Thanksgiving is a holiday for family, football and, of course, a little overindulgence.  This holiday features a spread of food that many of us look forward to every year – and there’s no reason you should sacrifice it. But if you’re going to reach for that second piece of pie, why not make sure it’s filled with the natural ingredients your body deserves, instead of the GMO foods at many Thanksgiving tables? Read below to check out some tips we’ve found that will make you extra thankful for the food on your table this year.

Avoid toxic chemicals. According to one blog, Healthy Child, Healthy World, many Thanksgiving foods and recipes contain basic ingredients like high fructose corn syrup, artificial colors, sweeteners and dyes, and canola oil (which we’ve written about in the past – click to read more about it here). Read on to see what other foods this blogger recommends keeping an eye out for and why.

Celebrate a non-GMO Thanksgiving. This article at GMOInside.org has created a helpful chart that points out commonly used Thanksgiving foods that likely contain GMOs, and alongside each row suggests an organic alternative. For an easy fix or two, check out their chart here.

Watch out for common brands. What your family has used for generations is – probably – delicious. Unfortunately, that doesn’t always mean it’s natural for your body. Kate, a  nurse who started the blog Real Food RN, walks through the ingredient lists of many popular brands and their products used at Thanksgiving tables and provides links to organic alternatives (or recipes to make them yourself). Take a look here.

All of the links above are only suggestions to help you create that perfect Thanksgiving meal - but don’t forget that everyone deserves to cheat a little on Thanksgiving. Whatever you decide to use and make, enjoy the holiday, the family and friends you share it with – we know we will!