With Thanksgiving around the corner, people begin to plan on what to include in their Thanksgiving dinner. Although some people don’t celebrate it, we can still agree on what foods are delicious and which ones can be skipped. I will be rating popular Thanksgiving foods based on my personal opinion. You might not agree with me, but this is just for fun. Starting from worst to best:

10. Cranberry Sauce

I feel like people who enjoy cranberry sauce have been brainwashed or don’t have any taste buds. Out of all of the foods, this is the most bland but with an odd flavor at the same time, not to mention the texture. I haven’t met a person whose favorite part of Thanksgiving is cranberry sauce and for a good reason. You would think that something with a beautiful  ruby red color would taste amazing, but no, it is repugnant. Both homemade and canned are awful, and if I was on a stranded island and the only thing left was a can of cranberry sauce or no food, I would say goodbye to my existence. Seeing cranberry sauce on my Thanksgiving plate would be scarier than all of the horror movies in the world combined, it simply should not exist. However, it makes a great gift for someone you don’t like!

9. Sweet Potatoes

I am simply not the biggest fan of sweet potatoes. The taste is sweet in an unpleasant way and the texture is kind of crumbly. Don’t get me wrong, they are better than the awful cranberry sauce, but it still wouldn’t be my first choice (or a choice at all) to eat them.

8. Green Beans

They are honestly not bad, I quite enjoy them. Like any food, they can taste bad if they are not made properly, but when they have the right amount of butter and they are not overcooked they taste good. I mean, you have to have some greens, right? They are far superior to cranberry sauce, though.

7. Corn

I absolutely adore corn, it is truly a golden delight! The only reason that I am not ranking it any higher is because I would rather have the other options (the ones that are ranked higher, because I would NEVER choose it over cranberry sauce).  I prefer corn on the cob over canned corn, but hey! Corn is corn. It has a lovely crunch and the perfect amount of sweetness and saltiness.

6. Stuffing

Unpopular opinion, but I love stuffing. I know textures have been mentioned a lot, but it is a big factor for me. The softness makes my taste buds want to dance (unlike cranberry sauce). It is the perfect mix of bread, herbs, and celery that has the right amount of moisture.  I always go for round two with the stuffing, I can’t get tired of it!

5. Turkey

I know, I know. How can I rate the staple of Thanksgiving so low? Well… sometimes it can end up really dry, but it has a good flavor if it has some juice to it. It can also be really filling and overwhelming in my personal opinion, but still tasty nonetheless (cranberry sauce can’t relate to the tasty part). You can’t have Thanksgiving without turkey!

4. Ham

Now ham is a different story, whenever I eat ham it makes my life go from black and white to a burst of colors. I am not too fond of meat, but ham? I can eat it on any day without getting sick of it (but not cranberry sauce, I can’t have it on any day).

3. Mac and Cheese

Pasta and cheese? Sign me up! I am a big fan of Mac and Cheese, it is extraordinary. You can never go wrong with the classic cheesy greatness. What is not to like about it? I’ve always loved my good mac and cheese, and it doesn’t matter how old you are (because younger kids tend to be picky), everyone can enjoy it. However, if you are lactose intolerant, I don’t think it would be a wise choice to eat it.

2. Pumpkin Pie

The best way to end your dinner is with dessert (not with cranberry sauce), and which dessert is in season? Pumpkin pie! Some people can find it overly-sweet, but I absolutely adore it. It is quite sad that it is only sold for a limited time, but it is also what brings out its magic because if it was sold all year, it wouldn’t be as special. My personal favorite is the Costco pumpkin pie: good size, amazing taste, and great price.

1. Mashed Potatoes

If mashed potatoes have 1,000 fans, I’m one of them. If mashed potatoes have 100 fans, I am one of them. If mashed potatoes have one fan, I am that fan. If it has no fans, I am dead. It will forever be my number one because, the texture? Amazing. The flavor? Out of this world. Chunky, smooth, it does not matter because it is not overwhelming and can go with anything in any style, for example: Gravy, cheese, garlic, bacon, etc. I would create a fan club for mashed potatoes if I could, nothing can beat this amazing dish! The only way to make it bad is if it doesn’t have any salt at all, but other than that it is purée perfection (get it? purée?). Cranberry sauce should learn from mashed potatoes, maybe then it will become tolerable.