Favorite Feasts: popular Thanksgiving meals

BY LINDSEY HIGHES / Multimedia Journalist

Thanksgiving, a holiday often recognized not just as a time for thankful communion with friends and family, but also a time to feast on famous Thanksgiving meals. 
 

This time of year looks different for everyone; culture, location and family dynamics play a huge role in the different types of foods served for the holiday.
 

Many versions of a “perfect” Thanksgiving meal exist depending on the person. Some consist of traditional favorites and universally loved dishes, while others include “nonconventional” foods.
 

Exploring the different meals that families eat over the holidays can be enlightening, with many varying experiences.
 

Tarleton State University sophomore psychology major Kynlie Bogle, says that her family likes to keep things traditional. Her Thanksgiving looks similar every year, and usually consist of the typical holiday foods.
 

“My family keeps our Thanksgiving meals pretty classic, and we always eat around lunchtime. We have turkey, mashed potatoes and stuffing.” Bogle said.
 

Tarleton sophomore and agribusiness major Colby Christian usually has a much more nontraditional spread on his table for Thanksgiving dinner. His family has two Thanksgiving celebrations, stretching the holiday across multiple days.
 

“My favorite Thanksgiving dish is either the honey and cinnamon covered ham or prime ribs…the perfect meal spread to me is prime rib, ham, mac and cheese, mashed taters and grannies’ special sweet tea.” Christian said, “Prime rib and beer dip is probably the most nontraditional thing we have on our table”
 

Maddie Sanders is an elementary education major at Tarleton, whose Thanksgivings consist of a variety of meats and side dishes.
 

“My family’s Thanksgiving meals are always fairly classic, we have ham and turkey, with mashed potatoes and mac and cheese to go with it. We also always have cider to drink with our meals,” Sanders said.
 

Other popular and noteworthy Thanksgiving dishes include green bean casserole, which is a savory recipe often involving cream of mushroom and onions, sweet potato casserole, a sweet mix of flavors with marshmallows and cinnamon and various dessert pies, the most common flavor being pumpkin.
 

The differences in families’ holiday meals serves as a great reminder that regardless of what is on your table this Thanksgiving, it is a time of celebration and gratitude.