<P> The centerpiece of contemporary Thanksgiving in the United States and Canada is a large meal , generally centered on a large roasted turkey . It is served with a variety of side dishes which vary from traditional dishes such as mashed potatoes , stuffing , and cranberry sauce , to ones that reflect regional or cultural heritage . The majority of the dishes in the traditional American version of Thanksgiving dinner are made from foods native to the New World , as according to tradition the Pilgrims received these foods , or learned how to grow them , from the Native Americans . Thanksgiving dinner is the largest eating event in the United States ; people eat more on Thanksgiving than on any other day of the year . </P>
name a food you might eat on thanksgiving
turkey