How do you survive Thanksgiving on keto?

Here are some easy tips and swaps to keep keto this Thanksgiving while still enjoying those traditional favorites: Consider time-restricted eating (TRE). ... Eat off a salad plate. ... Choose dark meat over white meat. ... Stuffing swap. ... Sugar-free cranberry sauce. ... Sweet potato casserole. ... Mashed potatoes and gravy. More items... Nov 22, 2021

Should I break keto for Thanksgiving?

If you're unfamiliar with a keto diet, here's the quick explanation: It's extremely low in carbohydrates and high in fat. Meat, including turkey with skin, is fine to consume, but other Thanksgiving staples aren't . Mashed potatoes are off limits, along with bread stuffing, rolls, sugary cranberry sauce and desserts.

What do people miss most on keto?

As you can see, bread is by far the food people miss the most, followed by dessert/sweets and beer . Below are our best suggestions for low-carb versions of these foods.

What happens when you quit keto?

Going off keto may lead to gains in muscle mass . And that's especially good news if you're over 30 years; as we age, muscle synthesis begins to decrease. Less overall muscle mass means we burn fewer calories at rest and can eventually lose strength and mobility.

What is the hardest day of keto?

1. The First 10 Days May Be The Toughest Before starting, you should be aware that if you drop carbs cold-turkey, the first few days you will most likely experience symptoms of your body adjusting to lack of glucose. Many people starting off keto will go through this and it's often referred to as the “Keto Flu”.

What happens if you eat too many carbs on keto?

The bottom line. You should avoid cheat meals and days on the keto diet. Consuming too many carbs can kick your body out of ketosis — and it takes several days to 1 week to get back into it. In the meantime, your weight loss may be disrupted.

Will one slice of pizza take you out of ketosis?

A slice of regular pizza can contain anywhere from 20-30 grams of carbs or more, depending on the size and toppings. Will too much protein per one meal kick me out of ketosis? In short: Yes . Your body will use gluconeogenesis to turn the protein into glucose for energy.

How can I go on keto without starving?

Make sure you are eating enough fat . Being much more energy-dense than carbohydrates, fats are also more satiating. They will also ensure that you stay in ketosis. Increase the size of your meals with nutrient-dense foods.

What happens when you cut carbs cold turkey?

You Might Feel Dizzy and Have Headaches It will switch to breaking down fat into ketones, an alternative to glucose. This puts the body into ketosis, or a state with elevated ketones, which have side effects such as dizziness, weakness, fatigue and headaches.

How do you get over a cheat day on keto?

After a cheat day, you can help your body reenter ketosis by lowering carb intake and boosting fat consumption . Exercising, fasting, and staying hydrated can also help speed up the process.

Is there a cheat day on keto?

How to Enjoy a Cheat Meal on the Keto Diet. A full cheat day of consuming sugar, bread and pasta will take your body out of ketosis , which may take days to recover from. That's why Carrico suggests a cheat meal every now and then instead. You'll likely consume a lower number of carbs than you would on a full cheat day.

Keto Thanksgiving Meal Recipes That the Whole Family Will Enjoy

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Thanksgiving and food, they’re inseparable. It’s the one holiday where the purpose is to sit around the table sharing a meal with family and friends. Turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, cranberry sauce, pumpkin desserts… I could go on with the dishes served this holiday.

So, what will you do when you’re trying to eat low-fathigh carb? You can take the day off, dive into the holiday meal, and bump yourself out of ketosis.

Or, you can have a delicious Thanksgiving meal that fits entirely into your diet. Yes, you heard that, low carb mash with gravy!

Forget about sitting at the table and eating a completely different meal than the rest of the family. Why can’t you enjoy every dish at the table too?

And you shouldn’t have to sacrifice your weight loss goal or feel guilty afterward either.

How many times have you felt guilty after Thanksgiving before?

I want you to savor every meal at the Thanksgiving table, including dessert. And feel great the next morning!

So, I’ve gathered these 16 Low Carb Dishes for a Complete Thanksgiving Meal that will make you enjoy the holiday like you did when you were a kid. No guilt, just yum.

