Favorite Foods & Flavorful Trends to Spice Up the Holiday
Thanksgiving is a time for traditions.
Such traditions can center around friends, family, football, and, who are we kidding, food!
This Thanksgiving, we wanted to look at some of everyone’s favorite food traditions and how some trends are helping create brand-new ones.
Being a food lover, Thanksgiving is definitely one of my favorite holidays! I love how all of the food pairs so well together; the balance of the turkey with tart cranberries and buttery mashed potatoes is an iconic combo. We recently had a big change in my family’s Thanksgiving tradition; after 50 years of hosting Thanksgiving, my mom passed on the reins to my brother, so I looking forward to the new spin he will put on all of the classic dishes.
Julie Drainville —Director – Global Sensory & Innovation
Traditional Favorites
Each family get-together or Friendsgiving might have its twists on what makes it to the dining table, but it wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without a few of these staples.
One look at the numbers and it’s clear this isn’t a matter of opinion.
- 40 million whole turkeys are eaten in the U.S.; that’s 50% of all whole bird turkeys sold.
- 40% of name-brand Cream of Mushroom soup (a key ingredient in green bean casserole) is sold.
- Consumers buy 32.2 million dinner rolls
- 80 million pounds of cranberries, or around 20% of the yearly total, are purchased.
- $96 million is spent on stuffing
Yet, for many, bringing these essential dishes to the table means hours, maybe even days, spent in the kitchen; that’s why more and more people are looking for a more convenient way to feast on their favorite festive foods.
My favorite food tradition at Thanksgiving is easily my father-in-law deep frying our turkey. Honestly, I don’t know what part is better, how amazingly delicious it is, or that I don’t have to cook!
Kami Hunt —HR Director, Human Resources
A Huge Helping of Convenience
Believe it or not, Thanksgiving is part of the reason why we have so many convenient food options year-round.
As the story goes, in 1953, an ordering error left a company with nearly 260 tons or ten rail cars full of extra turkeys after Thanksgiving. Eager to make the most of the mistake, the frozen TV dinner was born.
Though frozen foods and canned foods might be a common sight in the Thanksgiving day kitchen, developers are finding ways to provide fresh convenience with items like fully brined and seasoned turkeys and pre-portioned and season holiday vegetable hash.
Still, an increasing number of people are looking to outsource the hassle of holiday cooking in its entirety.
An astonishing 57% of Americans said that they plan to eat out for their main holiday meal this year.
When asked why, 88% said it was to support local businesses, 82% saw it as a way to reduce stress, and 72% saw it as a way to spend more time with family and less time on dishes.
My favorite tradition involves “alternate stuffing.” Each year, a different person or couple is tasked with bringing a second, unique stuffing to Thanksgiving. The one I recall most fondly used pumpernickel as the bread base with apples and sage, but we’ve done sweet ones, vegetarian ones, ones with meat, and even a Cuban-inspired stuffing that my sister-in-law devised. Sometimes they worked well, and sometimes they didn’t, but it was always fun.
Peter Kern — Junior Flavorist
Stuffing: A Savory Pumpkin Spice?
Holiday LTOs (Limited Time Offerings) are nothing new, and while Christmas often gets much of the shine, Thanksgiving is no stranger to these “creative” flavor concepts.
They can range from the weird (e.g., turkey and gravy soda or Thanksgiving dinner flavored candy) to the intriguing (sweet potato and marshmallow chocolate bars and Thanksgiving-themed pizzas). Still, now and then, one of these flavors hits the perfect balance of nostalgia and novelty.
We’re all familiar with pumpkin spice, which went from an autumnal beverage flavor that was gone before the last leaves had fallen to a late-August release found in cookies, cereals, and everything in between.
Is it possible that Stuffing-flavored foods could be the savory alternative to the sweet pumpkin spice?
The close association with the last Thursday of November might keep it from extending that far out, but it is clearly having its moment. From chips and popcorn to seasoning blends, dinner rolls, and fried rice, the taste of stuffing can add an innovative and tasty twist to just about anything.
My favorite Thanksgiving food is sweet potatoes, but I’m not a fan of the brown sugar and marshmallow variety that is popular here in the Midwest. I like mine more savory, so I dice them, season them with salt and pepper, and then roast them in the oven. After they start to caramelize, I add some brown butter, fresh sage, and a splash of sherry vinegar. If there are any leftovers, they taste even better the next day.
Anne Druschitz – Corporate Research Chef
Unique Flavors for New Traditions
What about those of us who want to honor our delicious traditions but also want to try something a little bit different? Or maybe even use our adventurous palettes to start some brand-new traditions.
While nothing is more American than Thanksgiving, many are turning to flavors from around the globe to inspire their menus.
Middle Eastern spices like Za’atar or Asian flavors such as Miso or Kimchi could elevate an already beloved stuffing. At the same time, Jamaican Jerk or Mexican Mole could take the taste of your turkey to places it’s never been.
There is also the opportunity to incorporate side dishes or desserts from various countries around the world, many of which have their own version of the holiday, for a flavorful fusion feast!
Whatever traditions you hold dear or are looking to try out for the first time this year, we here at Edlong wish you and yours a happy, healthy, and delicious Thanksgiving!
Topics: Innovation
Resource Type: Article
Resource Region: US