As the craziness of the year finally winds down, many Americans are ready to begin the period of luxurious indulgence on the tastiest treats that come around toward the holly jolly holiday season. Collectively as a nation, America surely has enough classic Christmas foods to fill up a giant recipe book! Being a melting pot of diversity and home to a bunch of different backgrounds, each state has Christmas foods that are individually unique. From traditional delights like spicy pumpkin pie, sweet potato casserole, sugar cookies and cranberry sauce, to twists like reindeer meat, pickle wraps, Cuban pig roast and Kalua pig pork, these notable festive flavors are the ultimate indulgence after a stress-filled and pandemic-fueled year.

Christmas.co.uk, provider of Christmas tips, tricks, and traditions, carried out a survey of 3,485 Americans, ranking the nation’s most iconic Christmas meals, dishes and desserts. And it was found that overall, the most iconic Christmas food was awarded to the Granite State classic: pumpkin pie! Granite Staters are huge traditionalists, so it’s no surprise that the iconic pumpkin pie is the firm favorite in New Hampshire. This sweet and seasonal treat has graced Christmas dinner tables for decades and while the recipe is simple, the dish is always a crowd pleaser.

Next up, Alabama’s Crescent recipes reigned second-most superior Christmas food across America. Golden brown and baked to a warm, crispy finish with visibly flaky layers, crescent dough can be transformed into a variety of dishes over the festive season. From classic homemade, buttery crescent rolls with sweet or savory fillings; to crescent fruit cobbler made with the Yellowhammer State’s national treasures; blackberries, there’s certainly no shortage of culinary delights in Alabamians’ kitchens over the holidays!

In third place, Utah’s green bean casserole emerged in bronze position. For Utahans, the green bean casserole is the perfect hearty accompaniment to any Christmas dinner. Growing green beans helps put nitrogen back into your garden soil, so If you’re feeling green-fingered, the best time to plant your green bean seeds is during the spring months of April and May.

On the opposite end of the scale, Pennsylvania’s pork and sauerkraut came in 44th position, making it among the least favorite Christmas foods in America. Even though it ranked lower down in terms of popularity, it’s still a delicious addition to the holiday table. The German traditional combination of pork and sauerkraut arrived with the Pennsylvania Dutch, as they settled in the central and south central parts of the Keystone State. As butchering would take place before Christmas, the pork would be served as part of the Christmas and New Year meals. And as cabbage is harvested during fall, locals would pickle and serve it alongside those same festive meals.

In final position, it appears Minnesota’s lutefisk is only a local favorite, and far from the nation’s most popular! Originally started as a Nordic holiday tradition, lutefisk dinners are now a defining element of a quintessential Minnesotan Christmas dinner, regardless of their background. Lutefisk is a type of dried whitefish (usually cod) that is soaked in water for a number of days and pickled in lye. It has a gelatinous texture and is especially popular in the Twin Cities area due to a large presence of Scandinavian heritage.

‘After being cooped up indoors for months, many Americans are looking forward to finally seeing family and friends again; as well as regaining the holiday spirit many anticipate towards the end of the working year,’ says Daniel Brown of Christmas.co.uk. ‘Of course, many love the customs and traditions associated with Christmas; however, if you’re looking to experiment with new, different food this time round, now is the perfect time to begin recipe testing!”

Contributed article