Four Essentials for Thanksgiving - The Balancing Act (2024)

Four Essentials for Thanksgiving - The Balancing Act (1)Considered the most important meal of the year by many, Thanksgiving dinner is something people look forward to around the nation. After all, it is a day spent with family and good food. For some, it’s also the one day a year they get to taste a delicious family recipe. Whether it’s sweet potatoes, gravy, stuffing, or even the classic turkey, this holiday keeps many people on their toes. Though everyone’s Thanksgiving looks different, there are a few essential items you need at the dinner table. Below find four of these items.

Turkey

Some would say a turkey is the most important food item at the table. A turkey is the center of the traditional Thanksgiving dinner. In fact, 88 percent of Americans eat Turkey on Thanksgiving, with 46 million Turkeys eaten on the holiday. Right behind is Christmas at 22 million and Easter with 16 million turkeys eaten for the holiday.

Mashed potatoes

There’s nothing better than smooth and creamy mashed potatoes! For those in the United States, it’s like jam without toast. This Thanksgiving delicacy is for any potato lovers to enjoy at the table. There are different variations to make meals with potatoes, but mashed potatoes are the most popular. Other popular potato dishes during the holiday season are sweet potatoes, mashed potato casserole, or sweet potato casserole topped with yummy marshmallows — making this an excellent side dish for your feast!

Cranberry Sauce

Thanksgiving is never Thanksgiving without this iconic treat. Cranberry sauce is the holiday side dish many savor each year. This treat in some houses only comes out once a year. Nothing beats its sweet, jolting taste. Every holiday season an estimated five million gallons of cranberry sauce is consumed!

Pies

We saved the best for last! Pie is a staple dessert for Thanksgiving. This holiday is all about an overabundance of food and that’s why you need at least two or three pies. There are so many delicious types of this iconic holiday dessert. Some popular choices are apple, pumpkin, key lime, pecan, cherry, cream, and blueberry. The most popular pie in the U.S., however, is cherry pie. Data shows that 22 percent prefer this pie; pumpkin pie was right behind. Here’s a quick life hack: At your dessert table, you can offer ice cream to go with your slice of pie.

What are your family’s Thanksgiving essentials?

Four Essentials for Thanksgiving - The Balancing Act (2024)

FAQs

Four Essentials for Thanksgiving - The Balancing Act? ›

We've broken Thanksgiving dinner down to its essential elements. Turkey, stuffing, gravy, cranberry sauce and potatoes, of course. But no less necessary, if slightly less obvious, is something orange (yams, squash or even mac and cheese).

What are the essentials for Thanksgiving dinner? ›

We've broken Thanksgiving dinner down to its essential elements. Turkey, stuffing, gravy, cranberry sauce and potatoes, of course. But no less necessary, if slightly less obvious, is something orange (yams, squash or even mac and cheese).

What are 4 common foods at Thanksgiving? ›

The 10 Most Popular Thanksgiving Dishes
  • Roast turkey. We've already filled you in on how to carve a turkey like a chef. ...
  • Stuffing. Good stuffing is key to a successful Thanksgiving dinner. ...
  • Mashed potatoes. ...
  • Green bean casserole. ...
  • Corn casserole. ...
  • Sweet potato casserole. ...
  • Honey-glazed Brussels sprouts. ...
  • Cranberry sauce.
Nov 2, 2022

What are American Thanksgiving must haves? ›

Then come November these are the essential, and delicious, ingredients you'll need.
  • Turkey. Just as it's a traditional meat used for Christmas dinner, turkey is favoured because it's big – and that means it can feed a whole family. ...
  • Cranberry sauce. ...
  • Vegetables. ...
  • Marshmallow sweet potatoes. ...
  • Pumpkin pie. ...
  • Pecan pie.

What ingredients do you need for Thanksgiving? ›

Essential Thanksgiving Ingredients: For the Fridge
  • The turkey! ...
  • Sage sausage, for your Classic Sage and Sausage Stuffing.
  • Bread, for that same stuffing. ...
  • Hearty herbs, like fresh thyme and rosemary.
  • Carrots.
  • Celery, kept in its plastic bag in the fridge.
  • Brussels sprouts, stored in a loose plastic bag in the fridge.

What is in a Thanksgiving dinner checklist? ›

Thanksgiving Menu
  • Turkey. Gravy. Stuffing.
  • Green bean casserole.
  • Salad.
  • Mashed potatoes.
  • Sweet potatoes.
  • Rolls and other breads.
  • Pumpkin pie.
Nov 21, 2022

What does every Thanksgiving meal need? ›

The classic Thanksgiving dinner includes old-time favorites that never change: turkey, gravy, stuffing, potatoes, veggies, and pie. But the way these dishes are made or added to is everchanging because of food trends and different dietary requirements.

