North Dakota’s Most Hated Thanksgiving Side Dishes

Thanksgiving is coming up fast, and if you’re gearing up for the traditional feast—turkey, mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie—you’re probably feeling pretty confident. After all, the classics never fail.

But then… the side dishes enter the chat. And thanks to our station’s Facebook page, we now know exactly which dishes North Dakota residents would happily launch into orbit.

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Let’s start with Amanda, who bravely recalled the childhood trauma of orange Jell-O mixed with shredded cheese and Cool Whip. Yes, you read that correctly. It’s the kind of dish that makes you wonder if someone lost a bet in 1974 and it just… stuck around.

Then we have not one, but two votes for pickled beets, courtesy of Megan and Kyla. Apparently, this is the side dish equivalent of showing up to Thanksgiving wearing socks with sandals—bold, confusing, and not for everyone.

Lance, on the other hand, took a different approach. When asked what side dish he dislikes, he responded with: “In-laws.” Bold move. Courageous. Possibly dangerous. If Lance goes missing, we’ll know why.

Read More: North Dakota Pet Owners: What Your Cats Should Skip on Thanksgiving Day

Kimberly brought back another retro masterpiece: lime Jell-O with shredded carrots. Nothing says “holiday cheer” like dessert that crunches in all the wrong ways.

Barbie tossed cranberries and sweet potatoes into the no-thank-you pile, while Thomas and Brianna doubled down on hating cranberry sauce, that jiggly red blob that looks like it still hasn’t emotionally recovered from being canned.

And of course, several proud North Dakotans stood firm in their opposition to a classic: yams. You know, the vegetable that can’t decide if it’s a dessert or a side dish.

So this Thanksgiving, as you prep your meal here in North Dakota, remember: you can’t please everyone—but you can avoid lime Jell-O with carrots. Your guests will thank you.