Thanksgiving Dish Showdown

Thanksgiving Dish Showdown

By Garrison Franks

Mounds of mashed potatoes… a platter piled with turkey… countless casseroles… and that pumpkin pie waiting patiently at the end of the counter. We all sit down at different tables and with different families, but these signature dishes are a part of the Thanksgiving tradition that we all share. And while our familiarity with these classics brings us together, our opinions on them can differ drastically. To settle the dispute over which dishes to skip over next Thursday—and which ones to circle back to for seconds—members of Talawanda Tribune rated each one on an appropriate scale of one to five turkeys. The data above says it all.

This chart shows the average rating that each Thanksgiving dish received. Cranberry sauce proved to be the least popular, with an average rating of about 1.6 out of 5 turkeys. Gravy quickly followed as another boat to steer clear of. On the other end of the spectrum, Tribune members agreed upon biscuits and rolls as their top choice, with a respectable rating of about 4.4 out of 5 turkeys. These favorites were followed by another baked essential—the holiday’s signature dessert, pumpkin pie. 

How do these preferences compare to those held by other Americans? For the most part, the country seems to be in agreement. According to The Harris Poll, cranberry sauce seems to be unpopular all around, as 27% of Americans consider it their least favorite part of the meal. Tribune and The Harris Poll’s surveys also landed many of the same dishes at the top of the list, including mashed potatoes and rolls. However, one major difference stands out on the national poll’s list. While our highschoolers had mixed feelings towards the feast’s star dish, Americans overall held Thanksgiving turkey in high praise, with 74% of Americans placing it at the top of their list.

Despite its nearly universal presence at Thanksgiving tables, this centerpiece dish seems to be controversial, especially among young Americans such as those who completed Tribune’s survey. Junior tribune writer Jesse Troy said that turkey is “a misunderstood dish, but still can’t compete with gravy or mashed potatoes”, expressing that this dish is just okay and not very exciting compared with the rest of the meal. Editor Thomas Harper shared another common opinion: “only the dark meat’s good; the white meat’s always just dry”. 

While our feelings over these foods themselves may be mixed, we can all agree that the feast is not truly about tastes—rather, it’s about the experiences that this meal brings us. Next week provides us with a unique opportunity to come together with all those who we love, share time in the same house, and sit at the same table. Regardless of our trivial disagreements, we must all remember to appreciate this moment, and to be grateful for the people around us, the food on our table, and the roof over our heads.