Some may try to say Thanksgiving’s about being thankful or whatever, but come on, it has an ambiguous backstory and no clear purpose, so let’s be real.
Thanksgiving is the ~food~ holiday and the MVP of holidays because no one needs to scrounge up some fake deep reason why they love it.
Simply put, Thanksgiving is all about the food.
So what better way to honor the spirit of the holiday than to rank all the classic Thanksgiving dishes by deliciousness.
(Disclaimer: All Thanksgiving food is amazing so this list ranks from “Still Amazing But Not As Amazing” to “Ultimate Amazing”)
Corn
Well, corn is probably the best yellow vegetable, especially when it’s drowned in butter and salt. However, despite corn’s general tastiness, no one’s coming to Thanksgiving dinner just for those golden kernels. This is a competition, people.
Rolls
Yeah, who doesn’t love rolls? They’re warm and fluffy, and best of all, they’re bread: the best food group of all. But at the same time, rolls are an all-year meal component, and at Thanksgiving, they’re mostly just the back-up carb.
Cranberry Sauce
This sweet and gelatinous side dish tastes best in small amounts—as a sort of palate cleanser from all the rest of the meal’s greasy and buttery foods. And while it’s good, it’s not the most amazing item on the table.
Green Bean Casserole
Oh, green bean casserole. You’re goopy and slimy and fundamentally strange, but there’s something magical about your crunchy top layer of french fried onions that makes you a contender.
And that’s why you roll in higher on the list than cranberry sauce.
Turkey
Turkey should always go right in the middle. The middle of the table. The middle of your plate. And the middle of this list. Sure, it’s the ~main course~ but turkey tends to be a little dry and chewy. So it lands here: in the middle between goodness and greatness.
Sweet Potato Casserole
Sweet potato casserole is a side dish for all. Even if you don’t like sweet potatoes, you can still scrape the melty marshmallows or crunchy pecans off the top, and it still tastes like heaven.
Pumpkin Pie
Pumpkin pie is an iconic Thanksgiving dessert: spicy, creamy, and slightly sweet. Cover that bad boy in whipped cream, and you’ll understand why it’s so far up the list.
Mashed Potatoes
Potatoes are God’s gift to humanity and they’re flawless in any incarnation. And on Thanksgiving, there are only two items more comforting than mashed potatoes. Bonus points if there’s gravy.
Macaroni and Cheese
Carbs and cheese. Real relationship goals, people. And this couple is never better than when they unite for macaroni and cheese. Whether it’s baked, fried or stovetop, macaroni and cheese deserves its place as first runner-up in the Thanksgiving Food Showdown.
Stuffing/Dressing
Finally, stuffing takes it all. It’s savory and strange and perfect, and of all the foods you’ll eat on Thanksgiving, there’s none so peak Thanksgiving-y as stuffing. So shovel a pound of it on your plate, and then see if there’s room for anything else.
