Holidays & Occasions Thanksgiving Thanksgiving Recipes You'll See These Items in Every Southern Grocery Store Buggy the Week of Thanksgiving By Southern Living Editors Southern Living Editors Since 1966, the editors of Southern Living have been carrying out the mission of the brand: to bring enjoyment, fulfillment, and inspiration to our readers by celebrating life in the South. We inspire creativity in their homes, their kitchens, their gardens, and their personal style. We are a friend they can trust, a guide to the seasons, a helping hand during the holidays, and a relentless champion of the Southern way of life. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on July 20, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Iain Bagwell Holiday cooking, here we come. The arrival of Thanksgiving marks the season of countless (and inevitable) trips to the grocery store searching for ingredients, checking them off our lists, and hoping the local Publix isn't totally sold out of our must-have items. To put a Thanksgiving feast on the table is no small feat, which first means making the ultimate grocery list (and checking it twice). With these pre-holiday grocery store visits, we've been known to spend far too much time looking for that just-right turkey, filling our cart with canned pumpkin, and taking a few too many trips down the same aisle in search of that spice you can never find. There are, of course, a few things we would never leave the grocery store without (mayonnaise, anyone?). This list is just for Thanksgiving's most beloved main ingredients—the good stuff that sells out as Thursday rolls around. These are the items that no Southerner would ever leave their local grocery store without when holiday cooking is on the horizon. We've also included a few of our favorite recipes for each ingredient to inspire your Thanksgiving menu planning. 01 of 12 Turkey Photo: Hector Sanchez Fresh or frozen, there's sure to be a turkey or two on every Southern table come Thanksgiving. Follow the preparation for our Herb-Brined Turkey and treat your guests to a juicy, flavor-filled main dish. Recipe: Herb-Brined Turkey 02 of 12 Potatoes Southern Living Whether mashed, roasted, or otherwise, potatoes are a Thanksgiving must. Serve our Goat Cheese Mashed Potatoes with a side of gravy, or switch up the spread with our crispy Smashed Baby Red Potatoes. Recipe: Goat Cheese Mashed Potatoes Recipe Recipe: Smashed Baby Red Potatoes 03 of 12 Green Beans Iain Bagwell Every table needs a touch of green, and green beans are a must-have seasonal side. Free up oven space for the turkey and leave your green beans to the slow cooker with this set-it-and-forget-it recipe. Recipe: Slow-Cooker Green Beans Recipe 04 of 12 Squash Iain Bagwell Make the most of the season's harvest with a squash dish or two. Coming together with just a few ingredients in a cast-iron skillet, this elegant side will certainly stand out on your holiday table. Recipe: Skillet Squash Blossom Recipe 05 of 12 Corn Hector M Sanchez Corn casserole, hallelujah. Most people think that the turkey is the star of the table, but the humble corn casserole is what many Southerners actually look forward to every November. Make It: Tee's Corn Pudding Recipe 06 of 12 Cornmeal Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Stelling; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall When Thanksgiving dinner arrives, it's cornbread dressing or bust. Insider tip: A piping hot skillet is the secret to the irresistible cornbread that goes into our classic recipe. Recipe: Classic Cornbread Dressing 07 of 12 Canned Pumpkin Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Torie Cox Pumpkin finds its way into many seasonal sides—and desserts too, of course. Our menu wouldn't be complete without at least one homemade pumpkin pie, and we love this nostalgic version from Cheryl Day of Savannah's Back in the Day Bakery. Recipe: Southern Pumpkin Pie 08 of 12 Sweet Potatoes Beth Dreiling Hontzas Your guests will be searching high and low if there isn't a delectable sweet potato side dish. While we're always ready to try new recipes, it's hard to turn down a casserole topped with cornflakes and marshmallows. Recipe: Classic Sweet Potato Casserole 09 of 12 Pecans Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall The South's favorite harvest is a staple in many dishes. No dessert table would be complete without a traditional pecan pie. You're also likely to find them sprinkled atop sides and mains alike. Your guests will have a hard time turning down a second slice of this pie with a decadent pairing of pecans and chocolate. Recipe: Double-Chocolate Pecan Pie 10 of 12 Cranberries Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Stelling; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall It's not a Southern table without cranberries, whether they're in a canned, store-bought jelly or served as a homemade sauce. You'll love this fresh spin on a classic relish. Recipe: Classic Cranberry Salad 11 of 12 Flour Laurey W. Glenn You didn't think we'd forget the biscuits and rolls, did you? During the busy holiday season, we love these buttery yeast rolls that can be made well before the big feast begins. Recipe: Make-Ahead Yeast Rolls 12 of 12 Macaroni Beth Dreiling Hontzas; Food Styling: Angella Sellers and Vanessa McNiel Rocchio; Prop Styling: Melanie J. Clarke and Sissy Lamerton Macaroni and cheese is a crowd-pleaser all year long, but especially when the weather turns colder. Our easy baked version is a guaranteed "seconds, please!" dish at any Thanksgiving gathering. Recipe: Classic Baked Macaroni and Cheese Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit