I Ranked Canadian Thanksgiving Food From Worst To Best & Turkey Isn't Even Close To #1

Vegetable Mix

When it comes to Thanksgiving dishes, I don't want to know anything about vegetables. Now, don't get me wrong. I love veggies, but I've got carrots, asparagus, beans and parsnip in my fridge far too often for it to be at all on my radar during a moment as notable as Thanksgiving dinner.

Whether it's covered in cheese, smothered in garlic, or presented Michelin-style, vegetables always fall flat for me on Thanksgiving. Not to mention they are usually still on my plate when I am done — making them a rather lacklustre addition to the meal.

Score: 2/5

Turkey

While many might consider turkey the star of the show, it's far from that for me. Not only is the bird massive, taking far too long to prep, but it also takes way too long to cook.

Yeah, sure, the enticing blend of aromatic spices, with hints of roasted herbs and buttery undertones fill the air while it cooks in the oven (for hours and hours and hours) but that's pretty much the only part about turkey on Thanksgiving that I enjoy. That and the fact that it produces good gravy and is the perfect home for heaps of stuffing.

Because at the end of the day, turkey is basically just a big chicken, and chicken, much like vegetables, is something I have far too often for it to really win any special points at Thanksgiving. Nevertheless, I can acknowledge that it makes a pretty central dish and offers loads of leftover options including turkey salad, turkey noodle soup, and turkey pot pie.

Score: 3/5

Gravy

Gravy — a small yet vital component of a Thanksgiving meal. I would describe the perfect gravy as rich and velvety, with a deep, savoury flavour that balances the sweetness of the roasted turkey juices.

It shouldn't be too thick nor too thin, with a silky consistency that coats every bite of your meal without overpowering it. Gravy also goes with everything and I mean everything. Toss it over your veggies, potatoes, turkey, and stuffing or drink it as is (don't lie, you've totally done that before).

Score: 3.5/4

Cranberry Sauce

Every meal needs a sweet addition in the mix, and that's exactly the purpose of a good cranberry sauce. While you can make a fresh sauce from the freshest of cranberries, I prefer a good 'ole can of cranberry sauce. Ocean Spray to be specific.

The gelatinous consistency might be off-putting to some, but it just works. The tanginess (and subtle bitterness) of the cranberry mixes so well with the turkey, stuffing, and other sides, too, adding a nice touch to each bite without completely taking over your senses.

Score: 4/5

Mashed Potatoes

I don't care what anyone says, mashed potatoes do not qualify as a vegetable dish. That's why it is separate from the carrots, sprouts and beans. The dish is practically a bowl of creamy, fluffy and flavourful bites of heaven.

Add in loads of butter, a splash of milk, and salt and pepper to taste, and you've got yourself a side dish that puts all other side dishes to shame. Not to mention the potato is a highly versatile food item to begin with, from French fries, chips, and buns to cakes and pastas. However, on Thanksgiving, it's all about the mash.

Score: 4/5

Pie

Now, no meal is complete without dessert, and Thanksgiving sweets are all about the pies. Apple pie, pecan pie, sugar pie, pumpkin pie — you name it, we're eating it. While I'd never pass up on any piece of pie, pecan was always my favourite and offered up the sweetest finish to an already decadent meal. Pair it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and the coldest glass of milk, and you'll really find out what a real foodgasm feels like.

Score: 4.5/5

Stuffing

If there is one dish I look forward to the most on Thanksgiving, it's certainly the stuffing, the stuffing my late grandmother used to make to be exact.

This is a dish I have once, maybe twice a year, so I always look forward to diving into a massive serving of stuffing when Thanksgiving comes around. It was such a hit growing up that we'd have to make a lot more on the side (although it never tasted the same as the stuffing served fresh out of a turkey's behind) and even then it sometimes wasn't enough.

I still recall buttering both sides of plain white bread with my grandma as a kid, adding in loads of sage, pepper, salt and other key herbs and spices to make the most flavourful and moist (yes, moist) stuffing you've ever had. Luckily, my mom has mastered the ultimate stuffing recipe, one that would win my grandmother's approval.

Score: 5/5