You'll See These Items in Every Southern Grocery Store Buggy the Week of Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Sides On Table
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

Dry Brined-Herb Roasted Turkey Recipe
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

Goat Cheese Mashed Potatoes and Smashed Baby Red 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

Slow-Cooker Green Beans Recipe
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

Thanksgiving Side Dish: Skillet Squash Blossom
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

Cream Cheese Pound Cake
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

Classic Cornbread Dressing
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

Southern Pumpkin Pie
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

Classic Sweet Potato Casserole
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

Double-Chocolate Pecan Pie
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

Classic Cranberry Salad
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

Make-Ahead Yeast Rolls
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

Classic Baked Macaroni and Cheese
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

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