America doubles down on its love for carbs, casseroles and cheesy goodness.
PublishedNovember 26, 2025 4:10 PM EST•UpdatedNovember 26, 2025 2:34 PM EST
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Every Thanksgiving, we all pretend we’re excited about roasted turkey — the driest bird on the planet unless you inject it, brine it, massage it and tuck it in for a nap like a newborn baby.
No one is here for that bird. And Campbell’s just proved it again.
Disclaimer: I’m well aware an executive from Campbell’s is currently under fire for saying the company makes “highly processed food” for “poor people.” Since everyone I know uses Campbell’s products in their Thanksgiving meals, I guess we’re all poor people. I’ve been called worse.
Back to the grub.
According to the 2025 State of the Sides report, 63 percent of Americans prefer eating the sides over the entrée — a jump from last year. And nearly half of Americans say they’d be perfectly happy with a plate full of nothing but sides.
This is exactly what I talked about last week with Steven Rinella — a man who’s cooked wild game his entire life and STILL knows the Thanksgiving turkey is mostly decoration.
But back to the real stars of the holiday table…
The Top 5 Thanksgiving Sides Of 2025
The rankings barely changed from last year — just one little switcheroo between mac & cheese and green bean casserole. But the results reveal a nation with very strong and very cemented food opinions. Let’s break it down from top to bottom.
1. Stuffing/Dressing: Reigning Champion
Stuffing continues to rule America with an iron and celery-studded fist. It’s No. 1 in 42 states and remains the undisputed heavyweight champion of Thanksgiving.
And yes, it’s still absurd that we eat this only one day a year. If stuffing were really as beloved as everyone claims, it would make the occasional March cameo. Yet here we are, acting like stale, goopy bread is the Super Bowl champion of side dishes.
I’m over it. Let’s move on.
2. Mashed Potatoes: Forever the People’s Side
Still sitting comfortably at No. 2 and still perfect in every way.
If Thanksgiving sides were sports teams, mashed potatoes would be Alabama football: consistently dominant, occasionally (and briefly) dethroned, but never irrelevant. And I say this as someone who loves mashed potatoes but hates Alabama football.
Which Thanksgiving dish reigns supreme?
(Getty Images)
3. Sweet Potatoes: Somehow Still Hanging On
America refuses to give up the annual tradition of putting marshmallows on vegetables.
Do I think regular potatoes are infinitely better? Yes. Will I still pile a mountain of sweet potato casserole onto my plate? Also yes.
4. Mac & Cheese: Up One Spot
Last year it ranked fifth. Now it’s fourth. Gen Z is fully responsible for this glow-up. According to the report, mac & cheese is the No. 1 Thanksgiving side for Gen Z, and younger generations basically want it served at every holiday meal forever.
Finally, Gen Z gets something right. Mac & cheese is my favorite food on the planet, and there’s no competition. We can debate all day over whether it’s actually considered a Thanksgiving food, but the combo of noodles, butter and cheese is truly the second holy trinity.
5. Green Bean Casserole: Sliding Down, But Still Iconic
GBC drops to fifth this year, but nearly half of America still calls it the most iconic Thanksgiving side.
This dish is 70 years old now and yet it remains one of the most searched Thanksgiving recipes in the country. The Midwestern loyalty is unmatched.
America ranks its top five Thanksgiving side dishes.
(Courtesy of Campbell’s)
Turkey Is Losing the Culture War & Other Fun Findings
While the side dish rankings are the annual main event, here are a few gems from this year’s report:
- 66% of Americans actually enjoy cooking the sides more than the turkey.
- 48% suffer “perfection anxiety” over their Thanksgiving feast.
- 85% say leftovers are one of the best parts of the holiday.
- One in five Americans is using AI to help plan Thanksgiving dinner.
You hear that? ChatGPT is basically your sous-chef.
And even though AI is eventually going to kill us all, I actually welcome its intervention in this one. If ChatGPT can build a shopping list that doesn’t require me to make 18 last-minute panicked trips to Publix, I say let the robots cook.
