Thanksgiving is right around the corner and everyone is anticipating their favorite food. Features present the debate over the ultimate side dish.
Monica Duran: Mac and Cheese
Cheesy, creamy, and absolutely delightful, I can never get enough of mac and cheese. Everyone has something they look forward to at Thanksgiving dinner, but who wants some plain old potatoes when you can have your mouth bursting with immaculate cheesy flavors? Don’t get me started on the stuffing– who looks forward to that mushy texture when you can get the cheese pull of your life? Meanwhile, the bread rolls need some of that mac and cheese to really get any flavor themselves. Forget that slice of pie, by the time you get to it, I guarantee you’ll be more stuffed than the turkey itself. From the get go, mac and cheese is the perfect side dish during Thanksgiving.
Gianna Hunter: Stuffing
Unlike the rest of the sides, stuffing is uniquely a Thanksgiving side, as its sole purpose is to accentuate the meal. Stuffing combines the moist texture of mashed potatoes with the bready flavor of rolls, making it the perfect side for every Thanksgiving dinner. Additionally, stuffing is outstanding by itself, or drizzled with gravy. The onions, garlic, and celery break up the soft texture and add sharp, interesting flavors. In turn, the broth adds protein, and a unique meaty touch to the otherwise carby dish.
Daria Adler: Mashed potatoes
Mashed potatoes are the best Thanksgiving side by far, as they pair well with everything you may eat. They go great with turkey, gravy, cranberry sauce and anything else that will be on your table this holiday. While the other sides might go well with a few dishes, none have the versatility of mashed potatoes.They have a creamy and luxurious texture that melts in your mouth, paired with a mild flavor that will not overpower. Mashed potatoes are simply superior.
Emily Johnson: Bread rolls
Buttery, fluffy and versatile are three adjectives to describe the best Thanksgiving side. Mashed potatoes, gravy, turkey, cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes with marshmallows, anything on the table goes with bread rolls. Not a single person has ever stated their hatred for this crispy, dense perfect food. Mac and cheese is always too greasy, mashed potatoes are consistently chunky, stuffing is practically just chewed up bread, and pumpkin pie is so bland. Bread rolls, on the other hand, have never disappointed. Furthermore, no one has ever messed up rolls, while one could easily fumble the other dishes.
Ben Behr: Pumpkin Pie
The salty dishes of Thanksgiving need a balance, and pumpkin pie delivers the answer. A blend of sweet and cinnamon cuts through the overpowering stuffing, the bland potatoes, the overly rich mac, and forgettable bread rolls. Pumpkin pie serves up a symphony of sweet flavor at the end of the night, sealing the dinner as a great one, and leaving you wanting more. Not only that, but it’s the only leftover you’ll look forward to, while even the turkey goes untouched after a few days. When you look forward to Thanksgiving, you are thinking of the pie. Everything else is just an afterthought.
