast of holiday delights. But how do you ensure that you get to enjoy all of the food without filling up too soon on one thing? Here’s my guide on how to make the perfect Thanksgiving (and holiday) plate.
First off, the meat. If your family is like mine, there is a ham and turkey every year. To make your perfect plate, it’s crucial that you start with only one slice of each (with extra of the turkey skin, of course; it’s the best part). I know it sounds silly; why skimp out on the turkey? But trust me, it’s the tactic. If you eat too much turkey early on, it will make you tired, and you will lose the stamina to come back for seconds!
Next up, we have the veggies. This is where you can splurge a little without filling up all the space in your stomach. With vegetables, there tends to be a lot of variety in what everyone makes; some make veggie casseroles, while others go for roasted. The tip for veggies is to focus on your favorite ones and the crowd pleasers to make sure you get your fair share before they’re gone!
After veggies, you have your carbs. If your family is anything like mine, we make mac and cheese, a sweet potato, and a regular roasted potato. My perfect plate is made up of one serving of each: two slices of sweet potato, two slices of herb-roasted potatoes, and a generous spoonful of some delicious, creamy mac and cheese. Of course, let’s not forget about the bread! Always make sure to grab at least two slices of whatever kind of bread your family makes. One to eat first and one to eat last!
Saving the best for last: it’s time for dessert! Perhaps the actual best part of Thanksgiving, you always have to make sure to save enough room for dessert. But with so many pies, cakes, and cookies, how do you decide which ones to fill up on? That’s a tricky question, but here is the answer: Don’t decide, eat them all! Have a slice of every pie and every cake, and eat as many cookies as you can. After all, it wouldn’t be Thanksgiving unless you’re so full you can’t move!
I hope that this guide influenced you to try everything this holiday season.
Enjoy your holidays with family and friends, and all of the non-dining hall food this Thanksgiving!
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