Turkey, dressing, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie are traditional Thanksgiving foods for a reason — they’re on everyone’s table and appear in every photo of the holiday meal.
But do we include them because we like them or because we think we’re supposed to have them?
In its 2024 Thanksgiving survey, the Vacationer asked 1,042 Americans ages 18 and older to pick their least favorite traditional holiday food from a list of 13 choices, plus “I like them all.” Respondents could make more than one choice.
Last year’s most disliked dish — cranberry sauce — dropped to the No. 5 spot, with 28.89% turning it down. However, the survey didn’t differentiate between homemade tart goodness and the gelatinous “treat” that slides out of a can (Don’t @ me).
Sweet potatoes or yams once again ranked No. 4, with 29.17% rejecting the root vegetables. At No. 3 was ham, with 31.67% saying “No thanks” to what is often a main dish at Easter and Christmas.
Nos. 1 and 2 go together like peanut butter and jelly (which weren’t on the list).
The second most disliked traditional holiday food was stuffing/dressing, with 32.05% of respondents nixing the main attraction’s go-to side dish.
You might have already figured it out, but the No. 1 answer was the big bird itself — turkey, with 34.84% of the votes.
The remaining choices finished:
6. Green bean casserole: 22.94%
7. Mashed potatoes: 22.17%
8. Coleslaw: 22.17%
9. Pumpkin pie: 21.50%
10. Carrots: 16.31%
11. Macaroni and cheese: 15.93%
12. Corn: 14.68%
13. Apple pie: 13.72%
None of these. I like them all: 12.38%
Maybe this is the year for pizza and wings instead of turkey and dressing.
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