Thanksgiving Day is around the corner and if you’re like me, you’ve been waiting for this holiday all year long. There is no better way than waking up to the smell of turkey cooking in the oven, seeing the stuffing being made and putting together the dinner table. I am fortunate enough to have two Thanksgiving dinners in one day– one at my boyfriends’ home and one with my family. Although I love this, it’s challenging to make room for an abundance of delicious food. Here are a few tips on making the most of your Thanksgiving dinners!

1. Eat Moderate Portions Of Each Dish

Turkey is the signature dish of Thanksgiving, but there are also other great platters that can’t be forgotten. I love to eat everything, but I can’t afford to eat large amounts of every dish without feeling full quickly. If you eat a moderate size portion of each dish you want, it’ll be easier on your stomach and you’ll get to eat more overall. By moderate I mean, not a huge scoop and not a small one either that will make you feel like you’re being deprived. I am guilty of excessively eating my boyfriend’s aunt’s sausage stuffing. After all, I only eat it once a year.

2. Do Not Get Full At The First Dinner

The first dinner is when the real excitement happens. Everyone admires the turkey as it makes its entrance to the dining room and gets settled on the table. The emotions run even higher when all the various side dishes are introduced: stuffing, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, asparagus with cheese, lamb, salad, sweet potatoes, etc. It’s food galore! But it’s easy to get carried away and eat until you’re completely full. This won’t be good for your second dinner, where you could end up snacking on side dishes or not eating at all. You’ll want to enjoy both dinners without insulting either chefs by not eating a healthy amount of delicious food.

3. Take A Breather

There will be time in between the two dinners so take advantage of it. Drink water and go to the bathroom. You should also probably skip dessert at the first dinner to save space. At your second dinner you might be able to change your pants and get more comfortable to continue eating. There you can enjoy dessert and have more time to talk to your loved ones.

4. Look Forward To Leftovers

It saddens me when Thanksgiving Day is over but the next day is just as great. The fridge is full of leftovers that you can eat in your pajamas. If you feel as if you’ve missed out on some dish by not eating enough of it, you can always look forward to eating more of it the next day. Depending on how Thanksgiving Day goes, you may have leftovers that could last you for a week, if you space it out correctly. And yes, I would eat leftovers for a week or even a month if I could.