SOUP AND SALAD

Do you enjoy the holiday meal by course, or is it all laid out on the table? This soup and salad are perfect to begin the festivities.

Get creative and serve the soup in shot glasses or the salad in Martini glasses. This gives your table an elegant look and helps control portions. It comes especially handy if you want to taste every dish at the table.

#1 FABULOUS FENNEL SALAD

This fennel salad is, well… fabulous, as the name suggests. Aside from being refreshing and preparing your palate for the rest of the meal, it’s very easy to make. If you’re the one cooking most of the Thanksgiving meal, then you’ll appreciate this dish.

If you haven’t had much fennel, give it a try. It’s delicious! Carol, from Studio Botanica, combines it with radishes, parsley, onion, and cucumber. When you add the olive oil and lemon flavors, it completes this delicious recipe.

#2 CREAMY ROASTED RED PEPPER, SAUSAGE & CAULIFLOWER SOUP

Raia shows that she knows her way around the kitchen with this red pepper, sausage, and cauliflower soup. She had me at red peppers and sausage!

MAIN PROTEIN

You can’t have Thanksgiving without turkey. But, why not have variety?

If you have a very large table or finicky eaters, then here you’ll find several options for one of the most important parts of the Thanksgiving meal. Let’s be real, it’s a toss-up between turkey and pumpkin-flavored dessert for the most important Thanksgiving dish. ?

#3 KETO THANKSGIVING TURKEY

Mira at My PCOS Kitchen has a keto Thanksgiving turkey recipe that’s crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside.

She uses herbed butter under the turkey skin to make the meat flavorful, tender, and juicy. I can almost taste the deliciousness… Mmmmm!

You can also link up to her keto cranberry sauce through this turkey recipe. Check it out!

#4 DUTCH OVEN ROASTED RED CURRY WHOLE CHICKEN

As I mentioned earlier, holiday dinners call for variety, especially if you have a large family. Believe me, I know what it’s like to have a Christmas dinner with “only 65” of the closest family members!

On the other hand, this year it looks like Jeremy and I will be doing Thanksgiving on our own, so this chicken recipe comes in handy to have the “whole bird” Thanksgiving experience without a 10-pound bird.

This Dutch oven roasted red curry whole chicken recipe by ChihYu at I Heart Umami is to die for. Wow, this one goes beyond Thanksgiving dinner too! You can make it for any occasion. Best of all, you cook the whole meal in one.

#5 TURKEY PUMPKIN CHILI IN THE SLOW COOKER

If you wanna get really creative this Thanksgiving, how about some turkey pumpkin chili in the slow cooker? You can have this the day after too. A hearty meal to keep you warm on chilly days.

This Low Carb Yum recipe is a great option if you’re having a very small Thanksgiving too. Perfect if you don’t want to go all out with an entire holiday meal but still want to keep the turkey theme going.

SIDE DISHES

By far, what you see the most of at the Thanksgiving dinner table is side dishes. So, here you’ll find a wide variety of sides to make your holiday table feel like the Thanksgiving meals you grew up with.

#6 TUSCAN ROASTED BROCCOLI

This Tuscan roasted broccoli by Savoring Today is heavenly. Broccoli and garlic are always wonderful combinations, but then you add Parmesan cheese, pistachios, and lemon zest, and this broccoli recipe is to die for.

#7 THREE INGREDIENT PUREED CAULIFLOWER

Mashed potatoes are an essential part of the Thanksgiving meal, but potatoes aren’t keto friendly or low carb. So, that’s where cauliflower mash comes into the picture.

If you’re going for easy-to-make yet delicious and flavorful, then you have to try the Organic Kitchen’s three-ingredient pureed cauliflower.

Don’t be fooled by the small number of ingredients in this recipe. Just check out the picture and you won’t want to wait until Thanksgiving to have some of this cauliflower mash.

#8 LOW CARB KETO CAULIFLOWER MASHED POTATOES

Wholesome Yum’s low carb keto cauliflower mashed potatoes recipe has more ingredients and a different twist on flavors.

