CENTRAL ILLINOIS (WMBD) — Each year, Campbell’s releases its “State of the Sides” which shows each state’s favorite side dishes.
The report said the top dish in the United States is mashed potatoes, which is up from second place in 2022. Stuffing/dressing dropped from the national favorite into second place for this year.
A new dish to Campbell’s top five is mac & cheese, which has slowly made its way into the Thanksgiving lineup over the last several years. Campbell’s said mac & cheese was ranked by 27% of Americans as their favorite dish, which is up five points from last year.
Classic favorites of sweet potatoes and green bean casserole are the fourth and fifth place spots respectively.
Campbell’s said 67% of Americans prefer side dishes rather than the main entrée, and over half of the country would be just fine with only sides on their Thanksgiving plates.
Illinois tied between mashed potatoes and salad as the top dishes.
When it comes to Central Illinois, stuffing/dressing still seems to be a strong favorite. In a Facebook post by WMBD, 38% of the comments mentioned stuffing or dressing as their favorite dish. Other favorites included corn casserole, turkey, deviled eggs, pumpkin pie, mashed potatoes, and green bean casserole.
Some other fast facts from Campbell’s “State of the Sides” are that the average Thanksgiving dinner has about five side dishes served, and 59% of Americans plan to celebrate Friendsgiving in 2023.
When it comes to the sides, 40% of people want sides that have creamy textures, 39% crave sweet sides, and 33% of people add spicy ingredients to the sides.
Not only do some Americans add spicy ingredients to their sides, but some 20% want new ingredients to add to their sides, including cauliflower rice or non-dairy milks and 18% agree that there should be more plant-based dishes on Thanksgiving. Last but not least, about 18% of people would consider adding tinned fish to their sides for added flavor.
Campbell’s added some recipes to fit in all the classic sides as well as the newer sides being added to Thanksgiving tables. To see the recipes or more about the “State of the Sides,” click here.
