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Feast of Flavors: North Carolina’s Favorite Christmas Foods

Author Kayla Morgan

As the holiday season is in full swing, BonusFinder.com, a gambling website, wanted to know what festive foods Americans love during Christmas. They asked over 3,000 people about their holiday traditions and favorite eats.

Most popular Christmas main dishes

In North Carolina, the favored Christmas main dish is ham. In fact, 30 states chose this festive classic as the top pick. Nationally, 35% of Americans cast their vote in favor of ham as the ultimate Christmas dish. Following closely in second place is roast turkey, securing the preferences of over one in four (27%) respondents across the U.S., with the dish emerging as the primary choice for residents in 8 states.

Additional main dish favorites include roast chicken (18.7%), roast beef (16.4%), prime rib (16.3%), and steak (13.3%). Meanwhile, newer contenders like pasta (12.9%) and lasagna (12.3%) claimed the seventh and eighth positions.

Most popular Christmas sides

Transitioning to Christmas sides, North Carolina shows bread or rolls as the statewide favorite. Overall, bread or rolls reign supreme as the preferred side dish, securing 26.4% of Americans and earning the top spot in 15 states.

Mashed potatoes closely follow, with 26% of respondents across 13 states. The top 5 sides include stuffing (21.1%), gravy (20.9%), and macaroni and cheese (20.5%), each claiming the top spot of the most popular festive side dish in six states.

Most popular Christmas desserts

In North Carolina, cheesecake is the favorite dessert. The study reveals an overwhelming fondness for cheesecake, with 29 states and more than one in four (28.2%) U.S. respondents voting in favor of the dessert. Cheesecake leads the dessert preferences, trailed by sugar cookies (20.3%) and chocolate chip cookies (19.4%). Rounding out the top 5 are traditional Christmas beverages, including hot chocolate (17.7%) and eggnog (17.5%). The list extends to include fudge (17.1%), red velvet cake (15.2%), cinnamon rolls (14.5%), Oreo cheesecake (12.2%), and fruitcake (11.3%).

See which dishes were the favorite main courses, side dishes, and desserts in various states during Christmas with the complete list here.

5 Festive Vegetarian Dish Picks for Your Holiday Table

If you’re on the hunt for some tasty meatless alternatives to the usual Thanksgiving turkey or just want to mix things up with veggie-packed sides, there are several vegetarian recipes that are perfect for holiday get-togethers.

Thanksgiving often revolves around the star of the show, which is obviously the turkey. But some of the best holiday casseroles and sides are either vegetarian or can be easily tweaked to be. Whether you’re a seasoned vegetarian or just looking to try something new, there’s no reason you can’t have a wonderful holiday feast.

Seasonal vegetables and fruits.

The holiday season brings plenty of seasonal fruits and vegetables to choose from. These include squash, sweet potatoes, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and more. These fall vegetables offer heartiness without the need for meat. Meanwhile, fruits like apples and pears provide versatile options beyond the usual pie offerings.

Your typical Thanksgiving spread has many options that work for vegans and vegetarians alike. Green beans, cranberry sauce, mashed or roasted potatoes, sweet potatoes, and yams are just some of the veg-friendly choices available.

Kitchen tips.

If your kitchen is more used to handling meat, you might not have separate cutting boards and knives just for veggies. Just make sure to thoroughly wash utensils before transitioning to vegetable prep. This is done to avoid any cross-contamination, such as dicing bacon on the same board used for chopping green beans.

Even for guests who typically consume meat and dairy, those who don’t eat meat often share the same appreciation for sweet treats. Offering a vegan dessert can be as straightforward as using coconut oil instead of butter in your pie pastry. Maybe opt for a pint of non-dairy ice cream.

Planning a holiday menu with vegetarian options might feel like a bit of a puzzle. This is especially true if you’re not used to it. To assist in your menu planning, we’ve compiled a list of vegetarian dishes that can grace your holiday table and keep your guests happy.

  • Stuffed Acorn Squash

    Forget the turkey stuffing routine this Thanksgiving and go for something sweet, like acorn squash. Mix up your stuffing with veggies, herbs, and diced apple, bake it until it’s crispy on top, and serve with veggie gravy. This is a tasty twist for your holiday spread.

    Winter Squash stuffed with quinoa, mushrooms and onions.

    cheche22/ Getty Images

  • Meatless Meatballs

    Dive into the savory goodness of meatless meatballs packed with quinoa, black beans, roasted veggies, and nutritional yeast. Easily turn them vegan by skipping the egg. Enjoy a flavorful alternative that’s both satisfying and plant-powered.

    Vegan meatballs top view on light wooden background.

    SilvaPinto1985/ Getty Images

  • Butternut Squash Baked Ziti

    Shake up your holiday menu with butternut squash baked ziti. This baked pasta dish has a creamy butternut squash sauce, generous layers of cheese, and a crispy panko topping. Whether served as a main dish or a smaller side portion, this butternut squash pasta bake will surely be a favorite.

    delicious vegetarian spaghetti squash casserole with cheese

    Wirestock/ Getty Images

  • Parmesan Cheese-stuffed Mushrooms

    Keep it simple and delicious with Parmesan cheese-stuffed mushrooms. Just grab whole mushrooms, green onions, Parmesan, breadcrumbs, and seasoning. Sauté, stuff, bake, and you have a crowd-pleasing snack in no time. You can even swap out the whole mushrooms with peppers.

    Baked mushrooms stuffed with spinach and cheese

    AlexPro9500/ Getty Images

  • Vegan Carrot Cake

    No holiday meal is complete without dessert. Try your hand at a gluten-free carrot cake with vegan cream cheese frosting. Crafted with vegan-friendly, gluten-free ingredients like almond flour and coconut oil, this sweet treat is naturally sweetened with maple syrup, vanilla, and, of course, carrots.

    Healthy Homemade Carrot Cake Ready for Easter

    bhofack2/ Getty Images

Kayla is the midday host on Detroit’s 105.1 The Bounce. She started her career in radio back in 2016 as an intern at another Detroit station and worked her way here. She's made stops in Knoxville, TN, Omaha, Ne and other places before returning to Detroit. She’s done almost everything in radio from promotions to web, creating content on social media, you name it. She’s a true Michigander, born and raised. So, you can catch her camping or vacationing up north to exploring the downtown Detroit or maybe even catching a sports game. During her free time, Kayla enjoys watching movies, roller-skating, crafting, and music festivals. She and her husband together dip into many of the great things Michigan has to offer. Together they also like to travel. A few hobbies of hers include wine and beer tastings, crafting, hiking, roller skating, movies, home improvement projects, gardening, and festivals. She’s always looking to take on more local events happening in the community. She loves connecting with the community. When writing, Kayla covers topics including lifestyle, pop culture, trending stories, hacks, and urban culture.

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