We have all heard of Thanksgiving. It is an exciting day where people all over the United States gather together with family and friends for a big feast. Whether or not you celebrate thanksgiving, you are surely familiar with the meal that is eaten during the holiday. Turkey, mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie, you name it! 

What is not talked about enough is the debate of food that comes with thanksgiving. Many people have favorite Thanksgiving foods, but not everyone agrees with each other. I’ve come up with three controversial thanksgiving foods for you to consider during the holidays this year.

Ambrosia salad

First on the list of controversial thanksgiving foods is ambrosia salad. Taking a look into history, the earliest mention of this salad is from the 19th century. This dish was originally created in the South, but as it became popular the dish spread all over the U.S.

When looking at the salad, it has no visual appeal whatsoever. It is lumpy, oddly colorful, and just genuinely looks like a bowl of barf. 

What is this lumpy looking dish made of may you ask? Well, it is usually made of canned fruits like mandarin oranges, and pineapples, mixed with yogurt, mini marshmallows, coconut, and whipped cream. Wow! That’s an intense flavor combination, no wonder many people are not a fan of it!

Another controversy on this salad is when is the appropriate time to eat it. Some people may consider this a salad to pair with your meal, while others believe it is more of a dessert to go with your pies.

Turkey

This might sound weird, turkey being a controversial Thanksgiving food, despite it being a staple in most Thanksgiving meals. Although it sounds crazy, turkey has been known as a controversial food for a long time. 

The pilgrims surprisingly did not eat turkey on the first thanksgiving, but instead they ate wildfowl and venison. So it is difficult to say when turkey became the tradition. 

After doing some research I found out studies have shown that over 88% of Americans eat turkey on thanksgiving. That is a lot of turkey on thanksgiving! So why is it on this list you may ask? 

Well, some people find that its flavor is too bland, and need a sauce like gravy or cranberry sauce to augment the flavor. Other people find that it has a “gamey” flavor that is overpowering, unlike other meats like chicken or ham.

One of the main issues with turkey is that people seem to say it is dry, and it is difficult to make it juicy despite the effort most people put in.

Mac and cheese

This one also sounds wild, how could people not enjoy this cheesy, creamy, and flavorful dish on thanksgiving. It must be a staple right? Well surprisingly, many people do not eat mac and cheese on thanksgiving.

Many people around the U.S. are not big mac and cheese eaters during the holidays. I found reviews that people have made stating their opinions on this controversy. 

One person said they always “butt-heads” with their friend, because their friend believes that mac and cheese is a thanksgiving dish, but the writer does not. Comments responded to that review telling them it is mostly a Southern dish.

After asking five people, all of them said they enjoy mac and cheese on thanksgiving, which I thought was interesting because my family does not have mac and cheese with our meal.

Conclusion

After reviewing different perspectives, it is easy to see that everyone has opinions on Thanksgiving foods. Some people may find that certain foods do not represent thanksgiving at all, while for others those same foods are a staple on thanksgiving.

Upon reading this article, consider what might be a controversial thanksgiving food for you and your family during the holidays. How many of these foods on the list do you eat during your celebration of the holiday?