Traditional Thanksgiving Dinner Macro Estimates for Planning ahead this Holiday

These are estimated so if you can use your scale do so, if not use this as a reference!

By: Kelli Michelle Gubrud

M.S. Nutrition Science

Thanksgiving is just 1 meal that you can control and still have a lot of fun! 

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to have fellowship with your family and friends this Thanksgiving. Please remember we are macro tracking, flexible planners so plan ahead and have fun with your food. Try to estimate and do not fail to log your food even by estimation. 

If you’re traveling just make sure that you have a decent meal before you go to your Thanksgiving meal!! Do not starve to eat all of your macros at Thanksgiving dinner this sets you up for bad behavior. 

Please don’t skip your breakfast have something low-fat like lean egg white omlete, protein shake with berries and toast. Also, remember to stay active, don’t skip your training sessions. Water should also be in the forefront as you may have some spirits (alcohol.) Training before you indulge can be a better tactic because your metabolism will be cranking for hours after lifting weights and intense cardio. 

Keep everything the same if you can and work on the same meal spacing even if meals in the morning are smaller!! Start off by having protein and some fiber as a snack before you feast!!!! OIKOS nonfat greek yogurt or chicken and some veggies are great ideas 1-2 hours before you leave home. Again, don’t show up hungry!! 

Pre log what you are looking forward to and input everything that you would like to have for that delicious meal on Thanksgiving into your MyFitnessPal database.

There is a good chance that you can have small pieces of pie, treats and still enjoy traditional turkey, mashed potatoes and a little gravy.

Remember, this is just one meal but it can impact the next full week of your success if you starve. Take a doggie bag or plate with you if you can’t fit it all in and want to have that food the following few days. 

See below for our handy Thanksgiving dinner estimates form KMF!

Thanksgiving Dinner Traditional Foods / Estimated macros and quantities:

Thanksgiving turkey/protein:

• Turkey breast 1 ounce portion 9 P / .5 F / 2 C if oven roasted ( packaged ) preserved, Omit if fresh breast / No carbs
• Brown Turkey and Legs 1 ounce portion 10 p / 4 fat and has zero carbohydrates.
• Thanksgiving ham Costco brand 2 ounces – 1 g of carbs, 3 g of fat and 10 protein for 2 ounces
• Roast Angus beef 2-ounce portion – 12 g of protein, 0 – carbohydrate and 4.5 g of fat
• Roast pork loin 3-ounce portion – 0 carbohydrates, 12.5 g of fat and 23 protein

Stuffings:

• Apple cranberry pecan stuffing – 5 g of fat, 53 carbohydrates, and 6 g protein
• Classic bread stuffing – 26 g of carbs 10 g of fat in 5 g of protein per 1/2 cup cooked approximately 125 g cooked
• Cornbread stuffing 4 ounces portion – 4 g of protein, 10 g of fat and 25 g of carbohydrates
• Cranberry stuffing low-fat version stovetop – One serving cooked, 1/2 cup, 20 g of carbs, 1 g of fat and 0 g of protein
• Sausage cranberry stuffing – One cup portion, 50 g of carbs, 29 g of fat and 29 g of protein

Cranberry sauces

• Whole cranberry sauce from a can .20 c ocean spray – 25 g of carbs zero fat and zero protein
• Whole cranberry jellied cranberry sauce 1/2 cup – 36 g of carbs
• Jellied cranberry sauce without the whole cranberries 1/2 cup 28 g of carbs

Gravy

• Traditional turkey gravy 1 fluid ounce – 3 g carbs, 1 g of fat and .5 P
• Canned gravy .5 cup – 3.5 g of carbs, 3.5 g of fat and 1 protein
• Turkey sausage gravy 1 cup serving – 7 g of fat, 15 g of carbs and 20 g of protein

Potato

• Rosemary potatoes .5 or 1/2 a cup – 18.5 carbohydrates, 3 g of fat / 2.5 g P
• Yellow for white mashed potatoes traditional style. 1/2 cup serving – 2 g protein, 4 1/2 g of fat and 16 g of carbs – This is with butter and whole milk estimated.
• Garlic mashed potatoes 1/2 cup – 20 g of carbs, 5 g of fat and 2 g of protein
• Traditional Homestyle mashed potatoes without gravy extra heavy cream 1/2 cup serving – 22 g of carbohydrates, 6.5 g of fat and 2 g of protein

