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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at PSU chapter.

Everyone knows that Thanksgiving isn’t complete without the turkey, but side dishes can vary by family. Mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce are staples of Thanksgiving dinner, but this holiday I invite you to try some more uncommon dishes for your table. Below are some yummy alternatives to Thanksgiving favorites.

Acorn Squash

I first had acorn squash in my university dining hall my Freshman year and fell in love with it. It was sweet and soft and melted in my mouth.

Acorn squash would be a perfect addition to any table. This recipe is simple yet makes a delicious roasted squash for a great side dish for your Thanksgiving table. It is a yummy alternative to the normal green beans at Thanksgiving dinner. 

Stuffed peppers

My favorite stuffed peppers I’ve ever had were my father’s. Stuffed peppers are a wonderful dish that blends cheese, ground beef, rice, tomato sauce and roasted peppers together to create a delicious culinary experience.

The beef, cheese, rice and tomato sauce combine to create a hearty filling for the roasted peppers. Bell peppers are sweet and refreshing, and when roasted they become very juicy and crunch nicely in your mouth. This recipe is a great one to try if you want to add this dish to your Thanksgiving dinner this year. 

Mexican Street Corn

Creamed corn is great, but if you want to give your side dish a little spice, try Esquites. Esquites is Mexican street corn off the cob. It is a wonderful corn dish that mixes sweet and spicy.

The corn mixed with lots of spices including chili pepper makes for a delightful dish. It is a great alternative to the normal creamed corn on your Thanksgiving table.

The spiciness of the chili pepper gives the dish a bite that is much needed on a dinner table with lots of food designed to make you sleepy at the end of the meal. The dish mixes a lot of different flavors to create a very yummy experience.

This recipe it is very fast and only takes 10 minutes to make, so it is easy to make on a short notice if you are looking for another side dish for your table.

Pasta Salad

Pasta salad is usually a summer dish, but can be added to the Thanksgiving table to add some zest to your meal. No pasta salad is complete without cheese and some meat to make it a balanced side dish.

This recipe recommends that you use tri colored pasta, which is a common pasta used in pasta salad to add a burst of color to the dish. 

Cheese Plate

A cheese dish would make a wonderful side dish for Thanksgiving. It is very easy to make and requires only a quick trip to the grocery store for some cheese, crackers and jam.

A cheese plate is a great way to introduce individuals to different kinds of cheese that they might not have had before. My favorite personally is Brie cheese.

Blue cheese is very common and so is gouda. This recipe has some instructions on how to make a cheese plate including some suggestions for different types of cheeses to include on the plate.

I invite you to try these dishes in your next Thanksgiving meal to change it up this holiday. 

Veronica Figg is a junior at Penn State University with a major in Criminology and a minor in English. She is a student in the Schreyer Honors College. She has been writing since she was young. When she isn't in class you can find her in the library curled up with a good book or working on her second novel.