We all push our limits sometimes, I’m sure. But there’s one specific day every year when we really test how much our stomachs can handle. Thanksgiving—the day of gratitude (and let’s be honest, gluttony)—is approaching, and apparently, it’s my personal mission to rank all the dishes from worst to best, based on my family’s dinner dishes.
10. Sweet Potato Casserole
My strategy when eating? Get the boring stuff out of the way first, then reward myself with the good bites. Which is why it is in this article’s best interest to start with the worst: sweet potato casserole.
Maybe it’s the disdain I’ve had for sweet potatoes since I was a kid, but I have never seen the appeal of sweet potato casserole. I don’t know who lied and said that marshmallows could fix sweet potatoes, but I just wanna talk.
It might just be my family’s cooking, but I have never been a big fan of casserole. The second I hear a food group followed by the word “casserole,” I am immediately uninterested. I don’t know how people pretend to like it, but you will never catch me enjoying sweet potatoes or casserole, let alone a sweet potato casserole. This is the biggest waste of space on a Thanksgiving table, as well as just a poor use of resources, and I never look forward to the sight or smell of it. While opinions on Thanksgiving food may differ, let’s be honest—sweet potato casserole doesn’t need an invite to the table anymore.
9. Cranberry Sauce
Second to last on my ranking is cranberry sauce. I’ve never been a big fan of cranberries, let alone cranberry sauce. I do not see the appeal whatsoever. The texture, the taste, the fact that it comes directly from a can (at least for my family), all of it. Just because it is considered to be a Thanksgiving dinner staple does not mean it’s good. The worst part of Thanksgiving begins with opening the can and ends when the lingering stench finally leaves the kitchen.
8. Stuffing
I guess this might be a controversial take, but I’ve had all kinds of stuffing made by all kinds of people, and I come to the same conclusion each time: it’s just not that good. I cannot express enough how underwhelmed I feel every time I try stuffing. I see it on the table every Thanksgiving, and I put it on my plate in hopes that maybe it’s actually good this year. But after years of disappointment, stuffing is no longer welcome on my plate, and I wouldn’t miss it if it were to disappear from our Thanksgiving dinner this year.
7. Bread Rolls
Bread rolls are a staple at our family dinners, as I’m sure they are for many other families. My family usually just buys some Hawaiian rolls from Walmart and calls it a day. Never anything too impressive, but I would hate to go a Thanksgiving without it.
6. Mac and Cheese
As much as I wish I could put this higher on my list, my cousin’s baked mac and cheese that we eat every Thanksgiving has never impressed me much (no shade). Baked mac and cheese can be really good, but I will admit, I am pretty picky when it comes to mac and cheese because, unfortunately, even as a kid, melted cheese sauce has never really been all that appealing to me.
5. Turkey
Finally, the staple of Thanksgiving: turkey. While I can’t imagine a Thanksgiving dinner without it, turkey has never been amazingly appetizing to me, which is why it perfectly fits in the middle of my list. Always good, but never exceptional, though it makes its way onto my plate every year.
4. Green Beans
One thing I really look forward to eating on Thanksgiving is my uncle’s green beans. Not to be confused with green bean casserole, which I refuse to even include in my ranking, my uncle’s green beans are to die for. The pieces of seasoned sausage and bacon add the perfect flavor to the green beans that I think about for the rest of the year. If you aren’t a big fan of green beans, I’m sure that trying these could change your mind.
3. Deviled Eggs
To a lot of people, deviled eggs sound disgusting, but maybe that’s just because you haven’t tried my grandma’s deviled eggs. I honestly barely like eggs, yet I love my grandma’s deviled eggs with all my heart, and I genuinely cannot imagine a Thanksgiving dinner without them.
2. Ham
My second favorite Thanksgiving dish is ham. I know, Thanksgiving is more about the turkey, blah blah blah. But if you took one bite of my uncle’s honey-baked ham, you would forget all about the turkey. The sweet, smoky, and savory flavor hits your mouth all at once, and it is an amazing experience. The texture is nice, and the smell is beautiful. I will always have room for ham on my Thanksgiving plate.
1. Mashed Potatoes
Apparently, not everyone shares the love for mashed potatoes that I’ve cherished since I was a kid. I didn’t quite understand this until I tried a family friend’s mashed potatoes at a Friendsgiving celebration. No offense to her lovely cooking, but I think my mom makes the best mashed potatoes in the world, and those paled in comparison. I wouldn’t consider myself to be a picky eater, despite my strong opinions on this ranking, but I cannot eat mashed potatoes not made with my mom’s recipe. If you took one bite of my mom’s mashed potatoes, I’m sure they would be at the top of your list, too.
Whether your favorites match mine or you’re trashing my awful takes on your social media accounts, I wish you a happy Thanksgiving! Enjoy the seasonal events and eat all your favorite Thanksgiving food!