Butter & Tradition: How Danish Creamery Brings Richness to Thanksgiving Favorites

New Survey Reveals America’s Most Loved Holiday Dishes—and the Essential Role of Butter

As Thanksgiving nears, Danish Creamery, renowned for its award-winning European-style butter, shares fresh insights into Americans’ holiday feast traditions and favorite dishes. The survey reveals that traditional favorites remain cherished, with butter as the key ingredient that elevates them to Thanksgiving must-haves.

Topping the list of beloved dishes are mashed potatoes, stuffing, and rolls. While 74% of respondents plan to stick with tried-and-true family recipes, 26% are planning to introduce something new to the table this year. Whether traditional or innovative, butter remains essential to creating these holiday favorites.

“Thanksgiving is all about tradition, but that doesn’t mean you can’t add a little twist,” says Priya Kumar, VP of Marketing at Challenge Dairy Products. “Whether you’re keeping it classic with mashed potatoes or trying a new dessert, Danish Creamery European Style Butter adds that extra richness, making every dish even more delicious.”

Survey Highlights:

● Butter’s Role in Favorite Thanksgiving Dishes
Respondents noted that mashed potatoes (38%), corn (15%), and rolls (12%) are the most butter-heavy Thanksgiving sides. These comforting classics bring warmth and flavor to the holiday table.

● Top 10 Side Dishes on Instagram
Based on Instagram hashtag counts, pumpkin pie leads as the most popular Thanksgiving side with 1.2 million tags, followed by stuffing (608,000) and cranberry sauce (183,000). Butter and buttered biscuits also ranked, holding their place as holiday staples with 37,700 hashtags.

● Planning Ahead
Nearly a third (29%) of Thanksgiving hosts begin planning their menus a month in advance to ensure each dish is perfected. Another 36% finalize their menus two to three weeks before Thanksgiving, while 20% wait until the week before or just a few days prior.

About Danish Creamery
Founded in the late 1800s by Danish immigrants in California, Danish Creamery is celebrated for setting the gold standard for European-style butter made in America. With a blend of Old World craftsmanship and modern innovation, Danish Creamery butter provides the rich flavor and high quality that make every Thanksgiving—and every meal—extra special. For more information, visit DanishCreamery.com.

Survey data is based on an Omnibus online survey of 1,136 U.S. adults aged 18 and up, fielded from October 4 to 7, 2024, and an Instagram hashtag survey conducted by Insider Monkey in September 2024.