52 Food Statistics for the Holiday Season

The holiday season is America's biggest, most joyful occasion for sharing food and gathering with family and friends. From iconic turkeys to creative desserts and regional specialities, Gourmet Gift Baskets reveals 52 data-driven stats on how traditions, tastes, and trends shape holiday meals across the country.

How Much Turkey and Ham Do Americans Eat for the Holidays?

Turkey and ham are holiday table staples in the U.S., and their consumption numbers are staggering.

1. Americans consume approximately 46 million turkeys on Thanksgiving alone.
2. In 2023, the U.S. ate 4.96 billion pounds of turkey at an average rate of 14.8 pounds per capita.
3. The average 15-pound turkey costs around $31 in 2025, a 25% increase from the previous year.
4. At Christmas, Americans consume an estimated 22 million turkeys.
5. About 318 million pounds of ham is consumed on Christmas, making it the runner-up to turkey as the most popular holiday meat.
6. Ham is chosen by 74% of Christmas dinner hosts, compared to 59% choosing turkey.
7. Just 13 states produce over 85% of U.S. turkey output, and North Carolina and Minnesota lead production.

Which Sides and Classics are Holiday Favorites?

Sides get nearly as much attention as the main dish at holiday gatherings.

8. Mashed potatoes are the #1 favorite Thanksgiving side, chosen by 71% of Americans
9. In 2025, stuffing overtook mashed potatoes as the national favorite, preferred in 38 states.
10. Green bean casserole is on over 20 million U.S. tables each holiday season.
11. Americans buy about  77 million cans of cranberry sauce each year.
12. Kraft sells roughly 40 million boxes of stuffing between October and December.
13. Sweet potatoes are a to-3 side dish in four out of five U.S. homes
14. The average Thanksgiving table has eight guests.
15. Most Americans (97%) have Thanksgiving dinner at home or a family or friend's home.

What Are the Most Popular Holiday Pies and Desserts?

16. Americans eat 50 million pumpkin pies every November.
17. Apple pie made up 27% of all pie sales in 2023 in the U.S.
18. Pumpkin pie is the favorite holiday dessert in 20 states.
19. 29% of Americans call pumpkin pie their top Thanksgiving pie, while 20% cite apple pie.
20. Sugar cookies are the top Christmas dessert in 15 states.
21. The average person eats 26 cookies, 25 candies, and 12 slices of pie during the holidays.

Who's Baking and Eating the Most Christmas Cookies?

Holiday cookies bring generations together in the kitchen- and often get devoured soon after!

22. Sixty percent of adults bake a treat for the holidays, and nearly 70% buy candy to use in recipes.
23. The cost of baking cookies is up 8% year over year
24. About 34% of Americans continue the tradition of leaving baked goods for Santa.
25. Chocolate chip cookies are the most popular Christmas cookie, outpacing sugar cookies.
26. Gingerbread is the favorite seasonal cookie flavor.
27. Nearly half of Americans have hidden holiday sweets to prevent others from eating them.

How Big Is the Holiday Beverage Market?

Drinks are just as big a business as food during America's festive season.

28. Hot chocolate is the most popular holiday drink in America, chosen by 58% of consumers in 2024 as their favorite festive beverage.
29. Wine is the holiday drink of choice for 27% of Americans, with beer taking third place at 22%.
30. When celebrating the holidays, 34% of Americans drink wine, compared to 30% who drink beer and 29% who drink hard alcohol and cocktails.
31. 48% of Christmas celebrators purchase alcohol for the holiday, with beer the top choice at 29%.
32. For New Year's Eve specifically, 51% of consumers plan to buy alcoholic beverages, with beer most popular at 25% and champagne/sparkling wine at 21%.
33. Sparkling wine accounts for approximately 20% of its annual U.S. consumption in December.
34. Seventy percent of consumers believe having alcohol-free options improves socializing during the holidays, with 42% saying these options help non-drinkers feel included.
35. Fifty-eight percent of consumers drink alcohol more frequently during the festive season, with alcohol consumption spiking, for some people, as much as double what they drink during the rest of the year.

How Common are Plant-Based and Alternative Holiday Meals?

Plant-based holiday options are rapidly gaining ground in American households.