Veggies

• Roasted veggies on average 1/2 cup cooked – 2.5 g of fat, 5 g of carbohydrates /1 g protein
• Roasted yellow squash 1/2 cup cooked – 2.4 g of fat, 3.6 g of carbohydrates and 1 g protein
• Green beans 1 c with butter est – 7 g c / 3 f / 2 p
• Green beans with Bacon 1 c est – 7 c / 2.25 F / 2 P

Other Sides:

• Mac n Cheese Home Made – 175 g cooked or 3/4 -1 c cooked if eyeballing – 42 C /17 F /15 p approx. 3/4 cup cooked
• KFC brand mac and cheese – 70 -90 Grams – 47 g of carbs, 3 g of fat and 9 protein
• Cream corn 125 g – 14 g of carbs zero fat zero protein
• Regular corn cooked 1 serving – 25-30 g carbs 2 p / 0 F – Small corn on the cob also applies
• Rudy’s or restaurant cream corn – 32 g of carbs, 19 fat / 6 protein

Dinner Rolls

• Wheat traditional dinner roll 18 g of carbs, 1 g of fat and 4 g of protein
• White – Dinner roll 26 g of carbs, 1.5 g of fat and 4 g of protein
• Sweet classic Gen dinner roll – 15 g of carbs, 4 g of fat and 2 g of protein

Pies —- watch it— log it and be honest!!!

These are approx. for 1 slice average slices are SMALL not large! Any pie that is purchased from a restaurant will be “double the fat “ carbs and protein will be the same or very close.

• Pumpkin pie 36 carbs 10 to 12 g of fat and 4 -5 protein
• Pecan Pie 80 g carbs /20 f /5 protein
• Peach pie 27 g of carbs 9 g of fat in 1.5 g of protein
• Cherry Pie 30 g of carbs 8.5 g of fat and 1 g protein
• Apple pie 32 carbs, 9 g of fat and 1 g of protein

Alternate healthy dessert apple:

1/2 of a baked apple with 1 tablespoon ready whip cinnamon and 1/2 cup of halo top vanilla bean ice cream

32 g of carbs 1 1/2 g of fat and 6 g of protein

Alternate pumpkin pie recipe – 100 g pumpkin

100 g egg whites stevia 3 packs

Cinnamon

Microwave and top with Oikos Greek triple zero

Be sure to email your macro coach if you are working with one to get your weekly numbers so that you can plan your day!

If you are going to have Thanksgiving dinner early you would swap your lunch to later in the evening when you get home or you would have your lunch a little bit closer to your Thanksgiving dinner and closer to when you’re going to leave for your Thanksgiving dinner. Remember this is just one day and will not be a make or break situation. 

If your dinner is at normal time you would have your regular lower fat and carb breakfast a smaller lunch with protein and maybe even a protein shake before you go! 

I would like you to pre – log your Thanksgiving dinner ahead if you can and work backward. 

Here are some samples of things that you could do for breakfast and lunch that would be lower fat and moderate to low carbohydrate. Add these and pre log the day before so you know what you really have left in your budget and can move some things around. 

Add all alcohol you may consume first. This is easy as 1-2-3!!! If you don’t drink as many drinks you can just knock those off the list and fill your carbohydrates later with something like a Snack. Apple, berries or extra cranberry sauce will work great 

Breakfast- 1 egg or egg white omelet and veggies, spinach mushroom

Or 1 premier protein drink and oatmeal or toast with a little butter.

Lunch – Turkey or chicken deli meat whole wheat bread, 4- 8 ounces depending on your macros. No mayonnaise please hold that as it does add up. Mustard tomato lettuce is all great!

Tunafish poke with stir fry veggies and rice or quinoa and perhaps mix like a bowl 

Lean ground beef 96 % and half a bun with lettuce and tomato ( open-faced burger ) 

Snacks:

Protein whey shake with 1 -2 scoop with chocolate fiber 1 cereal or rice chex ( be careful to save enough carbs for Potato and yummy thanksgiving dishes! 

Enjoy!!