Duds, Delights, And Everything In Between
Every family dinner has that one dish everyone pretends to adore but secretly avoids. Maybe it’s too sweet, too weird, or just plain outdated. Still, it appears year after year like an uninvited guest. Yet holiday meals aren’t all misses—some recipes absolutely deserve the praise they get. The trick is knowing which is which. Let’s begin with the holiday dishes no one actually likes.
1. Fruitcake
No dessert divides people like fruitcake. It lasts forever thanks to its sugar and alcohol mix; however, that doesn’t make it taste better. Dense and overly sweet, it often gets passed around year after year.
2. Green Bean Casserole
Every Thanksgiving, this mushy mix of beans, soup, and onions shows up uninvited. It’s not hated enough to vanish but never loved enough to crave. People scoop a little out of obligation, then move on to the good stuff.
Rick Kimpel from Spring, TX, USA on Wikimedia
3. Canned Cranberry Sauce
Perfect circles of canned cranberry sauce slide onto plates with a wobble. Sweet and shiny, it glistens like a jewel on the table. Most guests take a slice just for tradition’s sake, not because it’s delicious.
4. Ambrosia Salad
Ambrosia sounds heavenly, but marshmallows and fruit rarely belong in the same bowl. Coconut, pineapple, and whipped cream join forces to create a sugary overload that tastes more like dessert gone rogue. It’s a Southern relic that overstays its welcome every holiday.
Marshall Astor from Olympia, WA, United States on Wikimedia
5. Boiled Brussels Sprouts
Holiday cooks have been ruining Brussels sprouts for centuries. Boil them too long, and they smell like old socks and taste worse. When roasted, they’re crisp and nutty, but somehow, Grandma insists on boiling them into gray-green sadness every time.
6. Jell-O Molds
Nothing says retro regret like a wobbly Jell-O mold. Once a symbol of fancy hosting, it now feels like a culinary dare. With fruits—or worse, vegetables—trapped inside, it’s the one “dessert” that earns more stares than bites at dinner.
7. Liver Stuffing
Liver stuffing is proof that not every old recipe deserves a comeback. Its heavy, metallic flavor overpowers everything else on the plate. Some call it rich and traditional, others call it punishment. Either way, it’s the first dish to go untouched.
How to Make a Traditional Turkey Stuffing with Liver by Lake Geneva Country Meats
8. Mincemeat Pie
Old-fashioned dessert or holiday mystery? Mincemeat pie lost its meat long ago, leaving behind a sticky mix of fruit and spice that tastes more medieval than merry. People keep baking it for tradition’s sake; however, no one’s fighting for the last slice.
9. Eggnog With Raw Egg
Few drinks divide a room faster than eggnog. It’s creamy, thick, and—unfortunately—made with raw eggs. Some love its nostalgic flavor, others can’t get past the texture. Even a pour of rum and a sprinkle of nutmeg rarely turns skeptics into fans.
Wheeler Cowperthwaite on Wikimedia
10. Pickled Herring
Nothing tests bravery at a holiday buffet like pickled herring. The vinegar hits first, followed by the salt next, and suddenly, dessert sounds safer. Though cherished in Europe for luck, most Americans take one bite and never reach for seconds.
After all those festive flops, it’s only fair to celebrate the dishes that truly earn their place at the holiday table.
1. Beef Wellington
Few holiday dishes command attention like Beef Wellington. Tender beef wrapped in mushrooms, pâté, and puff pastry creates a buttery crust that melts in every bite. It’s a true showstopper that earns every bit of its hype.
Bex Walton from London, England on Wikimedia
2. Tamales
Masa dough stuffed with savory fillings in corn husks comes together through teamwork and long afternoons. Whether stuffed with pork or sweetened with raisins, they bring generations together. It’s proof that flavor and love make the best holiday pairing.
3. Tourtière
Tourtière is comfort in pie form. The spiced meat filling and unmistakable aroma make every French-Canadian holiday table feel complete. Each family guards its recipe, but they all share one truth: this hearty pie turns any winter night warm.
4. Feast Of The Seven Fishes
No Christmas Eve meal feels quite as lively as the Feast of the Seven Fishes. Italian-Americans turn seafood into a celebration, with shrimp, calamari, and baccalà filling every plate. More than tradition, it’s a joyful ritual that blends faith and feast.
5. Jollof Rice
Jollof rice isn’t just food—it’s pride on a plate. Its smoky tomato flavor and vivid color light up gatherings from Lagos to Accra. Every bite sparks debate over who makes it best, but everyone agrees it belongs at every celebration.
6. Latkes
Crisp and fresh from the pan, latkes capture the heart of Hanukkah. Shredded potatoes meet hot oil to create pure, golden comfort that disappears almost as fast as it cooks. Served with applesauce or sour cream, they bring comfort to every table.
7. Bûche De Noël
France gave the world the Bûche de Noël, and dessert tables everywhere are better for it. Rolled sponge cake with a creamy filling and a dusting of sugar mimics a snowy log. It’s festive and the sweetest way to end a feast.
8. Hoppin’ John
Good fortune tastes best with a side of rice and peas. Hoppin’ John mixes black-eyed peas and bits of pork into a comforting bowl of Southern luck. Rooted in West African tradition, it’s the New Year’s dish everyone hopes delivers prosperity.
9. Pavlova
Summer holidays down under call for something light, and pavlova delivers beautifully. The crisp meringue shell hides a soft, marshmallow-like center topped with whipped cream and fruit. It’s airy and impossible to resist—a dessert as graceful as the ballerina it’s named for.
10. Sufganiyot
Sufganiyot steal the spotlight every Hanukkah. Light, fluffy, and dusted with sugar, these doughnuts ooze jam or chocolate with every bite. Fried until perfectly golden, they bring warmth and sweetness to a season already overflowing with light and laughter.
