Thanksgiving is nearly here and with it, the propensity for Americans to indulge in all kinds of delicious dishes. Dr. Christine Ren-Fielding was asked to provide one food to avoid on Thanksgiving for this article on The Daily Meal. Dr. Christine Ren-Fielding raised the issue of powdered mashed potatoes. A quick substitution and Friendsgiving staple, many people skip making the real thing and opt for boxed potato mixes to save time while preparing their Thanksgiving feast. The problem is that these actually contain very little potato. Salt? Yes. Preservatives? Yes. But potato? Not so much.

Potatoes are great when they’re not loaded with cream, salt and butter so opt for making your own healthier version and skipping the boxed kind all together. Fork mashed potatoes with a little butter is the way the french do it — you won’t miss all the added fat and salt!