Friendships By FLIK: Perfect Thanksgiving Sides

Turkey may be the centerpiece of Thanksgiving dinner, but let's be honest -- sides are the stars of the table. But figuring out how many sides to serve, and how much of each side dish to prepare can be overwhelming.

Unfortunately, there's no magic formula to help determine what the best number of sides are for your table. But here are a few tips (and a few of our own associates' recipes) to help you decide what deserves a spot on your menu:

Salty prosciutto + garlic mornay sauce = the best vegetables

- Try Adam's Garlic Prosciutto Baked Brussels Sprouts

Rev Up Your Recipes

When planning your side dishes, don't be afraid to mix up traditional recipes with extra vegetables.

Consider adding light colored root vegetables like white carrots, parsnips, golden beets, rutabagas, and turnips to sauces, soups, and mashed potatoes.

Seasonal squash meets family favorite comfort food.

- Try Keri's Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese

Bring on the Veggies

Thanksgiving can be pretty carb-focused -- looking at you stuffing -- so be sure to offer a few different vegetables to balance things out. Consider seasonal vegetables like butternut squash and brussels sprouts, with classics like green beans and carrots.

A good rule of thumb: for every 5 people at your dinner, prepare at least 1 pound of vegetables or 3/4 cup per person.

Brussels sprouts tend to have a sharp, bitter taste, but not when they're roasted and smothered in a delicious cheese sauce.

- Try Sandy's Brussels Sprouts au Gratin

Plan Ahead

Alleviate your day-of cooking stress by doing the prep work and preparing some dishes in advance.

Many casseroles, potatoes-based dishes, and sauces can be made the day before and simply warmed up before serving. Use the time the turkey is resting to rewarm your dishes.

And don't forget about all your kitchen tools. How can you take advantage of your crockpot, air fryer or Instapot?

Thanksgiving isn't complete without some sort of potato (or two) on the table.

- Try Nicole's Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Crumb Topping

Consider Your Leftovers & Plan for Zero Waste

Sustainability may seem like a huge challenge, but it's really easy to incorporate into your menu planning with a little effort. Here are a few quick tips:

Buy Local: Try to purchase seasonal vegetables from your local farmer's market. You can support the local economy while also being more cost effective!
Compost Food Scraps: Instead of tossing food scraps into landfills, compost them! Set up a bowl for peels and food waste right next to your garbage can as an easy way to separate scraps as you clean up.
Upcycle Leftovers: Get creative with your leftovers -- make a shepherd's pie with your turkey, vegetables and mashed potatoes; use the cranberry sauce as a jam on toast with homemade ricotta.

Cranberry sauce is a Thanksgiving must-have. A condiment that doubles as a side, sign us up. A cranberry sauce that triples as a breakfast compote? Oh, heck yes.

- Try Peyton's Cranberry Apple Compote

Need more Thanksgiving inspiration? Have no fear, FLIK is here.

Check out our entire Holidays By FLIK cooking library today! And read more in this series:

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At FLIK Hospitality Group we believe in great food, great service, and great people. Our wellness first approach ensures our food supports healthy and delicious choices, specially curated by our team of culinary experts and registered dietitians. At FLIK, we believe in seasonality in sourcing our ingredients and providing a customized approach to the culinary and hospitality needs of each client. Our dedication to providing quality hospitality service is unparalleled in the industry.

Have feedback or questions for our team? Email us at flikblog@compass-usa.com.

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