I love food, like most people, and Thanksgiving is arguably one of the most underrated holidays, largely due to the food. I have ranked my personal favorites from best (number 1) to worst (number 14).
Starting from my absolute least favorite:
14. Stuffing
– Okay, don’t hate me for this one, but stuffing is absolutely horrible. I seriously don’t understand the hype. When asking friends their personal favorites, most said stuffing, which makes no sense to me. Why are we baking bread with MEAT? That’s gross to me. The flavor is just horrible to me, which is why it’s at last.
13. Green bean casserole
– Does anyone actually like green bean casserole? Whenever someone pulls up to the function with this, not a single bit is gone by the end. It’s just so random. Why do we have to make everything into a casserole, especially green beans? Green beans are actually good, but just leave them alone. Why do we have to add onions and other random stuff to it? They’re fine by themselves. I just really hate casseroles because there are just so many random things added, and then it just tastes horrible. This one in particular is my least favorite, but not quite as bad as stuffing.
12. Sweet potato casserole
– Again with casseroles, can we just stop with these please. Sweet potatoes aren’t even good on their own, and adding marshmallows of all things on top makes it so much worse. Oh, and don’t even get me started on the people who put PECANS on top, absolutely not. I’m definitely biased because I hate casseroles in general, but sweet potato casserole is genuinely so bad. Green bean casserole is much worse, but sweet potato is a close second when it comes to bad casseroles, which is why I happily put it at 12.
11. Pecan pie
– Pie is just overrated in general, but pecan is the worst of them all. Pecans are just dry and bland and bring no flavor whatsoever. Pecan pie is genuinely the blandest thing my taste buds have ever tasted. There’s nothing special about it, and even when people add sugar to it, it just tastes like sugary pecan, which, trust me, is NOT good.
10. Cranberry sauce
– Cranberry sauce isn’t horrible, it’s just sort of boring. I loved cranberry sauce as a child, but now I think it’s just super sweet, and there’s nothing to really balance it out. I wouldn’t particularly choose to eat this for Thanksgiving, mainly because I’m not the biggest fan of sweets, but it’s not my least favorite thing ever.
9. Pumpkin pie
– This is where the rankings get a little less harsh. I actually enjoy pumpkin pie, in moderation. It just completely depends on who actually makes the pie. Some are great and some are really bad; it’s a hit or a miss. Pumpkin pie isn’t bad, but like I said, I don’t usually prefer sweets over savory dishes, making this one ranked a little lower.
8. Apple pie
– I actually really enjoy apple pie. It’s the best sweet Thanksgiving dish that I’ve tried. If I’m in the mood for something sweet, this is definitely what I would add to my Thanksgiving plate. I just prefer many other things rather than apple pie. I don’t think apple pie deserves an 8, since I enjoy it, but there are other dishes that I like a lot more, so that’s where I’m putting it.
7. Turkey
– Even though it’s arguably the most popular Thanksgiving dish, I personally think turkey is average. It’s a good dish, and overall it’s one of my favorite meats, but it just doesn’t meet my top ranks. It’s amazing when put with sides like mashed potatoes and corn, but on its own, it’s not the best thing ever. Therefore, it ranks at number 7.
6. Dinner rolls/biscuits
– Dinner rolls are so good. Paired with a little butter, they’re actually amazing. Bread is one of the best things ever, in my opinion, but dinner rolls are definitely not top five for me. Don’t get me wrong, I love them, they’re just bland on their own; they have to be paired with something, which isn’t a bad thing, they’re just not as good as the rest.
5. Ham
– In my opinion, ham is much better than turkey. I like them both, but ham has a lot more flavor on its own, while turkey needs the flavors of other dishes to really complete the dish. Depending on who makes the ham, there are sometimes other variations like honey baked and brown sugar, which elevate the flavor even more.
4. Scalloped potatoes
– Potatoes are always number one in my book, but scalloped potatoes, sadly, aren’t as good as some other Thanksgiving dishes. Of course, they still had to be featured in my top five, though. Potatoes are just amazing and have so many different variations. Scalloped potatoes are extremely nostalgic for me, and they always hit the spot, but not as much as my top three.
3. Corn
– Of course, corn had to be in my top three. Corn is just overall one of my favorite foods, which makes sense considering I live in Iowa. Corn is extremely basic, and many would say it isn’t one of the best foods for Thanksgiving, but I highly disagree. Corn is just so good, I have no words to even explain it. I will eat the entire dish of corn at Thanksgiving, no question about it. It goes good with everything, it’s just amazing. Even though I love corn, it isn’t as good as my top two, just because it is a bit basic, but I couldn’t rank it any lower than three.
2. Macaroni and cheese
– Mac and cheese is SO good. I’m pretty sure everyone can agree that mac and cheese is top-tier. Cheese hurts my stomach extremely badly, but it’s all worth it for mac and cheese. It’s good for any occasion, but there’s just something special about Thanksgiving mac and cheese. It hurt me to not put it at one, but it just doesn’t beat my favorite Thanksgiving food. Mac and cheese, paired with my number one, is absolutely amazing. Best food combination of all time.
1. Mashed potatoes and gravy
– I can’t even begin to explain how good mashed potatoes are. Topped with gravy, they’re even better. No one loves mashed potatoes as much as me. I would choose them over anything else in the world. I am the first to grab a portion at Thanksgiving, and I’m the first to get second and third helpings of mashed potatoes. They’re just perfect in every way, and Thanksgiving wouldn’t be the same without them. Like I said, when put with mac and cheese, they’re magical. My number one, no hesitation.
Keep in mind, these are just my opinions. I am very passionate about food, because who isn’t? Food is great. Feel free to let us know what your favorite/least favorite Thanksgiving foods are in the comments. Happy Thanksgiving!
