5 Alternative Thanksgiving Foods

Thanksgiving is about the things we are blessed to have; it is about family; it is about food; it is about coming together; it is about tradition.

This year, to mix it up a little bit, we've come up with a few new foods to add to your Thanksgiving tradition.

1. Ham.

Why does Thanksgiving have to be all about turkey?  Not to say that turkey isn't great- it's relatively healthy, it comes in white and dark variety, it goes great with stuffing as well as almost every vegetable we associate with Thanksgiving.  That being said, we can give this same argument to ham.  Let me add one argument in favor of ham.  Assuming you are to be stuck with sufficient leftovers for this life and the next, ham works wonders on sandwiches, works well for breakfast AND is great in many soups!  Mix it up this Thanksgiving- have some ham.

2. Duck.

Sticking with the meat theme from the first item, Duck is another good Thanksgiving idea.  It is a darker meat than Turkey can offer, and makes a great Thanksgiving addition rather than substitution because ducks are substantially smaller than turkeys.  If you have a large family and want a little something extra, try cooking a duck this year

3.  Jell-o.

Jell-o is something that is not as unusual for Thanksgiving traditions- it is an easy desert that doesn't consume precious oven space on a day when much is baked; it is a food that is enjoyed by young and old alike; it is fun to poke and possibly the only food that is encouraged to play with.  However, for Thanksgiving, when we tend to enjoy harvest type foods like apples, try mixing some jello with apples or oranges for a Jell-o salad (of sorts). Or, for the more modern harvesters, put marshmallows on top.

4.  Banana Cream Pie.

Pies are essential on Thanksgiving, but we tend to limit ourselves on what type of pies we can have for this holiday of feasting.  Pumpkin Pie is a must-have; Apple, Cherry, Pecan, likewise.  Some people branch out and have Chocolate Pie, or Chocolate Cream Pie; this is a good way to have something different than the traditional Thanksgiving collection of fruit or vegetables put into pies, but for many people, chocolate consumption is a religious act that is carried out daily for spiritual fulfillment, and therefore, I don't consider the act of eating Chocolate Cream Pie on Thanksgiving to be a new kind of tradition.  That being said, Banana Cream Pie is slightly different than the usual collection of Thanksgiving pies, it is lighter than many of the aforementioned pies, and is a delicious fruity after-feast food.  Like previous entries, this is something that can be added, not substituted, so you don't have to take anything out of your yearly pie assortment, you can just add an extra pie this year- Banana Cream!

5.  Peppermint Candy.

This final food is something that we typically associate with Christmas.  I find no shame in suggesting this to be associated with Thanksgiving.  Every year, at the end of the Thanksgiving Day Parade, Santa shows up, signifying the beginning of the Christmas season; the way I see it is, our Thanksgiving meal should follow the same format.  We go through all the same routines through the course of the meal, same stories from Uncle Andy, same complaints from the little cousins who are picky eaters, and once the meal is done, we are officially in Christmas season.  What better way to signify this great seasonal transition than with Peppermint Candy?  They are sweet, they can occupy you for hours if you choose to eat them in that manner, they work well mixed into hot chocolate, and they are enjoyable for young and old alike.  At the end of your Thanksgiving meal this year and for years to come, try Peppermint Candy!

For more ideas and helpful hints for your Thanksgiving, go to kowb1290.com, and from all of us at KOWB, no matter what traditions you may call your own this Thanksgiving, we wish you a safe and Happy Thanksgiving!