It includes your classic garlic and chives, but then Maya adds butter and full-fat coconut cream to enhance the creaminess and flavors of this cauliflower mash with a slightly different and subtle twist.

#9 KETO TURKEY GIBLET GRAVY

Every mash needs its faithful companion, gravy. And My PCOS Kitchen has an amazing turkey giblet gravy recipe. It delivers in flavor and thickness. With this recipe, you can use xanthan gum (or guar gum) instead of cornstarch to thicken the gravy, just as you would have it regularly.

#10 GRANDMA JULIA’S GREEN BEANS

Try Grandma Julia’s green beans recipe by The Organic Kitchen. Grandma Julia must be a very special person because her recipe looks delicious with a great combination of pine nuts, tomatoes, garlic, and basil. I’m loving the Italian essence of this green bean recipe!

#11 PAN FRIED BRUSSELS SPROUTS WITH BACON & DRIED CRANBERRIES

A Thanksgiving meal without cranberries just doesn’t feel like a real Thanksgiving meal. I hadn’t included cranberries yet because they tend to include sugar. But, I cannot write this post without them.

Raia’s Recipes has an amazing combination of brussels sprouts, bacon, and cranberries to satisfy that holiday craving. Check out her pan-fried brussels sprouts with bacon and dried cranberry here.

#12 HERB STUFFED MUSHROOMS

These herb stuffed mushrooms by I Heart Umami can be served an appetizer or a side dish.

While mushrooms tend to have a mild flavor, stuffed with parsley, mint, and parmesan cheese, amongst other tasty ingredients, these mushrooms are anything but mildly flavored.

#13 LOW CARB PALEO CAULIFLOWER STUFFING

Who said you have to let go of stuffing just because you’re eating low carb? Wholesome Yum is at it again with a delicious recipe. This time it’s a low-carb paleo cauliflower stuffing packed with herbs and seasonings that make this cauliflower stuffing unforgettable.

#14 PALEO KETO THANKSGIVING STUFFING RECIPE

If your favorite part of stuffing is the bread, then go with A Girl Worth Saving’s paleo keto Thanksgiving stuffing recipe. With this one, you can bake your own Keto “cornbread” to make a phenomenal stuffing recipe that nobody will know is low carb.

DESSERTS

I hope you left room for dessert! Here are two options of delectable sweet recipes that’ll make you have Thanksgiving more than once a year.

#15 PUMPKIN MOUSSE RECIPE

You can’t have Thanksgiving without some sort of pumpkin flavored desserts. Ditch the pumpkin pie and go with this pumpkin mousse recipe by Low Carb Yum.

#16 KETO LEMON BLUEBERRY MUFFINS

For those who’ve had too much pumpkin flavored desserts by the time Thanksgiving comes around, make these keto lemon blueberry muffins.

The Organic Kitchen’s muffins for dessert after dinner or for breakfast the next morning.

ARE YOU READY TO MAKE THESE KETO THANKSGIVING MEAL RECIPES THAT THE WHOLE FAMILY WILL ENJOY?

I hope this roundup of Keto Thanksgiving meal recipes that the whole family will enjoy gives you enough ideas to focus this holiday on the important part, family.

While you always enjoy the time with family, the difference this year will be that your meal won’t be accompanied by a side of guilt over what you ate.

Enjoy the holiday!

16 Must-Have Keto Recipes for Every Meal of the Day
Low Carb 90-Second Keto Sage Cheesy Bread
Keto Prosciutto-Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers
Mouthwatering Coconut Cream Sweet Potato Mash(Not keto, but a healthy and yummy Thanksgiving option)
Healthy Eating and Intermittent Fasting: What Healthy Is and How to Make it Sustainable

BEFORE YOU GO, DON’T FORGET

Comment below and let me know how many of these recipes you’ll be making for Thanksgiving this year.

And sign up for the Fit and Healthy Conversions sheets below to get a free list of healthy substitutes to traditional baking ingredients.

Keto Thanksgiving Meal Recipes That the Whole Family Will Enjoy - The Fit and Healthy Baker (2024)