Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. It’s the one day a year solely dedicated to eating and napping. Not to mention the family drama that makes the whole experience slightly uncomfortable and mildly entertaining. It’s arguably the most American holiday to exist. We eat, argue and go to bed.
Naturally, my passion for Thanksgiving has led me down a rabbit-hole of blog posts this year and to the horrifying realization that some people do not have mac ‘n’ cheese on their Thanksgiving table. It seemed to me like Reddit was in consensus about having turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, sweet potato casserole, some type of vegetable or vegetable casserole, yet mac ‘n’ cheese remained heavily debated.
I am from the south, so there has never been any debate among my family and friends. It has always been understood that this dish was a must-have. In fact, who gets to make and bring the mac ‘n’ cheese is often fought over. To read that some people are missing out on one of the most integral parts of the Thanksgiving experience sent me into a downward spiral. I thought the universe was playing some kind of joke on me. After scouring the internet and reading dozens of different takes on this debate, I ultimately found that the argument against mac ‘n’ cheese stems from misunderstanding. So, allow me to take a step back and explain.
Those who are unhinged and do not have mac ‘n’ cheese on their table simply do not understand what I mean by mac ‘n’ cheese. When I say mac ‘n’ cheese, I am not talking about from the Kraft box or Velveeta. I’m talking about rich, creamy, homemade mac ‘n’ cheese. Specifically, the kind that you bake in the oven with breadcrumbs on top. The combination of the crunchy breadcrumbs with the gooey cheese sauce is nothing short of a religious experience. This dish paired with mashed potatoes, turkey and stuffing is the only way to properly enjoy this holiday. Thanksgiving is not Thanksgiving if I am not only consuming carbs.
Let’s all get one thing straight. Mac ‘n’ cheese is the ultimate side dish. Why? Because it can also be a main dish. Name one time you have eaten stuffing alone for dinner. Mashed potatoes? Green Bean Casserole? Yeah, I didn’t think so. So, why would anyone leave this dish off their Thanksgiving table?
Still not sold on why mac ‘n’ cheese should be on your table? Picture this. Grandma over salted the stuffing. Your little cousin who is a picky eater ate all of the mashed potatoes. Now everyone is trying to get to the sweet potatoes before they are gone. If only someone had made a tray of mac ‘n’ cheese so everyone could enjoy a little more food.
If you happen to be one of the deranged who does not have mac ‘n’ cheese on Thanksgiving, I beg you to try it this year. It’s 2020 and it’s time to wake up, America. Let’s finally give mac ‘n’ cheese the respect that it deserves and let’s all enjoy a big plate of it this Thanksgiving.
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