Turkey Day is only a few weeks away and the Lions have just defeated the Packers for an early Thanksgiving miracle across MI sports betting sites.
To get in the festive spirit of overeating, arguing politics, and unfortunately, watching the Lions lose, we thought we’d look at the side dishes most likely to be devoured on the final Thursday in November.
Coming in at No. 1 is stuffing.
Stuffing has a huge advantage because it can be made hundreds of ways – vegan, with sausage, with cherries, raisins or apples, with white, challah or sourdough – and many Thanksgiving tables often have two types of stuffing. Interestingly, however, stuffing only came in first in one Michigan city – Traverse City.
Below, you'll find out which dishes came in hot on stuffing's heels. So take a break from Michigan mobile betting apps and dig in.
Michigan's Favorite Side Dishes
Back For Seconds
Next on the list is macaroni & cheese, which is a classic side dish for any holiday – and a main dish at the children’s table – but doesn’t say Thanksgiving to me. I just can’t fathom the pilgrims and Indians sitting down and eating pasta.
But mac & cheese was the No. 1 side dish for Detroit, Lansing and Flint/Saginaw.
Tied for third in Michigan are mashed potatoes and green bean casserole.
Mashed potatoes are another dish that has varieties, as different cooks have different potato preferences. Potatoes are a relatively bland vessel for flavor so the quantity of added cheese, butter, cream or chives, can completely change the dish. That also goes for the quality of the mash – smooth or chunky? I like mine a bit dry, with a little body and a hint of garlic.
Green bean casserole has always been a dish I thought Campbell’s invented to sell more cream of mushroom soup and in researching this article I learned the dish was invented in a Campbell’s test kitchen in 1955. I like the casserole with a topping of crinkled fried onions.
Green bean casserole was top choice in Grand Rapids.
Last But Not Least
In fifth place, with only 9% of the vote, was cranberry sauce. I have to take issue with the survey here, because cranberry sauce is not a side dish. Rather, it’s a Thanksgiving condiment.
Over the years, cranberry sauce has grown from the gelatinous form still in the shape of a can, to a fancy recipe with fresh cranberries, orange zest and sprinkled nutmeg, but it remains a food where the canned version is king.
My take? It’s a tart table complement to the sweet stuffing and turkey gravy.
Lions Face Uphill Battle Against Bills On Thanksgiving
Josh Allen and his high-powered Buffalo offense will come to Detroit on Thanksgiving Day, likely as the Super Bowl favorite across MI NFL betting.
The Lions haven't brought much joy to their fans on their Thanksgiving home date in recent years and this season's meeting with the Bills looks particularly daunting.
Currently, the Bills are the favorite to win the Big Game at +330 at FanDuel Sportsbook Michigan.
The 2-6 Lions do have a couple more weeks to prepare however, and are coming off their best win of the season over Aaron Rodgers and Green Bay.
But prepare to take solace in your favorite sides this Thanksgiving just in case, as the Lions playoff chances are currently a meager 5.9%.