What is a traditional Thanksgiving dinner consist of? ›

Many of the dishes in a traditional Thanksgiving dinner are made from ingredients native to the Americas, including turkey, potato, sweet potato, corn (maize), squash (including pumpkin), green bean, and cranberry.

What is a traditional Black Thanksgiving dinner? ›

You will likely be eating roast turkey, barbecued turkey, deep fried turkey, glazed country ham, collard greens, macaroni and cheese, green beans, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes mashed and covered with marshmallows, corn, cornbread, yeast/potato rolls, black eyed peas, rice, gravy, potato salad, cranberry sauce from ...

What is the least common Thanksgiving food? ›

The Least Popular Thanksgiving Foods, Ranked
  • Sweet Potatoes or Yams — 25.12%
  • Stuffing/Dressing. — 22.33%
  • Pumpkin Pie. — 21.44%
  • Carrots. — 16.95%
  • Mashed Potatoes. — 15.45%
  • Corn. — 14.36%
  • Macaroni and Cheese. — 14.36%
  • Apple Pie. — 12.86%

What is the most important meal on Thanksgiving? ›

Eat a traditional Thanksgiving meal

Must-eats are: roast turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, and sweet potatoes and Brussels sprouts. Green bean casserole has become a popular dish, especially in the Midwest. Completing the meal is, of course, pumpkin pie for dessert.

What is the main meal for most Americans on Thanksgiving? ›

Turkey. Turkey is at the center of the classic Thanksgiving feast. Today we eat domesticated turkeys, which come from wild turkeys, a species only native to the Americas, making the bird an all-American entrée.

What is the most important food on a Thanksgiving table? ›

Turkey. Thanksgiving wouldn't be the same without the turkey. The turkey is usually prepared whole, filled with fruit, vegetables or other stuffing (more on stuffing in #2!). It's also usually seasoned, which means covered in herbs for flavor and smell.

What is a basic Thanksgiving dinner menu? ›

A Classic Thanksgiving Menu to Feed a Crowd
  • Crisp-Skinned Butterflied Roast Turkey With Gravy. ...
  • Basic Cranberry Sauce. ...
  • Classic Sage and Sausage Stuffing (or Dressing) ...
  • The Ultimate Homemade Green Bean Casserole. ...
  • The Best Roasted Sweet Potatoes. ...
  • Easy Roasted Brussels Sprouts. ...
  • Ultra-Fluffy Mashed Potatoes. ...
  • Butternut Pumpkin Pie.

What are the top 10 Thanksgiving dishes? ›

Here are the top 10 most popular Thanksgiving foods you'll likely see at every celebration.
  • Turkey.
  • Mashed Potatoes.
  • Green Bean Casserole.
  • Sweet Potatoes.
  • Dinner Rolls.
  • Cranberry Sauce.
  • Pumpkin Pie.
  • Stuffing.
Oct 26, 2022

What are the top 20 Thanksgiving foods? ›

Recipes Featured in this Article
  • Caramelized Brussels Sprouts.
  • Spicy Sweet Potato Casserole.
  • Collard Green and Black Rice Salad with Coconut-Lime Dressing.
  • Mashed Potato Casserole with Gruyère and Browned Onions.
  • Easy-As-Pie Pumpkin Bars.
  • Caramel Apple Pie.
  • Flourless Soy Sauce Brownies.
  • German Chocolate Pecan Pie.
Nov 16, 2023

What are the 12 most popular Thanksgiving dishes? ›

Scroll through to take a look at our most popular Thanksgiving recipes.
  • 01 of 24. Perfect Turkey. ...
  • 02 of 24. Roasted Brussels Sprouts. ...
  • 03 of 24. Cranberry Sauce. ...
  • 04 of 24. Homemade Mac and Cheese. ...
  • 05 of 24. Sweet Potato Pie. ...
  • 06 of 24. Granny Kat's Pumpkin Roll. ...
  • 07 of 24. Slow Cooker Turkey Breast. ...
  • 08 of 24. Cream Corn Like No Other.
Oct 26, 2023

What dishes are mandatory for Thanksgiving? ›

Most Traditional Thanksgiving Foods. A traditional Thanksgiving meal consists of roast turkey and many sides including stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, corn, green beans and cranberry sauce, with pumpkin pie as dessert.

How many sides should a Thanksgiving dinner have? ›

How many dishes should I serve with the turkey? For 4 people, choose 1-2 appetizers and 3 sides. For 8 people, choose 1-3 appetizers and 3 sides. For 16 people, choose 2-3 appetizers and 3 or more sides.

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