Illinois and eight other states rate this dish as a must-have on Thanksgiving Day
When it comes to the traditional Thanksgiving meal, Illinoisans want potatoes.
That's right, mashed potatoes, according to a survey by online recruitment website Zippia, are the most popular Thanksgiving side dish served in the Prairie State.
And Illinoisans aren't alone. While the survey found a variety of dishes ranking the highest in each state, mashed potatoes stand out collectively as the nation's favorite. Some 75 percent of Thanksgiving meals will feature mashed potatoes, and eight other states ― California, Oregon, Nevada, Arizona, Colorado, Massachusetts, Hawaii, and Connecticut ― also put the dish in the top spot.
The second most popular side is rolls favored by Utah, Florida, North Carolina, and West Virginia.
Green beans are the dish of choice for our Hoosier neighbors and it's the same for Ohio and Iowa — the only three states in America, according to Zippia, that rate green beans as their favorite.
And our friends in Missouri and Minnesota stand together with a charcuterie tray on most tables.
Overall, carbohydrates dictate the Thanksgiving meal, Zippia discovered, as crescent rolls, stuffing and dressing were often featured as a state's favorite.
According to Nancy Morris, head of content for Zippia, the company used Google searches to determine each state’s favorite Thanksgiving side.
"Thanksgiving may be called Turkey Day," Morris writes," but maybe it should be called mashed potato or bread day."
Two states, Arkansas and Montana, prefer gravy, although each state has a different version as the favorite: Arkansas, white gravy; Montana, turkey gravy.
"Some controversial decisions were made, including counting gravy as a side," Morris writes. "However, since it’s not the main dish and hopefully isn’t being consumed as a beverage, our hands were tied."
One of the states in America's breadbasket, Nebraska, prefers, interestingly enough, crescent rolls, more popular in the Cornhusker state than anywhere else in the country.
"We looked at the month of November 2022 to determine what folks are searching for the most in each state," Morris writes. "Traffic for most Thanksgiving sides skyrockets on Thanksgiving day (Turns out, when you’re googling 'how to make mashed potatoes,' so is most of America.)"
What are the favorite side dishes in each state?
∎ Alabama ― sweet potato casserole∎ Alaska ― stuffed mushrooms∎ Arizona ― mashed potatoes∎ Arkansas ― white gravy∎ California ― mashed potatoes∎ Colorado ― mashed potatoes∎ Connecticut ― mashed potatoes∎ Delaware ― cauliflower mashed potatoes∎ Florida ― rolls∎ Georgia ― collard greens∎ Hawaii ― mashed potatoes∎ Iowa ― green beans∎ Idaho ― side salad∎ Illinois ― mashed potatoes∎ Indiana ― green beans∎ Kansas ― creamed corn∎ Kentucky ― hashbrown casserole∎ Louisiana ― cornbread dressing∎ Maine ― stuffing∎ Maryland ― collard greens∎ Massachusetts ― mashed potatoes∎ Michigan ― rolls∎ Minnesota ― charcuterie tray∎ Mississippi ― cornbread∎ Missouri ― charcuterie tray∎ Montana ― turkey gravy∎ North Carolina ― biscuit∎ North Dakota ― fruit salad∎ Nebraska ― crescent roll∎ New Hampshire ― stuffing∎ New Jersey ― stuffed mushrooms∎ New Mexico ― side salad∎ Nevada ― mashed potatoes∎ New York ― sweet potatoes with marshmallows∎ Ohio ― green beans∎ Oklahoma ― baked potato∎ Oregon ― mashed potatoes∎ Pennsylvania ― stuffing∎ Rhode Island ― glazed carrots∎ South Carolina ― collard greens∎ South Dakota ― baked sweet potatoes∎ Tennessee ― hashbrown casserole∎ Texas ― creamed corn∎ Utah ― rolls∎ Virginia ― macaroni and cheese∎ Vermont ― macaroni and cheese∎ Washington ― roasted vegetables∎ West Virginia ― rolls∎ Wisconsin ― baked potato∎ Wyoming ― baked
This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: What's the most popular dish served in Illinois on Thanksgiving Day?
