The Most Midwestern Thanksgiving Foods We’ll Defend With Our Lives

When it comes to Thanksgiving food traditions, you don't mess with the Midwest.

Midwest Families Have Strict Holiday Rules

Every region of the U.S. has its non-negotiable Thanksgiving dishes, but here in the Midwest? We are out here defending our casseroles like they’re state secrets. I grew up in the little pocket of the Midwest where Indiana, Illinois, and Kentucky meet, and around here, food traditions are so deeply rooted that if you even think about changing the recipe, you’ll get side-eyed by three generations at once.

The Casseroles We’ll Defend Every Year

Let’s start with the crown jewel: green bean casserole. Yes, we know it’s basically soup, canned beans, and fried onions. No, we don’t care. It is the quintessential Thanksgiving side dish.

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Sweet potatoes with marshmallows? We’re absolutely serving this as a side, not a dessert, because in the Midwest, sugar is a seasoning. You do not have to understand it. Just accept it. Bonus points for your holiday table if you serve it as a casserole, because... obviously.

The Great Stuffing vs Dressing Debate

And then there’s the real battle royale - stuffing vs. dressing. Around here, it’s usually dressing baked outside the turkey. You may use cornbread if you're southern-adjacent, or white bread if you’re from northern Indiana. Both sides are equally convinced they’re correct, and they're both right as long as it doesn't get served from inside the bird. That's the hard pass everyone can agree on.

Cranberry Sauce Must Still Have the Can Lines

Now, you want to know the hill we’ll truly die on? Ambrosia salad and cranberry sauce... from a can... with the ridges intact. Look, I don't make the rules, but if it jiggles, it’s right. While homemade cranberry compote is cute and festive, if you don’t hear that satisfying "slooooop" sound when it comes out of the can, are you even celebrating the same holiday as the rest of us?

Read More: How to Safely Thaw Your Thanksgiving Turkey According to the USDA

Midwest Thanksgiving Isn’t Fancy but It’s Perfect

While Midwestern Thanksgiving food might not be glamorous, it definitely is comforting, nostalgic, and fiercely defended by those who love it. Around here, we don’t need truffle oil, artisanal herbs, or five-hour brines.

We just need a tub of Cool Whip, some Campbell’s soup, at least one Corningware casserole dish from 1984, and "A Christmas Story" blaring on TV in the living room. That’s where the holiday magic is found.