Thanksgiving Dinner Satisfaction And Perfect Portion Control: Time to Celebrate

Photo: Allison Fishman

As we head into the holiday season chef Allison Fishman, owner of The Wooden Spoon, a cooking school in New York, shares the best ways to prepare your favorite holiday meals and desserts without adding to your waistline and without scrimping on taste.

First and foremost, "Prepare your favorites. It's not the time to skimp," Fishman explained. If you don't, she added, "As my dad would say, you're going to be sitting there with a 'broygis punim,' [that's sad face in Yiddish]. This is family, this is Thanksgiving. Let loose and enjoy." But there is room for a little diet-friendly compromise. "If pumpkin pie's your favorite thing in the world, I'm not going to tell you not to have it, but you could make crustless pumpkin pie. [The crust] contains a tremendous amount of calories, fat -- leave it off. The only food that should go into your mouth is food you absolutely love."

That's Fit: How do you go about changing your cooking style for health considerations?

Allison Fishman: I grew up with mashed potatoes that were made with a container of sour cream. Now I make mine with buttermilk. Buttermilk is naturally fat-free. I think they're a little bit gross and heavy now that I've got the other version.

TF: What's your policy on taking tastes while you cook?

AF: [Laughs] That's funny... my policy. It's a requirement. I don't want you serving me food if you don't think it's delicious. Let's hope you're burning some calories while you cook. You're on your feet, peeling those potatoes. You've got to keep your energy up.

TF: So how do you maintain portion control while everyone around you is loading up their plate with a second or third helping?

AF: One thing I do every day, for every meal is fill up half of my plate with vegetables, then go with a quarter protein, and a quarter of carbs. For Thanksgiving, your turkey's fine -- it's lean. Have a little bit of the gravy, have a little bit of mashed potatoes. You're going to sit down at that table with flowers, the good china, when your plate is half vegetables -- it's beautiful.

I don't use a gargantuan American plate. I have a lot of water with my meal and before my meal. I love getting up after the meal and taking a really nice walk. I also am a big believer in lots of little meals. Your energy stays higher in the day. So on Thanksgiving you best be eating breakfast and probably a smaller meal too.

Tell whoever made you this dinner how much you appreciate it. Thank yourself for eating this food and enjoy every single bite nice and slow. Take your time with this meal and enjoy.

For more great Thanksgiving coverage, head to AOL Food's Thanksgiving Recipes, That's Fit's celebrity nutritionist Tanya Zuckerbrot's low-fat pumpkin pie recipe and our roundup of light Thanksgiving recipes.