Thanksgiving is a time for families to get together and enjoy each other's company. I can remember as a child being excited for my cousins to come to the house, mostly because we could trade baseball cards.

But let's be honest, the best part of Thanksgiving is the food.

From the main entrées like turkey, ham or chicken to all the side dishes. I can remember my grandmother cooking fresh vegetables from her garden--my favorite of hers were the green beans.

Is the Side Dish really that big of a deal?

The Takeout recently did a survey on how important the side dish is to people. According to them, in 2023, over 60% of Americans prefer side dishes over the actual entrée. That was an increase from the previous year.

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Fresh Mac and cheese in pot
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What about in Alabama?

Per The Takeout, it is a tie for Alabama’s favorite Thanksgiving side dishes. This year on our table for the sides, Alabamians want to see yams or sweet potatoes and mac and cheese to go with our main entrée.

a family tradition the candied sweet potatoes
Mark R Coons
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Takeout also mentioned that over 30% of people will be adding some new spices this year to their side dishes. Keep an eye out for ghost pepper mashed potatoes or a plant-based entrée instead of the traditional ones.

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