How to Prepare a Diabetic‐Friendly Thanksgiving Dinner

Cooking the Turkey

Purchase the turkey. Depending on your preference, you may want to use a kosher, free-range, heritage or natural turkey. Ask your local butcher for the best available turkey, and make sure you use an appropriate sized turkey. You can use the following guidelines: For two to four people, you will want a three to six-pound turkey. For six to eight people, you will need a nine to twelve-pound turkey. For ten to twelve people, you will need a fifteen to eighteen-pound turkey. For fourteen to sixteen people, you will need twenty to twenty-four pounds of turkey.

Cut the fat off the turkey. You can get rid of some of the fat and cholesterol in your Thanksgiving turkey by removing the skin. Slowly pull the skin from the turkey with a knife. Use the knife to separate it from the meat. Set the skin aside.

Prepare the turkey. This recipe is diabetic-friendly, with zero sugar per serving. In a small bowl, mix all the herbs and the salt. Then, cover the turkey in the olive oil. Sprinkle the herb mixture over the turkey and on the inside. This recipe has 374 calories per serving, including 17 grams of fat, 50 grams of protein, one gram of carbohydrates and zero grams of sugar.

Put the turkey in a roasting pan. Put the roasting pan with the turkey in the oven. Reduce the heat to 350 Fahrenheit (176 Celsius). Roast it for two and a half hours. When it comes out, the inside temperature should be 170 Fahrenheit (76 Celsius). Take it out and let it rest for fifteen minutes.

Making Diabetes-Friendly Side Dishes

Roast squash with garlic and parsley. Start by turning on your oven at 375 Fahrenheit (190 Celsius). While the oven is preheating, toss the cut squash in olive oil, salt and pepper. Then, spread it on a baking sheet. Roast it for about 35-45 minutes or until it is tender. While it is roasting, brown the garlic in a frying pan with some olive oil. When the squash is done, toss it with the browned garlic and the parsley.

Serve a red cabbage salad. This German cabbage salad is appropriate for people with diabetes, since there is no added sugar and it only has 6 grams of sugar per serving. In a large saucepan on medium heat, heat up some olive oil. Throw in the cabbage with the salt and caraway seeds. Cook it until tender, which should take between eight and ten minutes. Take it off the heat and add the apple, shallot, vinegar, mustard and pepper. Stir it all together and then serve.

Roast potatoes in herbs. Start by turning on your oven to 425 Fahrenheit (220 Celsius). In a bowl, mix the potatoes with the olive oil, salt and herbs. Place them on a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast them for twenty-five to thirty-five minutes, or until they are tender on the inside.

Serving Dessert

Serve fresh berries with maple cream. Berries are great for a diabetes-friendly Thanksgiving, especially since they are packed with antioxidants, fiber and vitamin C. Whisk together the cream and the maple syrup in a bowl. Mix the berries in a small bowl. Spoon the maple cream over the berries and serve.

Make pumpkin spice cookies. Turn on the oven at 350 Fahrenheit (176 Celsius). Spray three baking sheets with cooking spray. Mix the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the two kinds of flour, baking powder, soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, allspice and nutmeg. In another bowl, whisk the wet ingredients. Then, stir the wet into the dry ingredients with the raisins. Put tablespoons of cookie batter onto the baking sheets. Bake for ten to twelve minutes.

Serve fresh apples. An apple is a great dessert for a diabetes-friendly meal. It has just seventy-seven calories and 21 grams of carbohydrates, as well as plenty of fiber and vitamins. Core one apple per person at the party. Peel the apples. Cut the apples into four pieces each, and arrange them on a serving platter. Oranges, grapefruit or grapes are other good fruit options.