Think everyone’s Thanksgiving dinner looks exactly the same? Think again! A recent survey from the turkey brand Jennie-O reveals unique details about favorite Thanksgiving dishes by state along with surprising details around how long some people take to plan this meal. (Hint: Across all states, the festive feast is weeks in the making.) Although the survey is extensive with findings that will get your mouth watering, we’ve gathered our top seven takeaways. Keep reading to learn more about this fun turkey day survey!
How Jennie-O conducted this year’s Thanksgiving survey
With all things turkey (and sides) at the top of everyone’s mind, Jennie-O decided to see how consumers in each state plan on preparing their upcoming Thanksgiving dinner. The brand polled 5,000 people across the country from late July to early August. Respondents were asked about various aspects of their meal, including staple sides and preferred way of cooking turkey. From there, the brand got a clear picture of similarities and differences among turkey day traditions.
Top 7 takeaways from this Thanksgiving survey
Below, you’ll find the seven insights that caught our eye when reading this survey. (You can find all of the findings in this press release from Jennie-O.)
1. Delaware is the state that takes the most time to plan this feast.
When it came to pre-Thanksgiving prep, Delaware was the state where an average of 36 days were spent on planning the guest and menu. It’s not too out of the ordinary since holiday hosting involves plenty of forethought to ensure things go smoothly. Coming at second was Virginia with 33 days, while North Carola was third with 32 days.
2. Most people don’t prefer their turkey being brined.
Brining is a popular way of salting the bird to ensure it stays juicy. However, 63 percent of survey respondents said no to this step. While we can’t give you an exact reason for this, it could be due to the time-consuming element as many turkey recipes involve brining it for hours or days. (Read our guide on chicken wing brine to learn more about this technique.)
Are you team brine or team no brine?
3. Stuffing is crowned the most popular side dish.
You can always count on stuffing to add a rich and hearty essence to your turkey day plate. Hence why, a whopping 77 percent of respondents rated it as their favorite side dish! Other dishes like rolls and biscuits (66 percent), mashed potatoes (60 percent) and cranberry sauce (55 percent) also made the cut.
4. Georgia enjoys mac and cheese the most compared to other states.
We can all agree that no Thanksgiving spread is complete without mac and cheese. And Georgia turned out to be the state where it’s consumed the most with 62 percent of respondents saying it’s a staple dish. (Check out this story on how to reheat mac and cheese to savor the creamy and cheesy casserole the next day.)
5. A third of Americans change things up every year.
Part of the magic of Thanksgiving is savoring those classic dishes each year. But, a third of Americans report switching up their menu every holiday season. If this sounds like you, consider adding these recipes for Cottage Cheese Pumpkin Pie, Deep-Fried Turkey and Paula Deen’s Corn Casserole to your turkey day menu.
Have you ever thought of changing your Thanksgiving menu?
6. Ham is a must in many households at the Thanksgiving dinner table.
Turkey always steals the show during this holiday, but ham isn’t to be underestimated! Close to 40 percent of respondents prefer serving ham as well. We’re certainly not mad about it since it’s nice to have an additional protein to fill up your plate.
7. A turkey sandwich is the go-to way of enjoying leftovers.
It’s no secret that Thanksgiving dishes are tastier the next day as the flavors have time to deepen. Out of the 96 percent of participants who said they love the leftovers, 44 percent said they use them to make a sandwich. You can make a cold sandwich with regular bread, or try this Stuffing Waffle Sandwich recipe for a hot and crispy option.
Besides turkey, what goes into your ultimate leftover sandwich?
