Thanksgiving is tomorrow, which means it's time to start obsessing over what will be on our dinner tables. You might have some dishes that are unique to your family's traditions, culture, or tastes, but in the end, there are a handful of dishes even the most outside-the-box Thanksgiving dinner can't do without.
Ten of them, in fact. We know this because we ranked them in order of importance. Yes, we are ready for a fight. No, we aren't budging on where things landed on our list.
No Thanksgiving would be complete without the ten items below — in this order. Because we said so.
10. Green Bean Casserole
Green bean casseroles are not aesthetically pleasing, but they play a role. You need them to complete a Thanksgiving meal; it's practically science. There is just something so Thanksgiving about the mixture of creaminess from the green-bean-mushroom-soup concoction mixed with the crunch of the fried onion toppings. Real Thanksgiving veterans will tell you the green bean casserole plays a pivotal glue role in the formation of the perfect leftovers sandwich.
9. Rolls
Good, old-fashioned rolls. Yes, just bread. Why? Because they make a great shovel. On Thanksgiving, it's perfectly acceptable to use a roll as a vehicle to get as much macaroni and cheese into your fat face as possible. Bread gets knocked some serious points, however, because it takes up valuable real estate in your stomach that could be filled with more delicious Thanksgiving fixings.
8. Gravy
Ah, yes, the lube that keeps all cylinders running smoothly. At some point, all that turkey, stuffing, and mashed potato
7. Mac and Cheese
Show me a person who doesn't like macaroni and cheese and I'll show you a person who shouldn't be invited to Thanksgiving dinner anymore. Mac and cheese might not be the most traditional Thanksgiving side dish for some, but it's certainly a crowd pleaser when spotted at the table. Ever go to someone else's home for Thanksgiving and spot the mac and cheese on the table? It's like being at a bar all by yourself, then running into a good friend.
6. Mashed Potatoes
If you don't have mashed potatoes at your Thanksgiving, are you even having Thanksgiving dinner? There is something about having a heaping pile of mashed potatoes to c
5. Sweet Potato Casserole
Sweet potato casserole feels like stealing. It's like having dessert before dessert, but nobody talks about it. It's like this dirty little Thanksgiving secret that everyone is ok with. The gooey marshmallow glob just seems so naughty on a plate full of traditional Thanksgiving classics. Sweet potato sugary goodness is a welcome sight on the corner of your plate when everything is mixed and you need something to glue it all together.
4. Ham
Ham? Yeah, ham. If your family hasn't ever added a ham to the festivities, try it out this year — you won't be sorry. Having the option of a few slices of ham on your plate makes
3. Pies
Rather than personally offend anyone and pick a particular personal favorite pie here, let's just stick with pies in general. I mean, when else do you eat pie, really? The correct answer, obviously, is any time you eat pecan pie, but if you like a different kind of pie, it's OK that you're wrong.
2. Stuffing
Nothing says Thanksgiving like a good stuffing. People who don't even like stuffing eat it just
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