Unpopular Opinion: Turkey is the Least Important Part of the Thanksgiving Meal

With Thanksgiving coming up, turkeys are just getting gobbled up from the stores so that they can be ready to be prepared for the giant feast that's to come. And while for many families the turkey might be the star of the show, I would argue that it isn't.

My unpopular opinion is that the sides are way more important to the Thanksgiving meal than the turkey. Not only do I think sides are more important than the turkey, I think the least important aspect of the meal is the turkey.

Hear me out...

Sure, you might have that amazing chef in your life that lays claim to preparing and cooking the turkey. But not everyone can be so lucky.

Read Related: Hey, Michigan! What Popular Thanksgiving Food Is Your City?

At the end of the Thanksgiving meal, the sides are the stars.

I did a little snooping, and it turns out that I'm not alone in my feelings.

America's Favorite Thanksgiving Sides

For three years running, Campbell's (you know, of Campbell's Soup) has released their "State of the Sides" report, in part, detailing the results of surveys on what Americans like to eat on Thanksgiving.

Every year for the three years that Campbell's has released this report, "Americans declare that sides are the star of the Thanksgiving table." With 56% of people saying they prefer eating sides to turkey, and 38% saying they could skip turkey altogether.

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It looks like Midwesterners' favorite side is green been casserole.

Campbell's breaks it down further, by America's top five favorite sides.

5. Mac & Cheese

4. Green Bean Casserole

3. Sweet Potatoes

2. Mashed Potatoes

1. Stuffing/Dressing