When many people think of Thanksgiving, they think of turkey, mashed potatoes, and stuffing sitting on a large table, but some Glen Rock Students have unconventional Thanksgiving day food favorites.
Firstly, most people think of carving turkey on Thanksgiving, but many ignore another option, ham. While turkey may be the traditional food, it can sometimes be dry or bland. “It is so underrated and people need to start choosing more flavorful meals, especially for a holiday,” according to Mary Petschler.
While many people serve cranberry sauce, even if it is straight out of a can, it is often left barely touched among the other endless options on the table. Some people, like Grace Yetter, prefer canned cranberry sauce because, “the can doesn’t have all the weird little things in it.” Others, like Bridget Finn, like cranberry sauce because, “you can put it on so many things and it’s really yummy.”
Mac and Cheese is always a popular American food, whether it comes in a box or homemade with bread crumbs on top. Despite its popularity and tendency to appear at many other large events, mac and cheese is often an overlooked dish at the Thanksgiving table. Sydney Giblin, GRHS freshman, said, “All I eat for Thanksgiving is mac and cheese.”
Some Glen Rock students are enjoying rice, an under-recognized food on Thanksgiving. Rice is a popular food option for everyday meals, but it isn’t traditionally seen on Thanksgiving. It is very diverse and can be eaten plain or used in a variety of recipes. It can also be served to soak up extra sauce or serve as a less flavorful food to compliment the other dishes on Thanksgiving. Glen Rock High School junior, Annaliese Hendl, said, “My most underrated Thanksgiving food is rice because my family likes to have rice with our turkey.” Family traditions are an important factor in selecting food that is presented on Thanksgiving because everyone has different experiences and cultures.
In contrast to the American foods, Garlic Bread brings in Italian food to the traditional Thanksgiving meal. This can go well as a replacement to the traditional biscuits or rolls. While some people love this underrated food, others think it doesn’t belong on the Thanksgiving table. “Weird, I feel like garlic bread is more of an Italian thing,” said Annaliese.
Lastly, another Italian food, lasagna, is a dish that doesn’t often make it to the Thanksgiving feast. It has layers of pasta, sauce, and cheese that make it a great option for a big group, like a family gathering on Thanksgiving. “My aunt makes it and I don’t get to see her very often, so it’s special,” Phoebe Martin said. Sometimes, during the holidays, the food is more about who you are sharing it with then anything else.
Thanksgiving is a time for family and friends to gather together and celebrate what they are thankful for. At Glen Rock High School, students have many unconventional foods and special Thanksgiving treats that they are looking forward to this year.