36. Twenty-nine percent of Americans plan to have plant-based foods at their Thanksgiving table.
37. Seventy percent of U.S. households will serve at least one plant-based dish during the holidays.
38. A vegan holiday dinner generates only 28% of the greenhouse gas emissions of a traditional turkey meal.

How Are Food Allergies and Dietary Needs Changing the Holiday Table?

Dietary accommodations for allergies and preferences are more mainstream than ever during the holidays.

39.  Two in five Americans have seen more dietary accommodations at holiday meals in recent years.
40. Three in four Americans keep dietary preferences in mind when hosting or attending festive gatherings.
41. About one in seven travelers says they experienced a food allergy incident while vacationing during the holidays.

Which Regional and State-level Foods Make the Holidays Unique?

Holiday food favorites can vary dramatically by region and even by state.

42. In 38 states, stuffing is the favorite Thanksgiving side dish, overtaking mashed potatoes.
43. Green bean casserole is on 62% of Midwestern Thanksgiving tables.
44. Corn casserole is the #1 dish in several southern states, according to recipe searches
45. Ramen noodle salad is the top Thanksgiving side in Nebraska.
46. Brie mini tarts are Delaware's favorite side.
47. Pumpkin pie is the most-loved dessert in 20 states, while sugar cookies dominate in 15.
48. Mashed potatoes are the most-searched Thanksgiving recipe in 14 U.S. states

What Are the Most Memorable Holiday Food Experiences?

Memories and rituals associated with food are a driving force behind holiday joy and togetherness.

49. Seventy-six percent of Americans say their fondest childhood memories involve holiday food.
50. The most popular time for Thanksgiving dinner in the U.S. is between 3 and 5 pm.
51. About 28% of Americans have their main Thanksgiving meal at someone else's home.
52. Sixty percent of adults will bake a treat for the holidays.

Sources

• Statista: “Holiday spending expectations by category United States 2025”

• ERS USDA: “From holiday feasts to new-year savings, U.S. food sales shift with seasons”

• National Retail Federation (NRF): “Winter Holiday Data and Trends”

• PwC: “Holiday Outlook 2025”

• GourmetGiftBaskets.com: “64 Statistics on Holiday Food Spending”

• Leger360: “2025 Holiday Food Trends: Shaping the Future of Meals, Drink, and More”

• ElectroIQ: “Thanksgiving Statistics By Trends And Facts (2025)”

• Inmar: “2025 Holiday Forecast Report”

• McKinsey: “Holiday shopping 2025: US consumers hunt for early deals”

• Newsweek: “Thanksgiving 2025: How Meal Costs Compare Across US”

• Crestline: “The Most (And Least) Popular Holiday Foods in the U.S.”

• Food Network, Allrecipes: Seasonal recipe rankings and holiday food surveys

• Circana: “2025 Holiday Shopping Trends”

• DoorDash market insights and press releases

• Blue Apron, HelloFresh annual reports and press releases

• VegNews: “Tofurky Reports 22-Percent Spike in Orders for Vegan Roasts”

• Texas Tamale Company sales statistics

• Tastewise: “Holiday Food Trends: Data And Analytics”

• Statista: “Per capita consumption of turkey in the U.S. 2015-2034”

• Leger360, Tasting Table, Delish, NPR: Regional and state-level holiday food preference

• Business Insider: “Which Thanksgiving Pie Do Americans Like Best?”

• Kraft Heinz: Corporate disclosures on stuffing and cranberry sauce sales

• Food Institute: Market reports on plant-based and vegan holiday sales

• Thermo Fisher Scientific, Allergy & Asthma Network: “Holiday dining and allergy accommodations”

• Celiac.com, Dole, Rochester Regional Health, ECARF: Gluten-free and allergen-friendly holiday meal facts

• Fox News, Eater, HipLatina, New York Times: Coverage of Mexican-American holiday traditions, including tamale sales and “tamalada” gatherings

• Kwanzaa press and cultural organizations: Food symbolism and Karamu tradition

• Institute of Culinary Education, Tastewise: International holiday food adoption in the U.S.

• Press releases, consumer insights, and supplementary market research from Inmar, Talker Research, Statista, and other retail/CPG analytics providers.