Written by: Nicole Pazdziorko, RDN, LDN, Food City Corporate Dietitian

Thanksgiving kitchens are for gathering with family and friends, making new memories and celebrating time-honored traditions. Whether you are hosting for the holiday this year or bringing a dish to share, featuring plenty of fruits and vegetables is a fantastic way to celebrate the season’s harvest and infuse color, flavor and texture into your menu.  

Aim to make produce a staple in all starters and sides at your Thanksgiving table this year. For side-dishes and starters, feature a variety of washed and ready-to-eat snacking veggies, plus some fall favorites like Brussels sprouts, winter squash, and pomegranate seeds. 

As an appetizer, serve guests a colorful crudité platter with roasted vegetable dips. This is a fantastic way to start the meal with plenty of fiber, vitamins and minerals even on days where we know we will be enjoying some more indulgent sides and desserts. Start off by placing dips on your board or serving tray. This board features a roasted broccoli cheddar dip, a buffalo cauliflower dip and a carrot and toasted walnut hummus. Artfully arrange raw veggies and roasted potatoes around the dip bowls, and finally fill in with your favorite crackers and baguette slices for spreading.  

For an easy side, try balsamic roasted brussels sprouts. Brussels sprouts are part of the cabbage family and have a rich nutrition profile. One cup of Brussels sprouts provides a good source of fiber to promote digestion, plus vitamin K, vitamin C and folate. For an added pop of color and crunch, try topping the dish with pomegranate arils and pecans.

For a hearty, comforting dish, packed with flavor and spotlighting one of the delicacies of the season, try serving up a winter squash casserole. The star of the dish is butternut squash, which has a creamy texture and sweet flavor. It also offers up a good source of fiber and vitamin C while still including some of the decadent elements of a traditional Thanksgiving side. 

A classic Thanksgiving dish, like green bean casserole can also be a great way to feature produce in your holiday spread. It is versatile enough to feature canned, frozen or fresh green beans. This variation incorporates protein-rich cottage cheese and eggs and is topped with whole wheat breadcrumbs to boost the nutrient profile.  

No matter where you plan to celebrate, you can find more recipe inspiration to make produce the star of your Thanksgiving table this year at foodcity.com.