Turkey: While side dishes can vary from family to family, the centerpiece is rarely missing from any house. It can be roasted, smoked, or even fried, but it's not Thanksgiving until someone carves the big bird.

Green bean casserole: A combination of green beans, cream of mushroom soup, and fried onions, green bean casserole sounds gross, but it's one of my favorite holiday staples. I like it so much my mom usually serves it at Christmas, too.

   casserole/ Getty  

Stuffing: Stuffing is an odd dish, made from stale bread, chicken or turkey stock, and vegetables, and gets its name from its usual place at the table: inside the turkey itself.

Mashed potatoes: My mother's version of the classic dish is super rich, made with real sour cream, but many versions stick to just the basic potato, peeled, boiled and then mashed with a little butter.

Sweet Potatoes: Sweet potatoes, a seasonal ingredient, can be found on most Thanksgiving tables and are commonly served in a casserole topped with mini marshmellows. Although they're served with dinner, they certainly taste like a desert.

Cranberry Sauce: Chunky or jellied, eaten with turkey or on its own, cranberry sauce can be found at every Thanksgiving table. While it's usually only eaten by a few brave relatives (myself included), no one's willing to go without it.

Pumpkin pie: Most Thanksgiving meals have a few deserts to choose from, but pumpkin pie is the ultimate. Made from the seasonal ingredient pumpkin and rarely found outside the months of November and December, pumpkin pie is a rare treat, and something I look forward to every year. Whether it's homemade or store bought, it's the highlight of dinner for me.