Thanksgiving is the one day a year most families and friends actually sit down around a table to celebrate, count their blessings, and most importantly, indulge in a feast. It’s culinary chaos, if you will, a table filled with numerous options and dishes, varying from family to family.
Picture a golden brown turkey basted to perfection, mashed potatoes fluffier than the clouds, topped with lip-smacking delicious gravy, and cranberry sauce. A picture-perfect stereotypical Thanksgiving dinner.
But the important question is, what food are Arcata High students and staff most thankful for at their dinners? We started off by asking teacher and mother, Debora Jacobsen, what her favorite Thanksgiving food is, as mothers are typically the ones crafting the delicious feast. She said, “Stuffing! And everything else isn’t even close.”
Jacobsen also added that her family does not make a big traditional turkey; instead, she makes a couple of drumsticks and a small turkey breast, bringing us to the debate over turkey vs. ham.
We went around asking a total of 20 people what meat they would prefer as their main Thanksgiving course. Turkey was a clear winner, with a total vote of 12 to 8. “Turkey for sure, it’s tradition!” junior Aiden Matlock said.
However, many people also had an initial response with a totally different meat preference.
Junior Charlotte Masaki added how her family tried a new tradition. Tofu was their main course. “We carved it to look like a turkey, and then got this big thing of oil and fried it;” a “tofurkey” as she called it. Masaki explained how this tradition came about during the COVID-19 years when she and her family decided to try to go vegetarian. This idea has since been let go of.
Senior Jackson Strand included another optional meat preference, salmon. He explained how he and his family often make a salmon dish for Thanksgiving dinner.
On the other hand, senior Emmerson Brownfield threw in a different opinion, claiming that mashed potatoes and gravy are the best, despite the several main dish options. She also explained how she always goes back for the rolls. “I eat like 25 of them!” Brownfield said.
The Arcata High School population has several different opinions about what Thanksgiving foods they are most thankful for. Given our unique diversity and location, we have options that are not stereotypical traditions for most families. This accurately captures the differences within the Arcata communities’ Thanksgiving feast. Ultimately, the food on the Thanksgiving dinner table is definitely to be thankful for.
