I always thought it was normal to have a surplus of vegetables, tofurkey, and vegetarian stuffing on top of all the regular meat dishes. Turns out that's just a family tradition, because so many of us are vegetarians (jk, only I am, but I'm a princess and want my vegetarian Thanksgiving dinner). But just like every family has its favorites, every state has its most popular Thanksgiving dishes. General Mills recently look a look at the top searches on some of its sites to find out which dish is most popular in each state, and here are the results.
Alabama: Sausage Balls
Who says turkey needs to be the star meat of Thanksgiving? Alabama is doing it right. They've got turkey and sausage balls.
Alaska: Cinnamon Rolls
Alaska has turned Thanksgiving dinner into Thanksgiving breakfast. Why save room for canned cranberry sauce at dinner when you can have cinnamon rolls instead?
Arizona: Shrimp
Arizona, I would like to hear your justification for shrimp with Thanksgiving dinner. My tastebuds feel spooked thinking about mixing shrimp into my plate of mashed potatoes and gravy.
Arkansas: Chicken and Dumplings
Screw a home cooked meal, let's order chicken and dumplings from the best Chinese joint. I'm sure it's faster service on a day when no one is going to restaurants anyways. Or, you know, you could actually make the southern version.
California: Macaroni and Cheese
Mac and cheese fits in perfectly with the flavors of the vegetables and meats that a classic Thanksgiving dinner serves. If we're going to have a day to celebrate savory foods, mac and cheese better be involved.
Colorado: Cranberry Sauce
Colorado, you threw me for a loop. I would have guessed Massachusetts' most popular dish would be cranberry sauce, considering they produce about half of the entire United States crop.
Connecticut: Butternut Squash Soup
Try this drool-worthy recipe for butternut squash soup this Thanksgiving and let me know your thoughts.
#SpoonTip: Putting the leftover baked apples from your apple pie on the bottom of the soup makes it gourmet af.
Delaware: Sweet Potato Casserole
If your sweet potato dish tastes more like a vegetable than a pie, you're doing it wrong. Be a little more like Delaware.
Florida: Pumpkin Cheesecake
Pumpkin in any shape or form is a Thanksgiving-must, even if it's cheesecake.
Georgia: Sweet Potato Casserole
So far, sweet potato casserole is ahead by two as a popular Thanksgiving dish, and I agree.
Hawaii: Crescent Recipes
A "crescent recipe" is broad because the ingredients of a crescent roll can range from jalapeños to bbq chicken to corn to bacon-cheddar. The possibilities are endless!
Idaho: Biscuits
Biscuits can't be separated from their natural pair, gravy, for Thanksgiving dinner. Here's a recipe for "Southern Biscuits that'll make ya Grandma proud."
Illinois: Mashed Potatoes
How are mashed potatoes only just now popping up on the popular dish list? They deserve to be #1 and we all know it.
Indiana: Peanut Butter Cookies
Indiana is known for their strange peanut butter pairings, most notoriously hamburgers and peanut butter. So, it only makes sense that peanut butter cookies are included with their feast.
Iowa: Monkey Bread
Try this Boozy Apple Bourbon Monkey Bread for this year's Thanksgiving. I guarantee it will be a hit.
Kansas: Pinwheels
In Kansas, these pinwheels may be referred to as "bierocks." But, they still contain pastry dough and filling.
Kentucky: Chicken and Dumplings
It comes as no surprise that Kentucky includes chicken in their Thanksgiving dinner. After all, they are known for their Kentucky fried chicken, amirite?
Louisiana: Cornbread Dressing
Didn't know your cornbread was supposed to be dressed? Me neither. But here's a cornbread dressing recipe for you to check out and get informed.
Maine: Chicken Pot Pie
Ditch the family style chicken pot pie and try making single-serving pot pies this Thanksgiving.
Maryland: Crab Cakes
Of course, crab is included in Maryland's Thanksgiving. They are famous for the blue crab, a delicacy of Chesapeake Bay.
Massachusetts: Cheesecake
Hey Massachusetts, at least Florida's cheesecake is pumpkin-flavored. Get a little more seasonal with your food please. (Although, all cheesecake is great.)
Michigan: Chili
Michigan can hit a low of 39º F in the month of November. Those frigid temperatures call for a hot soup along with Thanksgiving dinner.
Minnesota: Green Bean Casserole
Paul Deen's green bean casserole is to die for. Minnesotans' you have no excuse to not try it this Thanksgiving.
