At our work holiday gatherings in Virginia, one person brings the creamy mac & cheese and someone else brings the baked mac & cheese that can be cut into squares. It's a 'must have' - and there will be a big argument (friendly-style) if only one kind is served.

But I'm from the Pacific Northwest and never had mac & cheese at a holiday dinner while growing up.

Not at my NE Thanksgiving..but my kids were totally love it if it were.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In the south every African American family I know serves it. We do too.

+1.

AA grandparents moved PA from GA and SC. Mac and cheese is an absolute staple and it better be good.

It’s a black thing. And it’s delicious.

We have never once had tht green bean casserole with French onions *instead* of macaroni and cheese. I understand that is popular at other tables.

And we always have collard greens or kale or turnip greens.

And black people do sweet potato pie. Not pumpkin. I always have to bring my own pumpkin pie each year because none of my family make pumpkin.

Anonymous wrote:In the south every African American family I know serves it. We do too.

+1.

It’s a southern thing—for Christmas!

Common in AA thanksgiving - such a fantastic addition.

Midwest thing.

I grew up in the Midwest but celebrated Thanksgiving in North Carolina growing up with my dad's side of the family. Macaroni and cheese was at every family gathering any time of the year, including Thanksgiving--the baked, bubbly, crispy on top kind. I make it for Thanksgiving now, which we celebrate with my parents and another family each year, and some of it gets eaten, but I mostly make it for my family and my parents to have the leftovers for the next few days.

Thanks, all. I'd like to post a broader question about regional Thanksgiving specialties now....

In the south every African American family I know serves it. We do too.

I grew up in New England with no mac and cheese at Thanksgiving, but when I moved to the south side of Chicago it was a mandatory side.

I’m from the upper Midwest and have never seen macaroni and cheese at Thanksgiving dinner. I know it’s usually a side at bbq places, but other than that, I’ve always thought of it as an entree (mostly for kids) rather than a side dish. Maybe some people add it to their Thanksgiving menu to suit picky kids? There are already so many carb-heavy dishes at Thanksgiving, mac & cheese doesn’t seem like an appealing addition.

Both. We didn't have it growing up, but my sister married someone from the south and he loves it. And now my kids love it, so it keep showing up at Tday.

Since I keep seeing bossy Stouffers Mac and cheese ads everywhere I go on the web lately, I thought someone here might know:

Where did this tradition originate? Growing up in California and living most of my adult life on the East Coast, I have never been to a Thanksgiving dinner where Mac and cheese was a required side dish like some form cranberry sauce might be.

Is it a Southern thing? Upper Midwest?