Thanksgiving, a staple holiday in any American household, known most especially for its football and food. Fortunately, this is not an article play-by-play of the Dallas Cowboys’ annual turkey-day game. Here is an honest (and sometimes controversial) classic Thanksgiving food review.  

Of course, the main dish of the night should be up first, the turkey. Turkey is decent in the most general way possible. It’s hard to really mess it up, and if you do, you can just smother it with gravy. The best turkeys are the ones seasoned well, juicy, and have a crisp, but not burnt top skin. Overall, the turkey is a solid 7/10 across the board.  

Bread stuffing, another Thanksgiving classic. Certain stuffing is most definitely better than others, specifically the ones that are seasoned well. The biggest mistake one could make with stuffing is not seasoning it. That, or burning it on the pan. No one likes burnt stuffing. Overall, though, stuffing is a must-have at your Thanksgiving table, and usually a good one. Because of this, stuffing gets a humble 8/10.  

Mashed potatoes, an American delicacy by any standards. Homemade mashed potatoes are a godsend sent down from the heavens. No matter how someone likes it, either drowning in gravy, creamy or chunky, they’re rarely not seen on someone’s plate at the dinner table. Mashed potatoes earn a well-deserved 9.5/10 on this review.  

Now, a Thanksgiving food review is not finished until the elephant in the room is addressed: The pumpkin pie. This rating most certainly depends on the difference between recipes, but in complete honesty, it’s somewhat overrated. Mushy, but not in a good way, with too much pumpkin and not enough of anything else. It’s a controversial opinion, considering the craze around pumpkin spice in the fall season, but the pumpkin flavor is most certainly not for everyone. Because of this, and because of its popularity, pumpkin pie is awarded a solid 6/10 on this review.  

While there are dozens of options to choose from for anyone’s Thanksgiving spread, these are the most popular, iconic, and recognizable foods from this holiday. With twists and turns, unexpected ratings, and an unsurprising win from the Cowboys, this concludes the Thanksgiving food review. Happy Holidays!