Some dishes were likely prominent from the beginning, if not at the dinner celebrated by English colonists and Wampanoag Native Americans in 1621, then at the harvest festivals that took place across the country until coming together in one official American celebration, according to NBC News.
The first celebration featured venison, fowl and fish, according to Tennessee Tech University. Turkey, goose, chicken could all have found a place on the table, while mincemeat pies were probably another favorite. And cranberries and pumpkins are fall crops in the Northeast, so they would have been ready for a late-year feast.
According to Tennessee Tech associate history professor Troy Smith, General Ulysses S. Grant decided that cranberry sauce was to be served to the Union troops for Thanksgiving in 1864.
Over the years, new dishes were added to the tradition. Southerners who at first left the Thanksgiving observance to the North brought cornbread dressing as they call stuffing. Other dishes were late arrivals, the famous green-bean casserole, for example.
What’s your favorite? Which side dish means Thanksgiving to you? Which can you do without? Use the interactive below to see how your favorites stack up against the most popular holiday foods across America.
EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — Cranberry sauce is the most disliked Thanksgiving food dish for Americans, according to a survey done by The Vacationer. The anonymous survey included 1,013 American adults over the age of 18 and was conducted online in October.
For sides like mashed potatoes and stuffing, you should have at least one dish for every five people and at least two dishes for 10 people or more. If you're serving a salad, one should be enough unless you're serving 20 people or more.
People of course love the various versions of potatoes or perfectly glazed and roasted vegetables, but something about the craggly, crunchy, moist, herbacious, nutty and sometimes sweet and savory blend of toasted bread, veggies and herbs is unmistakably made for Thanksgiving.
“Bacon, sausage, mince meat, giblets, and a variety of similar ingredients find their way into many a stuffing, which takes an already unhealthy dish — often topping 500 calories per serving, depending on the recipe — to an entirely new level of unhealthy,” she said.
For the cranberry sauce haters taken aback by these numbers, a completely different Thanksgiving survey tells another story. A poll created by the website The Vacationer reveals that cranberry sauce is actually the most disliked traditional Thanksgiving food.
Why Are These Foods So Polarizing? “While the list of divisive foods is long, let's focus on the top three hated foods—anchovies, black licorice, and oysters—and what makes each seemingly controversial for American palates.
Think: deviled eggs, a cranberry-pecan cheese ball, and creamy caramelized onion dip. Then, divvy up Thanksgiving casseroles like classic stuffing, green bean casserole, and sweet potato casserole. And don't be afraid to try out a fresh veggie side dish such as garlicky green beans or shaved Brussels sprouts salad.
Hobby: Web surfing, Skiing, role-playing games, Sketching, Polo, Sewing, Genealogy
Introduction: My name is Maia Crooks Jr, I am a homely, joyous, shiny, successful, hilarious, thoughtful, joyous person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
We notice you're using an ad blocker
Without advertising income, we can't keep making this site awesome for you.
