Thanksgiving is a time to gather with friends and family and appreciate all you have. However, it can also be a time of indulgence and stress. So, ditch the guilt next year with these 10 new healthy family traditions.
Getting Everyone Involved In The Kitchen
For many families, Thanksgiving revolves around the kitchen. That makes the heart of your home a great place to explore new, healthier traditions this year.
- Give Everyone a Job
Even the littlest family members can help make a meal, so put aside your reservations and gather everyone in the kitchen for an all-hands-on-deck effort.
- Make Holiday Cookies
The simple joy that holiday cookies bring to millions of people makes them an exception to most diets. However, there are healthy alternatives to sugar-laden cookies, just like organic sore throat lollipops for kids are a healthier version of a favorite treat.
- Learn a New Recipe Together
Now is an excellent time to rethink that heavy, fat-soaked green bean casserole in favor of a new, lighter recipe for next year’s Thanksgiving table. Look for healthier options that bring rich flavor without the guilt.
- Bake Healthy Pet Treats
Include your furry friends in the festivities with some healthy, all-natural, homemade treats.
Get Some Fresh Air
There are tons of great ways to support health when you head outdoors. So, give your 1 year old immune support and turn your attention to nature.
- Have a Thanksgiving Themed Scavenger Hunt
Scavenger hunts are great ways to get your family moving while having fun. Find a list of things associated with the holiday to search around town for. Pumpkins, turkeys, acorns, and footballs are just a few examples.
- Collect Colorful Leaves for a Table Centerpiece
Start your healthy traditions ahead of time by involving your family in a leaf-gathering contest. Have prizes for the most colorful, brightest, and biggest specimens collected. Then, put the leaves in a basket for a colorful Thanksgiving centerpiece.
- Take a Post-Meal Walk
Instead of leaving the table to settle on the couch, grab your coat and head outside for a post-meal walk. It will help you feel more energized and remove some guilt from that second piece of pie you picked up.
Get Involved in Your Community
Most communities have numerous programs for members that are facing financial difficulties. They offer excellent opportunities to highlight all you have to be thankful for.
- Shop for Those Less Fortunate
Take your family shopping for donations, tasking each one with choosing a gift they would enjoy themselves. Consider adding some preservative free food into packages as a healthy treat.
- Volunteer at a Soup Kitchen
Serve meals to those who otherwise would go without on Thanksgiving at a community soup kitchen.
- Foster a Shelter Animal
No one should spend the holidays alone, including pets facing uncertainty in local shelters. Offer to foster one so he has a chance to experience a real Thanksgiving surrounded by love. You may find room in your home and heart for one more furry family member.
Thanksgiving is about more than overindulging in a huge meal. Next fall, find new traditions with your family that naturally support good health.
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