As we sit down to enjoy the quintessential American holiday dinner, let’s stop for a minute and contemplate what we are actually celebrating.

What started off as a harvest festival in colonial times, became an annual tradition during the civil war, and was formally observed as a federal holiday for the first time during World War 2. (Coincidence, or did people needed an extra something to celebrate during wartime?)

So what did people eat here 350 years ago?

It was all local food. Sourced from 100 miles or less. Probably much less.

The main elements of today’s meal are based on fresh local food that was available back then in the new land – the wild turkey (and other fowl), the cranberries growing in coastal bogs, the pumpkins, squash, yams, and corn.

It was also about community. The tradition of a large shared meal with family, friends, and other community members began with the first harvest festivals when the pilgrims and Native Americans sat together to celebrate together the bounty of the land.

Thanksgiving has changed form and been commercialized by big financial interests over the years, but at its core, this beautiful tradition is an ode to all that is good in this world.

– The miracle of food coming forth from the land.

– The harmony of different peoples forming a community of help and trust.

– And a minute to pause and count our blessings.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

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If you’re like most people, this Thanksgiving you’ll be having cranberry sauce with your turkey and stuffing. But what is cranberry sauce anyway?

It’s actually more of a jam or jelly than a sauce. The tart acidic flavor of the berries is buried under an avalanche of sugar (or high fructose corn syrup) in order to create this holiday classic.

We took a look inside the label of Ocean Spray’s Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce.

What you need to know:

The product has just 4 ingredients:

Cranberries, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Corn Syrup, Water

If the company had used just sugar instead of corn syrups, the list would have been even shorter and better.

Nutritionally there’s not much here, as the processing has taken away most of the fiber from the cranberries. A serving is a quarter cup, or four tablespoons. It contains 22 grams of sugar, or about five and a half teaspoons worth. Most of the 110 calories from this serving come from sugar. There are virtually no vitamins here, despite a high vitamin C content in raw cranberries (25% of the daily value).

If you think about it, a serving of cranberry sauce on the dinner plate is sort of cheating -  you’re having dessert before the main meal is even over.

In the past, and in some places to this day, the cranberry sauce is not as heavily sweetened. It adds a delightful twist to your stuffing and turkey without the empty sugar calories. Too bad Ocean Spray doesn’t have a less sweetened option.

What to do at the supermarket:

Unfortunately, all the big brand and store brand cranberry sauces are more or less the same. But if you want to make your own, less sweetened sauce, it couldn’t get any easier:

In a small pot, mix 4 cups of fresh or frozen cranberries with one cup of water and half a cup (or less) of sugar, bring to boil and then simmer until the cranberries “pop”. Cool. The sauce thickens as it cools. Best to prepare a day or two in advance.

You can also opt for an uncooked cranberry sauce. Here’s an interesting option from Maria Rodale.

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Thanksgiving is only a few days away, and there have been countless online discussions and recommendations on what to eat, how to eat, and how to stay healthy. We can’t help but weigh in with our list as well.

1. No Guilt. Folks, holidays are no time to start a diet or feel bad about poor eating habits. It’s all about family, tradition, and having a good time together. That said, a few simple adjustments, barely noticeable, but highly effective, can help you lower your stress levels this holiday.

2. Prepare a home cooked meal. It may be rich and full of calories, but at least it’s low on preservatives, additives, colorings, and other artificial stuff your body does not need. Prepare the meal together with your spouse and children, and get the added benefit of quality time together, before all the guests arrive.

3. Serve on small plates. Countless studies have shown that when plates are smaller, less food is placed on them, and less is eaten. Resist the urge to show off the entire China set, and use just the appetizer plates and soup bowls.

4. Color your table. The turkey, stuffing, gravy, and potatoes are all shades of beige-brown. Thank goodness for the cranberry sauce. But what about some hearty salads as sides too? Corn on the cob, Broccoli, beans, carrots and peas, beets, leafy greens, as well as peppers, eggplants, and so many other veggies can be an integral and healthy part of the meal.

5. Hors d’oeuvres. Make them small. Tiny. Bite size. What great French Chefs call amuse bouche. This is important because  people consume 300 calories BEFORE the meal begins, just snacking.

6. Drink water. And fine wine. But not soft drinks, juices, and other useless calories.

7. Wait before dessert. Take 20-30 minutes after finishing off the main course to let your body feel full. You’ll then be happy with a small portion.

8. Plan the days after. You’ve got a long weekend, 3 full days, ahead of you. Some of us will exercise by sprinting during Black Friday’s big sales at the shopping malls. But for the rest, how about planning some physical activity outdoors. Hike, jog, walk around the neighborhood. And have plenty of fruit and vegetables stocked up for preparing and eating together with leftovers from the holiday meal.

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flickr photo: Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com

To our readers, families, and friends, happy Thanksgiving. Certainly a day to be thankful for the plentiful bounty each of us can choose from each and every day. Once upon a time, putting food on the table was nothing short of a miracle. it would be interesting to hear what the pilgrims would say if they walked into a modern supermarket?

Enjoy the holiday weekend, family time, delicious meals, and good health!

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