Most Americans have strong opinions about what should be on the Thanksgiving table. While we may agree on the basics—turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and gravy—other dishes remain controversial. One such dish is mac & cheese.
Some families absolutely have to have it. For others, it’s banned.
As the author of a mac & cheese manifesto, the developer of our new over-the-top “million dollar” version, and a lover of the dish in general, I took a deep dive into the pros and cons of serving mac & cheese on Thanksgiving. If you’re still deciding whether it will hit the table this year, here’s everything you need to consider.
The Case Against Mac
There are several reasons not to serve mac & cheese on Thanksgiving. It’s difficult to determine whether it’s a side or a main dish. I don’t know about you, but in my house, it’s typically the main event. Put a gleaming casserole dish full of gooey, crispy-topped mac on the table, and it’s immediately competing with the turkey.
Even if you decide that it’s a side (and put it at the complete opposite end of the table from the turkey so it can’t possibly upstage it), it simply joins the ranks of carb-forward sides, which, thanks to mashed potatoes, stuffing, sweet potato casserole, and dinner rolls, is already bursting at the seams. As associate editor Gabby Romero puts it, “There are so many other carb-forward components…I’d rather save the stomach space.”
Mac & cheese is less seasonally specific than most other Thanksgiving sides. While cranberry sauce, stuffing, and sweet potato casserole appear only on Thanksgiving, mac & cheese is eaten all year long. It doesn’t contain autumnal ingredients, and it also doesn’t hold that special “once-a-year” allure that, say, stuffing does. So why bother making it on a day that’s devoted to so many other special seasonal foods? That’s a darn good question that I’m still wondering the answer to.
PHOTO: ANDREW BUI; FOOD STYLING: ADRIENNE ANDERSONIn Defense of Mac
On the other hand, there are several logical reasons why mac & cheese should make an appearance on your Thanksgiving table.
First of all, it might be part of your family’s tradition. While not all Americans believe mac & cheese to be a Thanksgiving must-have, others grew up with it, so it’s absolutely essential. According to freelance culinary production assistant Speshyl Smith, “every Thanksgiving should have a dish of mac & cheese on the table.” Food editor Brooke Caison agrees: “If you don’t have baked mac & cheese at Thanksgiving, then what you have is a roast turkey dinner party.” Well, then.
And what if you’re vegetarian? If you don’t eat turkey and are looking for a crowd-pleasing main that can take center stage, serving a tricked-out, blinged-up mac & cheese (like my million dollar mac!) might be just the way to go. Or maybe you’re not a turkey fan and have decided to omit it altogether and just serve a smorgasbord of sides. If you’re not dealing with a big main protein, another substantial side would be welcome.
Finally—and this is an outside case, but just go with it—what if you’ve got all the sides covered and a late-to-the-game relative is begging to bring something, anything to help fill out the table. Ask them to bring a pan of mac & cheese. Because, regardless of their cooking ability, how bad can it really be? And even if it’s not the greatest, it wasn’t really essential anyway.
In Summary
The question of whether or not to serve mac & cheese at Thanksgiving will remain a hot debate for all of eternity. At the end of the day, it depends on who you are and what you and your family and friends want from your holiday experience. But on a day when near and far families are narrowly avoiding all kinds of potential friction and uncomfortable topics of conversation, are we really going to pick a fight over a harmless (and actually totally delicious) pan of mac & cheese? As my coworkers would say, this is not a hill I’m willing to die on.
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As an assistant food editor at Delish, Taylor Ann has tested and developed dozens of recipes, styled numerous photo & video shoots, and writes feature stories specializing in health, food science, and safety. Her Delish feature, “8 Reasons You Should Never Eat Baby Carrots,” has been read by 1.1M people, and her recipes, such as my Frico fried eggs, grilled Brie, and spinach puffs, have garnered 2.4M views on TikTok & IG. Taylor Ann has received a Top Toque award from ICE and has previously worked as a cook, most notably at abcV in NYC, and as a freelance recipe developer, working with outlets such as Health eCooks and Feel Good Foodie. TA loves to explore new cities and regions of the world and is particularly passionate about exploring foreign grocery stores. When she’s not writing, cooking, or dreaming up new recipes to explore, she’s listening to podcasts, running in the park, or going for long walks with her husband.
See more at www.projectcookbook.org
Expertise: Food science, plant-based food, baking, and pastry
Education: Culinary Arts degree from the Institute of Culinary Education, Bachelor in English with Writing and Theater from Hope College