What are your favorite foods for the holiday season?

Now that we are officially in the Holiday Season, it’s time to focus on what’s really important in life, food.

It is the most wonderful time of the year for eating, so I thought we should discuss some of the Top Holiday Foods today. Our list will share some of our judges’ favorite foods, with the Top 3 Food Items at the end of the list.

Turkey – This is an easy one, as turkey is great for Thanksgiving Dinner, Black Friday Lunch, Saturday Sandwiches and even Sunday Snacks. Even that cat likes it!  It’s also super for Christmas meals and other holiday get togethers. And while it tastes great, it has the added benefit of giving you an excuse to take a nap or just lie on the sofa after you eat.

Cranberries – These magical berries are severely underrated. They are a big part of Thanksgiving, they look festive for Christmas and you can eat them with many different dishes. They also make a terrific juice, which you can’t say about most other holiday food items.

Chex mix and/or the puppy chow mix – You need snacks before big dinners, at holiday parties and just when family or friends are hanging around together. Chex Mix is one of the greatest snacks ever invented, and that Puppy Chow mix seems to get served a lot around the holidays. Both are great foods for the holidays.

Pie – You need pie for big meals in the fall and winter. Pumpkin pie is great for Thanksgiving, and apple and cherry pie also work well for that holiday, as well as others. Chocolate pie is one of my favorites, and it’s just not the holiday season without it. I’m not sure if cheesecake is pie or cake, but it is also amazing around the holidays (and any time of year).

Rolls – You can’t have a big meal without rolls or different types of bread. They are also great for snacking on after the big meal or the next day.

Christmas Cookies – They are good to take to work, parties, family events and different potlucks. Or you can just make them for yourselves.

Cookie dough balls – Even better, you can just eat the cookie dough. One of the children in my family often makes cookie dough balls around the holidays, and they are amazing.

Top Three items

Whipped cream – Pie is amazing, but if you add whipped cream to it, it really gives you something to be thankful for. It’s like a present for your mouth! I love whipped cream!

Cinnamon rolls – They may not be served at big meals or parties, but they are great for breakfasts around the holidays or for snacking on while you are making a Christmas list and or watching sports or movies.

Gravy – A good gravy makes every holiday meal even better. It’s great on potatoes. It makes the meat taste even more delicious. It even gives me a reason to eat vegetables.  It comes in fun gravy boats (what other foods come in boats?!), it is fun to arrange it in the potatoes on your plate, and it’s even just fun to say. Gravy. I love gravy.

I hope you enjoy the holiday season with family and friends, and that you have fun eating whatever holiday foods you like best. And if you feel that I left on some great food that makes the holidays special for you, please send me some of it to eat.