Multicultural Dishes for Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is the time to acknowledge and show appreciation towards your loved ones for all the things they do that you’re truly thankful for.  But even more so than that, Thanksgiving is typically thought of as a day for big feasts.  Kansas Wesleyan University is home to an incredibly diverse community of students with different cultural backgrounds.  Every culture has their own set of norms when it comes to the dinner table during the holidays.  There are dishes from all over the world to try this year during the break.  

American Traditions

Here in the U.S., the traditional foods held at the table for Thanksgiving revolve around turkey, ham, mac & cheese, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie among many others.  Every now and then a family might have a signature dish that everyone is dying to have.  Israel Good always looks forward to homemade sweet potato casserole with roasted marshmallows on top.  Another family favorite of his is an oven-roasted casserole with pulled chicken, corn, beans, and peppers with Doritos sprinkled on top.  Another fun snack to try and a personal favorite of Nik Highsmith’s are bacon-wrapped and cheese-filled jalapeno poppers.  

Hispanic Classics

Hispanic students Jorge Navarro and Roy Garcia say their households don’t often eat traditional American foods for the holidays, but instead, their families like to celebrate Thanksgiving with native Mexican dishes.  Some of their favorites include flautas, tamales, pozole, and arroz con leche.  Roy says one of his most memorable dishes around the holidays is tacos de carnitas (pork tacos) con frijoles charros (bean and bacon soup).  Jorge prefers gorditas filled with pork and potatoes followed by flan for dessert.  If interested, many of both Roy and Jorge’s favorites can be found at the locally owned business La Jerezana.  

European Delights

Take a look at Europe’s holiday dishes now which come in wide varieties.  Some of Europe’s most popular foods include cheese fondue, Belgian waffles, currywurst, and even pizza.  French international student Tristan Bayssade shares his favorites: boeuf bourguignon (beef stew), gratin dauphinois (potatoes with butter and cream), quiche lorraine (bacon, egg, and ham filled tart).  Tristan says he’s looking forward to these homemade goods when returning for the holidays.  Another European student, Darius Horvath also shared his favorite dishes from Hungary: halaszle (fish soup), bejgli (poppy seed roll), and lencsefőzelék (lentil stew).

With Thanksgiving almost here, now is the time to explore these new foods.  Reach out to a friend and share your family recipes while trying delicious new flavors.  It’s the season of giving thanks and you can show your appreciation to your loved ones by sharing a bit of your family’s culture.  To read more on students’ Thanksgiving favorites click here.