Mississippi: Chicken Spaghetti
Chicken has appeared on this list one too many times. Am I missing something? Is chicken the main meat of Thanksgiving, not turkey? My life might be a lie.
Missouri: Breakfast Casserole
Missouri may be onto something here. Thanksgiving shouldn't be minimized to dinner. Let's feast breakfast, lunch, and dinner!
Montana: Oven Roasted Vegetables
Montana knows that oven roasted veggies are a Thanksgiving-must. It's more flavorful to roast them all together rather than separately.
Nebraska: Monkey Bread
Monkey bread doesn't just have to be sweet. It can also be savory. Try this garlic knot monkey bread recipe.
Nevada: Peanut Butter Cookies
Peanut butter fits right into the "Thanksgiving flavors." It has that autumn vibe to it in that's it's super comforting, just like pumpkin.
New Hampshire: Blueberry Pie
Thanksgiving = pie! If your state's most popular Thanksgiving dish is pie, I feel you.
New Jersey: Crab Cake
Crab cakes with a mango chutney on top are delish. Here is a recipe I swear by. Just seems like we're steering a little bit away from Thanksgiving though, eh New Jersey?
New Mexico: Pecan Pie
According to an article by Huffington post, pecan pie falls as number six out of the nine most popular types of American pies being eaten this Thanksgiving.
New York: Cheesecake
If you're going to have cheesecake this Thanksgiving, try the no-bake vanilla bean, cranberry swirl cheesecake bars pictured above.
North Carolina: Sweet Potato Pie
Hey North Carolinians, if you're going to serve sweet potato pie this Thanksgiving, be sure to mark it as so because it looks eerily similar to the more popular pumpkin pie.
North Dakota: Apple Crisp
Apple crisp takes 40 less minutes to bake and prep than apple pie. Are the people of North Dakota lazy or just great at time management?
Ohio: Buffalo Chicken Dip
The buffalo chick dip leftovers will be great for the football viewing that happens the weekend after Thanksgiving Thursday, or the day of.
Oklahoma: Pecan Pie
Quick tip: Decorate your pies with pie crust cutouts and food coloring for a more festive feel. And bake the pie for half the cooking time without the decorations on, so they don't burn!
Oregon: Bread Stuffing
Bread stuffing is a classic! Add dried cranberries and thyme for extra flavoring.
Pennsylvania: Buffalo Chicken Dip
Pennsylvania and Ohio border each other—maybe that's why they share this odd Thanksgiving dish in common.
Rhode Island: Monkey Bread
Instead of making every type of pie from pumpkin to apple to minced-meat, serve monkey bread for dessert. It will be a crowd pleaser.
South Carolina: Sweet Potato Pie
Another interesting Thanksgiving dish that happens to be in common with bordering states: South Carolina and North Carolina.
South Dakota: Pumpkin Pie
If you South Dakotans are searching for a great pumpkin pie recipe, look no further: This is it.
Tennessee: Sausage Balls
Just a tip: Using an ice cream scooper helps to make your sausage balls less bulgy.
Texas: Chicken Spaghetti
Go big or go home in Texas! Chicken spaghetti is probably just the appetizer to the main course.
Utah: Crescent Recipes
This super easy Thanksgiving "leftover-style" crescent recipe is perrrfect. Cranberry, turkey and stuffing wrapped in a crescent roll is Thanksgiving in one bite.
Vermont: Butternut Squash Soup
Serve your butternut squash soup in the hollowed out squash, or add a little Vermont maple syrup to change it up this season.
Virginia: Mac and Cheese
Mac and cheese is really a most popular Thanksgiving food tradition? I indulge myself with Easy Mac at least once a day.
Washington: Sugar Cookies
I would rather have the Pillsbury pre-made sugar cookies over homemade sugar cookies. They always come out of the oven ooey-gooey perfect.
West Virginia: Buffalo Chicken Dip
West Virginia, Ohio and Virginia, what's up!? Ya'll must have some secret sauce that goes in your dip if it's the most popular dish in that whole region.
Wisconsin: Shrimp
Sweet potato shrimp boat? Don't mind if I do this Thanksgiving.
Wyoming: Pork Chop
Wyoming's economy relies on the raising of livestock like beef and pork. It only makes sense that they indulge in the succulent meat they raise locally.
#SpoonTip: General Mills acquired data from its sites bettycrocker.com, pillsbury.com, and tablespoon.com to come up with the most popular and unique food traditions by state. That data is reflected in this article.