Indulge, but don't overdo it on Turkey Day with our easy tips.

We’re not going to tell you to give up your beloved turkey and stuffing, so you can breathe easy and keep reading. But there are some super simple strategies you can use to help keep calories in check while still enjoying your meal.

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Safe turkey, safe fixins' = safe family.

Thanksgiving is the start of the holiday season where friends, family, and loved ones gather to have one fantastic meal after another. It’s not the time to skimp on those food safety habits that can make or break the festivities. Here are some simple reminders.

Purchasing the Goodies
At the market, be sure you check the quality of all the products you buy. Look at the color, firmness, and texture of the produce and meats and don’t forget to check the expiration dates on packaged foods. Once you pay for your groceries, be sure to get them stored in the proper place immediately—refrigerator, freezer or pantry. A few extra stops on the way home is plenty of time for bacteria to have a party on your food.

Make room for your turkey—overcrowding your freezer or fridge can actually raise temperatures dangerously high and spoil your food and ruin your equipment.

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What should you look for, and how much should you buy?

Not all foods at the deli are created equal. Check out some healthier and safer options to order up next time you’re at the counter.

Be In The Know
Not all deli “meats” are straight from the cow (so to speak). Here’s the breakdown on where all the deli goodies come from.

• Whole cuts: A part of the meat or poultry is cooked and sometimes flavored with spices, sugar or salt. It’s then sliced and sold by the pound. These cuts tend to be pricier.
• Sections and formed meat products: Parts of meats or poultry are “glued” together to create a single, larger piece (like cooked ham). These are typically cheaper than whole cuts.
• Processed meat (or sausages): These include liverwurst, bologna, knockwurst, salami and other such products. The meat can come from pork, poultry, beef, mutton and veal. Byproducts like heart, kidney, liver, lips and pork stomach are often tossed into the mix.

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We’re teaming up with fellow food bloggers to host a Brown-Bag Challenge, a month-long initiative to eat consciously and save money by packing a lunch each weekday instead of eating out. Join us here and share what you’re eating on Facebook and Twitter with the hashtag #brownbag.

Healthy Eats’ Brown-Bag Challenge has folks from around the country packing their lunches this month. Two popular brown bag items have been tuna salad sandwich and turkey sandwiches. These bad boys are going head-to-head for the title of healthiest sandwich.

Tuna Salad Sandwich

Pros:
Three ounces of canned tuna in water contains 108 calories and 20 grams of protein. It provides 5 percent of your daily iron needs, a multitude of energy boosting B-vitamins and 80% of your daily recommended amount of selenium. Tuna is also plentiful in omega-3 fat, which is important for heart health, growth and brain function. For the sandwich, using whole grain bread can up your daily dose of fiber as can piling up on the veggies.

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To get you off to the right start with our September Brown-Bag Challenge, we’ve put together a one-week menu of quick, tasty and nutritious lunches. To make things even easier, pre-plan your meals, make a shopping list and have all ingredients ready-to-go. Are you up for the challenge?

Monday: Tuna Pockets

• Stuff tuna salad into a large whole wheat pita
• 1 medium banana
• Sparkling water

Tuesday: Pasta Salad

• Ellie’s Pasta Salad
• 1 medium apple
• 1 cup skim or low fat milk Read more »

Swap the beef for this hearty marinated and grilled portobello burger.

Grilling season officially kicks off this weekend — celebrate by firing up the grill for some burgers!  Traditional beef burgers are delicious, but we’ve got 5 creative (and healthy) spins on this summer classic that you’ll love.

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Sun-Dried Tomato and Olive Turkey Burger

The trick to delicious turkey burgers is keeping them tender and juicy. Since the meat doesn’t contain much fat (and therefore, not much flavor) you need to combine it with a few simple add-ins to give things a boost.  We dreamed up 5 flavorful mix-ins for the turkey burgers, each with 5 ingredients or less!

Make turkey burgers, 5 delicious ways »

Should You Go Organic or Conventional With Your Bird?

For my family, the Thanksgiving meal is all about digging into to a seasonal bounty of  our favorite foods. While I may be able to find many turkey day must-haves organically produced, they come at a much higher price. Do I need to go for broke this holiday?

Our take: Are organic turkeys and produce worth the high price tag?

Ever felt overwhelmed at a buffet? Check out some of our readers’ approaches to staying on track when faced with a feast. Plus, more love for homemade pudding and a nutrition question on brining a turkey.

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To continue with our tips for lightening up Food Network’s Top Recipes, here’s #3 — Alton Brown’s Roast Turkey. There’s no need to wait for Thanksgiving; this turkey recipe (and the leftovers) make a cozy winter dinner.

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