Stuffing

Is it really all that fattening? Should it be avoided on Thanksgiving? I mean I like it and all but I can live without it and I don't want any surprise sausage in it either so should I just skip it?

      Why worry about it truthfully, it may be a little fattening with sausages inside but its Thanksgiving.  One meal on one day out of the year will not hurt your diet at all.  Sure you may retain a little water the next day but even if you stuff yourself to the point of having people drag you away from the table the most weight you could possible gain from 1 meal is mabye .5 lbs of fat.  In my opinion just eat with your eyes on thanksgiving and enjoy the holiday.  Just remember to stay away from the left overs.

if you make it yourself its not bad.  Just dont make it in the bird.  You can use low sodium chicken broth to make it.  There are all kinds of stuffing mixes, get one with better fiber content and make it in a casserole and you should be golden

htide

Why's it bad to make it in the bird?

       Stuffing is really hard to cook correctly in a turkey.  To safetly eat the stuffing when in a bird it should reach a temp of around 180 degrees F but the problem with this in most methods of cooking stuffing it heats up slower then the actaully meat around it so to eat it safely you usually have to cook the meat of the turkey much higher then 180 degrees and you get stuck with a dry turkey. Most people instead take the turkey out when the meat is done but usually the stuffing hasn't reached the required temperature yet and it has absorbed all the bacteria from the meat but has not reached a high enough temp to kill the bacteria.

ewww, stuffing from inside a turkey is just disgusting. I think I can actually SEE the bacteria partying in there! LOL ;D

and if you're making it yourself, don't add the butter/margarine that the recipe calls for... use a little more broth and add a chopped apple to the ingredients.

Yeah, stuffing's bad -- it's probably the worst foods on the menu. I really don't see a problem cooking it in the bird if that's how you like it. I've had it that way my whole life and there's never been an incident . I don't know WHAT THE HECK people are doing to make themselves sick over it ... actually I've NEVER heard of anyone getting sick, now that I think of it. I really don't think it's that hard to cook your food properly unless you're a complete moron.

It depends on the stuffing.  Most recipes call for lots of butter, eggs and white or corn bread.  If it's made with no butter, egg whites or egg substitute and whole grain breads, then it's much more wholesome.

Of course if I make it like that, nobody in my family will eat it.  So I just use the old family recipe and I don't eat any.

Portion control is the answer to enjoying holiday meals.  Skip the bread and rolls, take reasonable portions of meat and potatoes and fill up on vegetables and salad.  If you're a guest, offer to bring a dish and make something like green beans or asparagus vinaigrette that can be served at room temperature.

I just analyzed my stuffing recipe, and it's not too bad

http://www.calorie-count.com/recipe/11444.htm l

Maybe I'll have half a serving this year

I am planning on making mine in the crockpot this year to save oven space (I have a very small oven!)  Here is my recipe...really not that bad in calories and make with whole wheat bread. Can use low sodium broth, too.

http://www.calorie-count.com/recipe/10968.htm l?refresh=1

Happy Turkey Day!

you guys need to relax a little.....it's one day!  C'mon people.  eat it up that day, and then tone it down the next..it's quite simple actually..the trick is EVERYTHING IN MODERATION....have a little of everything you want, and then the next day, remember to drink lots of water, and back off the carbs. 

You'll be fine, and make sure, if you are the one entertaining...send all the junk home with your family, and only keep the sensible foods.

I have a scrumptious stuffing recipe that is not full of fat!

8 cups whole wheat bread cubes or torn pieces

2 TBSP butter

1 bouillion cube dissolved in 1/4 c water

1/2 cup each minced celery and onion-sauteed in the butter

1 cup mashed potato - mash with bouillion water(JUST boiled potatos no milk or butter)

poultry season or fresh rosemary, sage, thyme & parsley

Toss all together with hands, saly & pepper if needed

Bake in a buttered casserole or PAM Sprayed

or in the bird.

You don't have to use any shortening in stuffing.  Just steam the veges in the microwave, use chicken stock and bread cubes and sesame seeds and lots of great seasoning.  It tastes great and it is not fattening.

Well I'm going to eat at a restaurant this year for Thanksgiving and hopefully it will have meat in it so I won't have any desire to eat some since I can't really control myself around stuffing in the first place. 

"you guys need to relax a little.....it's one day!  C'mon people.  eat it up that day, and then tone it down the next..it's quite simple actually..the trick is EVERYTHING IN MODERATION ..." -- blonde_smart

I can totally respect what you are saying but it doesn't work that way for me. I am MUCH happier and feel MUCH better if I don't overindulge. I'm the type that if I give an inch I take a mile (foodwise), so I like to constantly maintain strict controls. I really don't feel like I'm missing out on anything. I wouldn't consider myself a food addict, maybe a sugar addict though, and you don't tell an alcoholic to drink in moderation, you know? Plus, some people ARE food addicts and it's probably best they try to watch it ALL the time or they'll get themselves in a real mess body/healthwise. In fact, that's why some people are overweight in the first place. I think some people are like me and some like to take a break from dieting on certain days just to splurge. Either way is ok. :)

I agree with alayney - the secret is in the long-term healthy lifestyle, not if you just chow down and pig out at Thanksgiving!  If you have a great meal and gain a pound or two, what's the big deal?  When you go back to the regular lifestyle, the pounds will come right back off.  I am in a long-term 3-4 year weight loss program of counting calories and the long-term strategy works!  So, as Dr. Phil says, if you enjoy the meal and it is only occasionally, ENJOY it!  Eat a few wholesome things beforehand, resist a 2nd and 3rd helping, and drink tons of water.  It does not hurt to get out sometime during the weekend to play a round of football with the family!  Healthy and happy eating!  BTW, 47 lbs down since July 24 - almost 1/2 way to my goal... and loving it!