Thanksgiving is on its way, and you should start planning your eating strategy from now if you want to maintain your healthy weight or continue to shed pounds. Check out this short list of some of the best and worst Thanksgiving foods so you can know exactly which foods to indulge in and which foods to avoid.

The Best Foods to Indulge In

Here are some of the foods that you can indulge it without feeling any guilt about your diet or your waistline. They’re packed with nutrients, are low in calories and fat, and will provide your body with fiber and protein. So go ahead and fill your plate while maintaining good portion control so you can feel satisfied while giving your body energy.

Sweet potatoes

Vegetables, such as carrots, corn, and green beans, and Brussels sprouts

Homemade cranberry sauce

Fruit and nut stuffing

Dark leafy greens, such as collard greens

Apple crisp

Wine

The Worst Foods to Avoid

Below are some of the foods that you should avoid eating too much of during your Thanksgiving dinner. In fact, if you can avoid them completely, you’ll be even better off. These foods are loaded with too many calories, too much fat, and too much cholesterol. They’ll cause you to fall off of your fitness and diet track, and they’ll contribute to unwanted weight gain.

Canned cranberry sauce

Pecan pie, apple pie, and pumpkin pie

Sweet potato casserole and green bean casserole

Cornbread

Stuffing

Mac and cheese

Mashed potatoes

Bread pudding

Canned and homemade gravy

Beer

Preparation Is Key

When it comes to the best and worst Thanksgiving foods, how you prepare them will have a big impact upon how nutritious they are. For example, if you enjoy mashed sweet potatoes with just a bit of plant-based butter rather than dairy butter and brown sugar, you can take in all of the nutrients that this food provides, without having to take in the additional calories, fat, sugar, and cholesterol.

And when it comes to preparing vegetables, avoid casseroles. Instead, stick with preparing veggies in a way that will retain their flavor and nutrients without packing on extra calories and fat.

Finally, focus on making as many dishes from scratch as possible, rather than preparing them from a box or a can.

If you’re concerned about gaining too much weight at Thanksgiving, even if you do keep an eye out for the best and worst Thanksgiving foods, consider taking a weight loss supplement like PhenBlue to stay on track.