2026’s Most Popular Thanksgiving Sides By State, Mapped

Many Americans firmly believe the most important part of Thanksgiving dinner isn't the turkey but the sides.For their 2026 report, Campbell’s Soup found that when it comes to sides, Americans have a favorite: stuffing, or dressing, depending on what you call it where you live. Mashed potatoes came in second, which was the same order for favorite sides for the past three years.But what about which one is the favorite in your state? There is at least one clear favorite, but not every state agrees. So is your state part of the majority, or are they one of the 12 states that have chosen something else? Check out the map below and scroll for more data.Thanksgiving Sides Map: Regional Favorites & Preferences | Campbell’s State of the Sides (2026 Report)StuffingThanksgiving stuffing | bhofack2/GettyImagesStuffing is the biggest favorite overall overall for Americans, with a whopping 38 states choosing the side as their number one. A 39th state, Utah, has the side tied with another option as its favorite.The average American Thanksgiving table has at least four sides, according to Campbell’s, so space at the table is limited. But there’s always room for stuffing.Mashed PotatoesMashed potatoes | milanfoto/GettyImagesDespite stuffing’s popularity, not every single state believes it reigns supreme on Thanksgiving. Six states picked mashed potatoes as their favorite side, including California, Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa, Indiana, and West Virginia. Utah also picked mashed potatoes, which is tied for first in the state.It may be surprising to learn that Idaho didn't pick mashed potatoes as its favorite, instead opting for stuffing as its first choice. The state is by far the largest producer of potatoes in the United States.Macaroni and CheeseMacaroni and cheese | Diane Labombarbe/GettyImagesNew York, Texas, Georgia, and North Carolina chose mac and cheese as its favorite side dish above all others. In fact, Georgia serves it more than any other state, with almost 80% of residents planning to have macaroni and cheese among their Thanksgiving side dishes. That makes it the state with the highest shares of mac and cheese servers in the country.It has emerged as a Southern favorite this year, and New York is the only state that ranked it as its favorite side two years in a row.Sweet PotatoesSweet potato dish | haoliang/GettyImagesSweet potatoes, which are also called yams—though they’re not actually the same thing—have only claimed one state. Louisiana chose sweet potatoes this year as its favorite Thanksgiving side dish.There are a few options for sweet potato fans depending on how you want to prepare them. Some like to serve sweet potatoes as a casserole with melted mini marshmallows on top, while others, like fans in Louisiana, may like Southern candied sweet potatoes with sugar and spices to bring out some extra flavor.The Popularity of SidesDepending on the state you're in, you may be excited about all your choices, or wondering why your options are so limited.The national average is just under six sides being served for Thanksgiving, which equals almost 750 million sides being served each year. But some states serve more than others. Florida leads the country with 9.1 sides on average served up on the table for Thanksgiving, while Kentucky will have around 8.4 sides for the holiday.On the other hand, you may want to eat ahead of time in Colorado or Maryland if they don't have many sides ready for you for a Thanksgiving feast. Colorado averages only 4.9 sides for Thanksgiving, while you'll only get 5.1 sides on average in Maryland.You're also likely to find some sides more popular in parts of the country than others. Midwestern states serve green bean casserole on 60% of their tables, with Nebraska and Missouri leading the way. Mac and cheese has an even tighter hold of the Southeast, where you can find it on 67% of Thanksgiving table.Which sides will you be eating this Thanksgiving?