Thanksgiving is one of the most popular holidays that is celebrated year round. We get to stuff our faces for an entire day full of various amounts of delicious home-cooked foods. Not only that, but we also get to spend much needed quality time with friends and family for a few days and get to reflect on what we are all thankful for on this glorious holiday.

A lot of families do Thanksgiving dinner differently. Whether it is what time the dinner starts, or what the layout of the meal consists of. Personally, I like to do a rather late dinner around maybe 3 p.m. That gives some time with the family to eat some appetizers, watch football, and get a sneak peak of what the dessert table will present later that night. 

My favorite part of Thanksgiving is not the turkey, or the sleepiness that comes with it, and not even the pies and desserts we get to enjoy afterward. It is getting to try all of the side dishes that are paired with the meal… and seeing what everyone brings to the table and deciding what my favorite one is. 

Whenever the debate comes up about what the best side dish is during Thanksgiving, you better be ready to catch some flack for whatever your choice is. There have been many heated debates and unpopular opinions, but I consider myself qualified enough in the realm of eating that I can rank the best seven (most popular) side dishes for Thanksgiving.

 

1. Mashed Potatoes

This is an easy number one for me. Mashed potatoes are top tier when it comes to thanksgiving side dishes. It is the most universally known and loved side dish for Thanksgiving dinner. If it has the right amount of fluff, buttery taste, and seasoning to it, it is absolutely to die for. It also kind of works as a palate cleanser when going from food to food during your meal. Easy choice for me here.

 

2. Gravy

Some may not consider gravy as a side, but I completely disagree. The importance of gravy in Thanksgiving dinner is no match for any other side. It goes without saying that gravy is a part of the meal, but it also takes a lot of work and time if you’re making it from scratch. My dad has always been in charge of the gravy for Thanksgiving and takes a lot of pride in how he makes it. There’s no Thanksgiving without the gravy.

 

3. Stuffing

Now, I know a lot of people probably consider stuffing to be the best Thanksgiving side. Personally, I haven’t been the biggest fan of stuffing, but since it is so popular it is only fair to put it at third on the list. There are many ways and recipes to make a good stuffing dish so I haven’t given up on it yet. I wouldn’t be surprised if a random poll was taken and it surpassed the popularity of mashed potatoes, though.

 

4. Green Bean Casserole

This one hits home, near and dear to my heart because my mom makes THE best green bean casserole in the world. And ever since she added bacon to it a couple years ago… game over. I would also bunch up other kinds of casseroles at the four spots in this list, whether it’s a butternut squash, sweet potato, or a broccoli cheddar. There are so many recipes you can find online to get an idea for a casserole, which is an easy top side at Thanksgiving dinner.

 

5. Rolls

Another staple side that comes with Thanksgiving dinner. I can’t go without having at least two rolls during dinner. With the first one, I make sure it’s hot and let the butter melt on it perfectly and enjoy that. Then I might mess around and try to make a mini thanksgiving sandwich out of one of the rolls, an excellent idea in my opinion. There’s nothing better than some fresh, soft rolls straight out of the oven to go with your meal on Thursday afternoon.

 

6. Mac & Cheese

First of all, Mac & cheese is great, just want to put that out there. I never really heard of it being a side until a few years ago. I don’t remember having it at my other Thanksgiving dinners in my life, but once I had it one year I didn’t understand why I didn’t beforehand. I love a good homemade baked Mac & cheese and from now on I will be upset if there isn’t any at the table for dinner. I think I might become the guy who brings the Mac & Cheese as the side so it doesn’t happen again… and I’ll find a recipe, of course.

 

7. Cranberry Sauce

This is not a knock on cranberry sauce being at the bottom of the list. It’s just that out of the other most popular sides the one I would say I care for the least is the cranberry sauce. I don’t mind it, and of course I’ll put at least a couple little spoonfuls on my plate. But I think the cranberry sauce best comes into play with the leftovers. I put some on the thanksgiving sandwiches I love to make with all of the leftovers.

 

Of course, there is much more that comes to the table than the seven listed above. Those are the most popular ones that I think most families have during Thanksgiving dinner.  

I am sure a lot of you disagree with my list, and that’s completely fine. I am always trying new things every year and my opinions could change year-by-year. As long as I get to spend quality time with those who I am thankful for, (and getting to eat until I can’t anymore) then I consider that a perfect Thanksgiving.

 

Hi Everyone! My name is Collin and I am a senior majoring in Sports Media and Communications with minors in Journalism and Business. I’m excited to be a part of the Campus Rec team here at URI! I have always enjoyed writing and I’m happy to have this great opportunity to get my name out there and gain experience. I love sports, especially the Boston teams, and follow them each and every day. I also write for our student-run Sports Media club here on campus, Anchor Sports Network. I enjoy being active, whether it’s on campus or off, going to the gym and playing sports. I am on the Club baseball team at URI and also enjoy playing basketball. I hope to give everyone a different perspective on things and spark interest with you in whatever I write about!