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16 Healthy Store-Bought Side Dishes to Serve This Christmas
Justina Huddleston
Justina Huddleston
Justina Huddleston is a food writer living in Los Angeles. When she's not busy writing, she spends her time in the kitchen creating both virtuous and decidedly junky vegan food. Buffalo chickpea pizza, anyone? She's also been known to eat a plain block of tofu or beans straight out of the can for lunch, but somehow those culinary adventures don't make it to her Instagram. You can follow Justina on Twitter or see what's cooking in her kitchen on her blog, A Life of Little Pleasures.
When it comes to the holiday season, we love hosting but don't always have the time to make everything for our dinner parties from scratch. On top of that, while marking off our holiday party checklist, most of the time we're covered on all the indulgent things like apple pie, but our healthier offerings can be a bit lacking. (It's a lot more exciting to plot out which big-batch cocktail to serve guests than to make sure there are enough veggies on the table!) But the grocery store can solve both these problems. Scroll on for 16 of our favorite nutritious side dishes to buy instead of make.
Trader Joe's ABC + K Slaw ($4): Made from apples, beets, carrots, and kale, this orange-poppy-seed slaw adds a bright note to your holiday feast.
Costco Sweet Kale Gourmet Salad ($6): Don't forget to put some greens on the table to balance out all that rich holiday food.
Costco Quinoa Salad ($12): This light, herb-filled quinoa salad is the perfect palate refresher when paired with heavier dishes.
Trader Joe's Curried Carrot & Cashew Dip ($4): Every good party starts with appetizers, and this curried cashew carrot dip pairs well with all your favorite crackers and crudité.
Dean & Deluca Haricot Verts ($25): Balsamic Cipollini onions add big flavor to these slender French green beans.
Amy's Gluten and Dairy Free Mac & Cheese ($4): Creamy, vegan mac and cheese is a side dish the whole family can enjoy — and you don't have to worry about learning to cook with any new ingredients.
Simply Potatoes Mashed Sweet Potatoes ($3): Silky mashed sweet potatoes served with plenty of butter complement almost any celebratory meal.
Hilary's Savory Mushroom Millet Medley ($5): This gluten-free blend of whole grain millet, mushrooms, collard greens, and beans is a yummy alternative to traditional stuffing.
Publix Rosemary Roasted Potatoes (Prices Vary): Reheat these rosemary potatoes as a simple side that provides a hearty serving of comfort.
Love Beets Organic Mild Vinegar Beets ($4): Tender, sweet, and lightly tangy, these prepared beets are a lot easier to get on the table than those you have to roast at home.
Taylor Farms Kale Chopped Salad ($4): Hearty kale, shredded Brussels sprouts, and radicchio are livened up by Asiago cheese and a lemon garlic vinaigrette in this super tasty salad kit.
Wegmans Carrot Puree ($7): Serve this carrot puree as a side, use it as a base for your artfully plated holiday roast, or turn it into a silky soup.
Wegmans
Roasted Vegetables Veggie Bowl ($9/lb): A medley of roasted vegetables is always welcome at a holiday meal, especially for vegetarian guests.
Whole Foods Sauerkraut-Roasted Rainbow Carrots ($9): Sauerkraut gives these rainbow roasted carrots a pleasantly tangy flavor.
Whole Foods "Cheesy" Rutabaga-Potato Mash ($8): You'd never guess that this creamy, "cheesy" rutabaga and potato mash is vegan.
Williams Sonoma Cauliflower Mash ($80): Keep things low-carb at your feast without skimping on taste with this cauliflower mash. Parmesan and cream cheese are folded into the cauliflower for a rich, creamy flavor.
For more holiday meal ideas, follow us on Pinterest.
For more holiday meal ideas, follow us on Pinterest.
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Justina Huddleston
Justina Huddleston is a food writer living in Los Angeles. When she's not busy writing, she spends her time in the kitchen creating both virtuous and decidedly junky vegan food. Buffalo chickpea pizza, anyone? She's also been known to eat a plain block of tofu or beans straight out of the can for lunch, but somehow those culinary adventures don't make it to her Instagram. You can follow Justina on Twitter or see what's cooking in her kitchen on her blog, A Life of Little Pleasures.
Justina Huddleston
Justina Huddleston
Justina Huddleston is a food writer living in Los Angeles. When she's not busy writing, she spends her time in the kitchen creating both virtuous and decidedly junky vegan food. Buffalo chickpea pizza, anyone? She's also been known to eat a plain block of tofu or beans straight out of the can for lunch, but somehow those culinary adventures don't make it to her Instagram. You can follow Justina on Twitter or see what's cooking in her kitchen on her blog, A Life of Little Pleasures.
https://twitter.com/jtinahuddleston