The 5 Most Popular Thanksgiving Side Dishes in 2024

Some might be shocked to see green bean casserole on the list.

By CaLea Johnson |
So much food, so little time.
So much food, so little time. / The Good Brigade/GettyImages

Thanksgiving is a great excuse to gorge yourself with comfort food. Although turkey is the entrée, the side dishes are just as worthy of hype—and some are arguably better than the main course. Here are the sides people most look forward to eating on the holiday.

For its annual State of the Sides Report, Campbell’s surveyed 5000 adults 18 and older in the U.S. who celebrate Thanksgiving. They included 100 participants from every state to ensure an accurate representation of the country. In addition to looking at which sides are most popular overall, the soup brand also broke down the dishes by state and generation. You can view the top five sides listed below.

America’s Favorite Thanksgiving Side Dishes

  1. Stuffing
  2. Mashed Potatoes
  3. Sweet Potatoes
  4. Green Bean Casserole
  5. Macaroni and Cheese

Campbell’s [PDF] found that stuffing (or dressing, depending which region you’re from) is the most beloved Thanksgiving dish in the U.S., with all but five states—California, Utah, Wyoming, Iowa, and West Virginia—favoring it. It’s up from second place in 2023, with Millennials, Baby Boomers, and members of Generation X and the Silent Generation giving it a boost.

Mashed potatoes are second on the list of Thanksgiving favorites, with the five states above voting for the side above all others. The dish was knocked down a peg by stuffing after coming in first place last year. Nonetheless, Americans still consider mashed potatoes a staple during the holiday. Sweet potatoes also ranked highly in 2024 at third place, one rank up from last year.

Although it’s divisive, green bean casserole is in fourth place this year, which is a step up compared to 2023. In fact, the survey found that 62 percent of Midwestern tables serve the side during Thanksgiving. In last place is macaroni and cheese, which dipped from third place the previous year. Kids and members of Gen Z are most likely to pick the dish as their favorite.

You can discover more facts about your favorite Thanksgiving foods here.

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