Thanksgiving is one of America’s most popular holidays. It is a time to enjoy friends, family, and great food. Unfortunately, Thanksgiving is a time that many people gain weight. For those that are trying to watch their weight, it may take a bit of strategy to avoid putting on pounds. It is possible to enjoy all of the fun of this holiday and be healthy.

When you begin to plan your menu for Thanksgiving, there are a number of things that you can do. Having healthy dessert choices will assist you in this process. The side dishes of this holiday are certainly just as important as the turkey. For this reason, it is important to find sides that are figure friendly. Here are a few options for sides that can benefit your waistline:

Broccoli florets

Green vegetables are some of the popular choices for this holiday. Although casseroles are fantastic selections, they are not always the healthiest. Simply adding broccoli florets to your side dish menus is a wonderful option.

Florets mixed with margarine, salt, and pepper is a nice alternative to fatty dishes.

Grilled mixed veggies

Grilling vegetables generally keeps them healthy.

Most veggie dishes have add in ingredients that up the sugar and fat components. This is one of the benefits to grilling vegetables. Asparagus, potatoes, and onions can be grilled with margarine or olive oil. Seasoned to taste this vegetable selection will provide you with an exceptional side dish.

Sautéed carrots

Sweet potatoes are often the only orange vegetable during Thanksgiving.

This doesn’t have to be the case however. Carrots are nutritionally rich vegetables to eat. Sautéed carrots with margarine, brown sugar, and cinnamon are a great side dish to serve. This one will even appeal to the children around the table.