When Thanksgiving comes around, here comes the stretchy pants, the zippers secretly pulled down a bit and those moments of dozing off on the couch. Whether the main course is turkey, cornish hens or Tofurky, it’s really those side dishes that do you in. Stuffing and dressing. Gravy or cranberry sauce. Macaroni and cheese. Collard greens. Yams or sweet potatoes. Hot water cornbread or Jiffy. Sweet potato pie, pumpkin pie or pumpkin cake. And even with all of these menu items, guests may still have the audacity to ask for Thanksgiving appetizers to tide the family over until dinner.

Why Should You Serve Thanksgiving Appetizers?

There’s a healthy reason to serve Thanksgiving appetizers before the big meal. One, if guests snack on small appetizers, it’ll stop them from being hangry (hungry + angry). Two, for diabetics, appetizers help to regulate sugar. Eating at regular times and not skipping meals are simple ways to avoid high blood sugar levels. Three, appetizers may keep guests satisfied enough that they don’t overeat once Thanksgiving dinner is served, leading to discomfort.

7 Easy Thanksgiving Appetizers

These seven easy Thanksgiving appetizers tide the family over until dinner and are healthy options, which is a bonus for guests who go straight for the carbs.

Watermelon

Heart healthy and an easy way to keep blood glucose steady, watermelon (in balls, squares or plain old slices) are rich in Vitamin C, Vitamin A, potassium, magnesium and phosphorus. Although watermelon is typically in season from May to September, sometimes fruit trucks have out-of-season fruit that’s just as good from states like Texas or fruit imported from Mexico.

Pulled or Sautéed Mushrooms

Some companies such as Fable can make pulled mushrooms look like beef chunks at first glance, and it has that chewy, meaty texture. This low-calorie food is an excellent choice for Vitamin D. Sautéing mushrooms in garlic and butter is also a worthy Thanksgiving appetizer.

Ants On a Log (Celery, Peanut Butter, Raisins)

Girl Scouts know this camp snack well. Take a celery stick, spread peanut butter in the middle and place a few raisins across the top. Celery is a high-fiber snack that contains Vitamins A, C and K, along with potassium, folate, calcium and iron. Raisins, also a high-fiber snack, contain prebiotics, which can promote gut health. In addition to maintaining healthy cholesterol levels and omega-6 fatty acids, peanut butter contains Vitamins E and B, and manganese.

Caesar Broccoli

Separate a head of broccoli into smaller florets. Stir vegetables in enough Caesar dressing to cover each floret (estimate of one-fourth cup to one-half cup). Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Then, sprinkle bread crumbs on top and bake for a couple more minutes. While the bread crumbs aren’t particularly healthy, broccoli has as much Vitamin C as an orange. Vegans may want to sprinkle imitation bacon bits or nutritional yeast on top for extra goodies.

Charred Edamame

If you’re a big fan of Japanese and Thai food, chances are you’ve seen edamame as an appetizer on the menu. With a one pound bag of steamed unshelled edamame, then add one tablespoon of sesame oil and one tablespoon of chili oil and sea salt for four minutes. It’s ready to serve afterward, but you can also choose to add sesame seeds on top. For guests with high blood pressure, skip the salt and just serve edamame with Morton Lite Salt instead. Edamame contains more Vitamin K and folate than mature soybeans.

Nuts

Easy to buy and serve, grab a bag of walnuts, pecans, almonds, hazelnuts or any other nut your guests may enjoy. If they tend to be particular and don’t like some but do like others, consider a divided party platter or individual serving bowls so they can pick and choose. Keep a nutcracker nearby if they’re still shelled.

Fruit Bowl

Pick your favorite fruits: apple slices, cranberries, pears, pomegranates, pumpkin slices and orange slices are a few of many to choose from. Cranberries alone are a win all around, from preventing urinary tract infections (UTIs) to high levels of antioxidants, along with helping to reduce inflammation and protect against chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes and cancer. The other six fruits help to maintain blood sugar, are high in fiber and are brain food.

Whether your guests are looking for something cold or hot, these seven options above provide a healthy variety for everybody. Best of all, no one will regret eating them. And if Thanksgiving guests eat just a small saucer of these, they may stop bugging the cook to see when the table is served.