The Most Popular Thanksgiving Side Dish in Each State
The third Thursday in November is turkey day for some Americans, but for others, it's all about the sides. The most popular side dishes for Thanksgiving dinner vary by region, but a few themes—like starch and casseroles—are consistent throughout the country. To see which side your state prefers on Thanksgiving, check out the map below.
To make this map of the most popular Thanksgiving side dishes, the job search site Zippia compared dish names to Google Trends data and found the queries most prevalent in each state. Mashed potatoes topped searches in 10 states, including California, Colorado, and Indiana. Behind it was macaroni and cheese in second place, which dominated the southeastern U.S.
Whether it's in the form of rolls, pasta, or potatoes, Americans enjoy their carbs on Thanksgiving. Maine was a rare exception, with searches for side salad taking the top slot there. Between some regions, the difference lies in semantics rather than taste. Dressing is the favorite side of Alabama, and up north in New York, they call their top side stuffing.
No matter how many times you've eaten a traditional Thanksgiving dinner, you may be interested to learn more about the meal. After looking at the map below, read up on these facts about famous Thanksgiving dishes.