As this mega holiday quickly approaches, I wanted to share this wonderful Thanksgiving tale to bring some humor to your harvest menu this year!  While I’m sure the food will be delicious, let’s remember to give thanks for all of the gifts in our lives and for the friends and family at our giving table!

“Thanksgiving dinner is a very special family meal at The Smith’s home because aunts, uncles and grandparents join the dinner, too!  It’s a great cooking day and the favorite dishes are prepared for the big Thanksgiving feast.  As the table was being set, the dishes were arguing over who was going to be the favorite this year.  The turkey always gets the most attention and the bird was proudly displayed in the center saying to the other dishes that she was sure to be the favorite.  Then, the mashed potatoes shouted out that they were sure to be the favorite this year because they were made with potatoes fresh from the garden, mixed with cauliflower and some delicious butter from the local cow!  No way said the pumpkin pie, I’m delicious, sweet and loaded with beta carotene so I’m sure that I’ll be the favorite.  All of a sudden, the pecan pie yelped that he was positive he would be the favorite because he’s super sweet and loaded with healthy nuts!  There was a lot of arguing among the dishes except for the toasted pumpkin seeds quietly sitting in a small bowl on the table.

The turkey asked the seeds, do you have anything to say?  And, the pumpkin seeds said, “they didn’t expect to be the favorite, but were just happy to be included on this special feast.”  The Smith family finally arrived and happily sat at the table looking at all of the delicious dishes.  To the utter surprise of all of the dishes, the Smith family sprinkled the pumpkin seeds on all of the dishes for an extra boost of flavor and vitamin E and joyfully exclaimed that the seeds were their favorite!  The pumpkin seeds were so happy to be the favorite because they didn’t expect it at all!”

I hope you share this story with your family on Thanksgiving so everyone can pick their favorite dish!  And, remember that keeping it simple may be the best gift at your giving table this year! 

– Stacey Antine, MS, RD, author, Appetite for Life, founder, HealthBarn USA, director, HealthBarn Foundation, and recognized as top 10 dietitians nationally by Today’s Dietitian magazine for her work with HealthBarn USA.