By Julia Evans
A new nationwide survey from Taylor Farms has offered an insight into the dishes Americans associate most strongly with childhood Christmas meals.
Floridians share many of the same favourites as the rest of the South, and the study also points to a growing interest in lighter, vegetable-focused holiday options, giving families across the state new ideas for balancing tradition with healthier choices.
America loves slow-roasted meats
Across the United States, Christmas ham still dominates holiday memories. Nearly half of survey participants, 49.3 percent, selected ham as the dish that defined their Christmas dinner.
Turkey was the second most common main dish, chosen by 32.6 percent, while 13.1 percent recalled roast beef or prime rib as the standout centrepiece. These findings form the baseline for understanding regional patterns, including those that influence Florida.
Florida broadly follows regional trends
In Florida, 50.7 percent of respondents said ham was their most memorable Christmas main course, a stronger preference than in any other region measured.
Turkey followed at 27.9 percent, and roast beef at 14.3 percent. These dishes still appear widely on Florida holiday tables, from Miami and Broward to the Panhandle.
Soft sides are seasonal favorites
Side dishes also strongly shape Christmas nostalgia. Nationally, creamy mashed potatoes topped the list, chosen by 57.15 percent of respondents as their favourite childhood holiday side dish.
Stuffing ranked second at 43 percent, followed by mac and cheese at 40 percent. Other staples such as green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole, gravy, and potatoes au gratin also appeared prominently in the results.
Florida prefers traditional favorites
Florida data shows even stronger enthusiasm for these favourites, with barely anything between them. A total of 17.3 percent of Floridian respondents selected mashed potatoes as their nostalgic side dish of choice.
Stuffing reached 16.3 percent, while mac and cheese earned 15.8 percent. These numbers reflect the familiar dishes many Floridians likely grew up seeing on their Christmas tables.
Regional twists
Florida’s cultural diversity means these dishes are often paired with foods from Latin American and Caribbean traditions.
Cuban, Puerto Rican, Haitian, Bahamian, and Jamaican Christmas meals appear across the state, creating tables that combine dishes like pernil, pasteles, rice and peas, or griot with the mashed potatoes, casseroles, and baked hams highlighted in the survey.
This blending of traditions means Florida households often recognise both the national favourites and the regional additions that give the holiday a distinctive flavour.
A shift towards healthier Christmases
Although nostalgia remains strong, the survey also highlights a major shift in how people want to approach Christmas meals today.
A total of 64 percent of Americans say they would prefer more health-conscious options on the holiday table, and 73 percent say they would consider vegetable-based dishes that still feel appropriate for a festive meal.
This shift appears nationwide and is just as relevant in Florida, where many families are already interested in lighter takes on traditional foods.
Making festive favorites healthier
To help meet this growing demand, Taylor Farms has outlined several healthy swaps designed to update classic dishes without removing their familiar appeal.
Garlic mashed cauliflower offers a lighter alternative to traditional mashed potatoes, providing similar creaminess while reducing heaviness. A maple-roasted squash salad with greens and bacon gives families a fresh take on sweet potato casserole. Acorn squash cups filled with a cauliflower-based mixture create a more balanced version of stuffing. Additionally, air-fried Brussels sprouts with pistachios and goat cheese serve as a modern alternative to green bean casserole, prioritising whole ingredients and texture.
These updated sides can fit easily into Florida’s wide range of holiday traditions. They can sit alongside roast pork with mojo, arroz con gandules, or Caribbean-style baked ham just as comfortably as they pair with conventional American dishes. For families who want to maintain the flavours they grew up with while adjusting their menus to feel lighter, these swaps offer a practical middle ground.
Blending seasonal nostalgia with modern preferences
The survey notes that Christmas dishes carry emotional significance because they are tied to long-standing family rituals. As Charis Neves of Taylor Farms explains, these foods become powerful memories because they are repeated year after year. At the same time, many households are seeking updated approaches that support more balanced eating without losing the sense of tradition.
The Taylor Farms findings show that Floridians, much like the rest of the South, recall a holiday table built around ham, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and mac and cheese. The difference is the added cultural depth that comes from the communities that make up the state.
With new interest in healthier alternatives, families in Florida now have more ways to preserve their favourite Christmas flavours while adapting the holiday meal to modern preferences.
Keywords
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Dining and Cooking