Ranking Each Thanksgiving Dish from Worst to Best

Thanksgiving is the best food holiday of them all. Whether you love sweets, savory foods, side dishes, or main courses, there’s always tons of tasty food to chow down on. Let’s take a look at some of the most common Thanksgiving foods and rank them from worst to best!

20. Bread Rolls

There’s nothing inherently wrong with bread rolls, or dinner rolls as some call them, they’re just not terribly exciting. Whether you’re pairing them with a side of butter and having them as an appetizer or just adorning your plate with some plain carbs, a dinner roll doesn’t exactly scream “Thanksgiving.”

19. Apple Pie

Several types of pie are popular as desserts on Thanksgiving. Apple pie, in particular, isn’t known as a Thanksgiving-adjacent dish. Still, many people like to have some apple pie (and maybe even a scoop of ice cream) after they eat Thanksgiving dinner.

18. Sweet Potato Casserole

This thick, gooey, and divisive casserole is among the most popular sweet sides in the Southeast, though it shows up at Thanksgiving tables all over the country. It’s good, but it’s also very rich and extremely high in sugar content.

17. Brussels Sprouts

a box of brussels sprouts on a table — Photo by Rens D

Brussels sprouts are good for you and have plenty of fans, but they’re also a bit polarizing due to their strong, bitter flavor profile. If you like bitter flavors, this isn’t a problem at all. However, if you prefer your veggies without bitterness, you’ll probably leave these ones off your Thanksgiving plate.

16. Sweet Potato

Sweet potato is a Southern staple and many people’s favorite vegetable due to its sweet taste and airy texture. These blur the line between dessert and side in a good way. If you’re looking for a side that will satisfy your sweet tooth without digging too deep into the calories, this is the Thanksgiving dish for you.

15. Corn

Corn, especially sweet corn or corn on the cob, is a stalwart Thanksgiving staple. It’s good for you, it’s tasty, and it pairs perfectly with butter. It’s great filler for the courses between your main meats and won’t fill you up too much.

14. Peacan Pie

Pecan pie is a bit rarer than pumpkin pie at the Thanksgiving table, but it’s still a bit favorite for a lot of people. If you’re a lover of sweets, this is one you’ll probably add to your dessert plate. It’s especially common to see this one at Southern gatherings.

13. Green Bean Casserole

This dish is a bit polarizing, but many love the savory addition of bacon to their green bean casseroles. It can be a bit heavy and filling, though, which makes some people avoid getting too large of a portion of casserole.

12. Green Beans

While the casserole version of this dish is a bit on the calorie-dense side, unadorned green beans make a great pairing with any Thanksgiving meal due to their lightness. That said, at Thanksgiving dinner, it’s likely that the cook may have added bacon or some kind of meat-based fat to the dish.

11. Cornbread

Who doesn’t love cornbread? It’s thick, sweet, and filling. This is a perfect side to fill up on if you don’t eat meat. Even if you do partake of ham or turkey, adding a slide or two of cornbread is a great way to make sure you’re completely full before you step away from the feast.

10. Mashed Potatoes

This one is as certain as turkey. If your Thanksgiving spread doesn’t include mashed potatoes and gravy, is it even Thanksgiving? This one gets high marks for being inoffensive and general enough that it’ll probably end up on any Thanksgiving plate.

9. Mac and Cheese

Let’s talk about one of the best sides you can find at a Thanksgiving spread. Mac and cheese is the go-to dish for a lot of vegetarians and it’s a perfect match for the overall flavor palette on display at your average Thanksgiving spread.

8. Biscuits

While dinner rolls are more common around the country and cornbread is the Southern go-to carb, biscuits aren’t unheard of at a Thanksgiving table. If your family does biscuits, count your blessings and load up on them. Top them with jam or butter for the best results.

7. Ham

Not everyone likes turkey. In some cases, your family might not cook turkey in a way that makes it taste good. In either case, ham is a great alternative main course for Thanksgiving. Special shout-out to sweeter, glazed hams, which pair neatly with the overall “sweet and savory” flavor composition of Thanksgiving dinner.

6. Cranberry Sauce

Speaking of sweetness, one of the best sides at the Thanksgiving table is cranberry sauce. And while not everyone loves the canned cranberry sauce that resembles gelatin, it’s many people’s favorite dessert dish (or is it a side?) at Thanksgiving.

5. Pumpkin Pie

Thanksgiving dessert means pumpkin pie. Some people add cinnamon or even black pepper to their pumpkin pie to give it a tasty pop of spice! Pair with some whipped cream for the best overall eating experience and enjoy the best Thanksgiving pie.

4. Devilled Eggs

Devilled eggs are dangerous because they’re so yummy and so easy to fill up on. Is there anything more iconic than filling up on devilled eggs before you go to make your plate and having to power through feeling full already so you can enjoy the other dishes? This is the very best Thanksgiving snack.

3. Gravy

Gravy might not be a dish on its own, but if it’s not in your Thanksgiving spread then something has gone wrong. It pairs with stuffing, turkey, mashed potatoes, and even more if you’re adventurous. A good gravy can really elevate a Thanksgiving meal.

2. Stuffing

Stuffing is really only seen at Thanksgiving, but that’s okay. It’s a weird dish, but it’s so iconic that it wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without it. Whether you make it with meat-based stocks or vegetable base, it’s important to have a generous helping of stuffing on your plate.

1. Turkey

Could anything else take the top spot? When prepared correctly, turkey is the best meat on the table at Thanksgiving. It’s not called “Turkey Day” for nothing! Help yourself to a big serving of this savory bird and enjoy some football, because it’s Thanksgiving!