I’m good. Two of the places I’ve lived are mashed potatoes. One is cranberry sauce. Another is that green bean casserole.
I will say, I sort of like that green bean casserole, but our thanksgiving is with a bunch of foodies who would not be impressed. Hmmmm…maybe I’ll make it this year…need to ask my husband if he will eat it.
No Mac and cheese here in Maryland for us.
Gotta have turkey (and/or ham), and mashed potatoes, preferably with gravy.
Some green veggie, and often corn too.
I can live without stuffing, but it’s usually an option.
^^^ You can make it with fresh green beans instead of canned (as the original recipe calls for) - that makes it a more palatable in my opinion!
I will be with my daughter on Thanksgiving. Green bean casserole was always the thing in CA growing up, but daughter is much healthier and has ask me to bring fresh green beans and mushrooms to roast.
I still have to tease her, this will be her 3rd Thanksgiving as a cook. The first year, I found the bags if giblets in both turkey cavities. We had a good laugh. Last year, still found one bag in one of the cavities, she said she wasn’t aware there were two! Pretty sure there will be none this year. Crossing my fingers!
I’ll definitely defend deviled eggs, but there’s no way they beat green bean casserole in Indiana.
I worked for years for an Italian-American woman, and I could never quite believe that lasagna was absolutely a required part of their Thanksgiving meal. Cooks lIlustrated had a green bean casserole recipe I made one year. It was basically - what would happen if you actually used fresh ingredients for everything. It was good, but way too much trouble. We usually had some green vegetable, but it was not the same every year. https://www.food.com/recipe/green-bean-casserole-from-cooks-illustrated-201819
Another Virginia resident who has never eaten mac n cheese on Thanksgiving. But H and I were raised in Illinois and we definitely include mashed potatoes, however I do think the jello salad we always make is more “midwest”.
Yes, I’m in with PA’s stuffing, especially my mother’s. But I’d by fine with the popular mashed potatoes also. It’s just not as TG-specific.
I always look forward to a green salad along with all the other creamy, rich, mushy stuff - so while I wouldn’t call it a “fav dish” a side salad is welcome.
I made a salad as one of our sides once. I was the only one to eat it.
My husband grew up in OH and according to the map–deviled eggs are what people prefer in OH. H’s family always had Waldorf salad for Thanksgiving and Christmas. I like it, but think of it as something to eat in the spring or summer. H loves it so it’s always a side that we have for Thanksgiving.
A few years ago, we made the green bean casserole with fresh (as opposed to canned) ingredients using the recipe Mathmom posted above. I like it, but most of our guests that year said they preferred the version with Campbells Cream of Musroom soup.
The argument I saw on Twitter was that those Indiana deviled eggs are an APPETIZER not a side dish!!! 
I appreciate a good deviled egg!
Thanksgiving to me has to include stuffing (the best part of the meal) and cranberry sauce.We rarely have eaten out on Thanksgiving but we had dinner with son and his now wife a couple of years ago at a restaurant in Richmond . We ordered the turkey dinner and there was no cranberry. Very disappointed! As long as I have a couple of bites of turkey, I’m good. Not really a side but pumpkin pie is a must!
^^^ There needs to be a map for common T-Day dessert!!!
We always have had pumpkin pie and pecan pie. I choose pecan over pumpkin. Lots of freshly whipped cream.
No one had my favorite!..my mom’s red cabbage with apples.
When we moved to New Jersey we went to Thanksgiving at the parents of my husband’s best childhood friend. They brought out the lasagna and I thought, well, that’s different (MN phrase) but okay, it was good. Then they brought out a panoply of different foods culminating with the turkey. I thought I would never walk again.
I also agree that stuffing is not a side; it’s integral to the turkey. Green bean casserole is gross. Fresh green beans, yes. We always have both yams and mashed potatoes.
I have never associated deviled eggs with Thanksgiving but it’s always deviled egg time around here.
If you want to upscale your green bean casserole, google the Alton Brown version.
I grew up on the west coast and never had Mac and cheese as anything other than boxed stuff for the kids when parents were out to dinner. I remember being at a neighborhood group in Houston in the 80’s and someone volunteered to bring Mac and cheese to a pot luck. I was like “what?” She showed up with a big bubbly pasta dish, so ok.
And I know the CDC says not to do it, but we still stuff the turkey. I would buy at a premium price a turkey with half the meat and twice the room for stuffing. Last year my sister in law sent us a recipe for stuffing waffles, to use up the leftover stuffing. My reply was “ is that like the fictional left-over wine?”
I have vague recollection of deviled eggs, living in OH from age 4-7, but certainly not as an integral part of the meal. I’ve lived in states bordering mac&cheese states for 40+ years and have never seen or heard of it. It seems weird.
Most of the others are present at our dinner, but minor side dishes. Stuffing/mashed potatoes are certainly the stars.
I love deviled eggs but associate them more with Easter. Also love both stuffing and mashed potatoes at Thanksgiving, with lots of gravy!
I have an old family recipe for cranberry sauce/salad that is my favorite part of the whole meal. We don’t do a green salad- too much other stuff to eat.