Regardless of how tough things have been, Canadians are gearing up to celebrate Thanksgiving

Just as we were tucking away another Labour Day for another year comes word that Canada’s Thanksgiving is around the corner. Is it just me, or does it seem this iconic Canadian holiday is showing up earlier and earlier with each passing year?

Never mind –  regardless of the rising food and fuel costs, there’s plenty to give thanks for as the country slowly comes back from the unprecedented pandemic lockdown – and this year will be the year when many Canadians will finally be having an old-fashioned gathering to give thanks.

Canada loves Thanksgiving. A recent Maru public opinion survey, in conjunction with Club House (clubhouse.ca), revealed that the majority of Canadians will be celebrating this iconic event this year. To have fun with all of this, Club House had partnered with Team Canada’s Sarah Pavan, Olympic beach volleyball player, along with celebrity chef, Dave Barnett, to help galvanize Canadians to get involved with the survey: “I love a good competition on or off the court so I’m excited to debate –  and eat – the Thanksgiving classics,” said Pavan, in a recent media release. “It’s great to be representing Canadians again!”

According to the survey, three quarters (75%) of Canadians will be celebrating when Thanksgiving rolls around next Monday Oct. 10 (well ahead of the American Thanksgiving of Nov. 24) and, surprisingly, it’s the youngest Canadians, those aged 18 to 34, who “are more likely to pull up a chair than those who are their older and oldest counterparts,” noted the Maru media release.

Who in the country will be celebrating the most? Apparently those living in the province of Ontario really love to put out a spread, followed by those living in Atlantic Canada, Alberta, Manitoba/Saskatchewan and British Columbia.

Only 40% of those living in Quebec are looking to celebrate.

“The Great Canadian Thanksgiving Debate celebrates diverse tastes of Canadians coast-to-coast,” said Trevor Squires, country manager at McCormick & Company, Canada, in a recent email release. Among those Canadians who celebrate Thanksgiving and had an appetite to choose, the following results have helped to settle some often hotly debated Thanksgiving preferences.

The Great Canadian Thanksgiving Debate

– Turkey as the main dish (58%) vs. ham as the main dish (3%) versus a vegetarian main dish (2%)

– The Thanksgiving meal (70%) vs. Thanksgiving leftovers (30%)

– Thanksgiving dishes mixed on the plate (68%) vs. each Thanksgiving dish enjoyed separately (32%)

– The term ”stuffing” (74%) vs. the term ”dressing” (26%)

– White turkey meat (60%) vs. dark meat (40%)

– Stewed whole cranberry sauce (55%) vs. cranberry jelly (45%)

– Butter tarts with raisins (59%) vs. butter tarts without raisins (41%)

– Smooth mashed potatoes (84%) vs. lumpy mashed potatoes (16%)

– Stuffing/dressing with sausage (69%) vs. stuffing/dressing with nuts (31%)

Here’s how Canadians are celebrating province by province

– Those living in Ontario (88%) are the fullest group of any province to be celebrating Thanksgiving

– Atlantic Canadians (54%) and those living in Alberta (51%) are most likely to prefer cranberry jelly whereas every other region has a majority who prefer cranberry sauce

– Those living in Manitoba/Saskatchewan (69%) are most likely to prefer butter tarts with raisins as opposed to without

– Those living in British Columbia (55%) are the only majority among the provinces and regions to prefer a turkey sandwich with cranberry sauce versus turkey sandwich without the sauce

– Ontarians (19%) are the lot who most prefer lumpy potatoes versus smooth mashed potatoes

– Albertan’s (52%) are the only majority in the entire country that choose dark turkey meat over white

– Those living in Quebec (76%) and Atlantic Canada (71%) are the most likely Canadians to prefer Thanksgiving dishes mixed on the plate versus enjoyed separately

– Those residing in Quebec (45%) and Atlantic Canada (42%) are the most partial to using the term “dressing” vs. the term “stuffing”

– Those living in Manitoba/Saskatchewan (37%) and in Atlantic Canada (37%) are the most likely to prefer Thanksgiving  leftovers to the Thanksgiving meal

– Those living in Atlantic Canada (70%) and British Columbia (64%) are the more likely to choose turkey as the  quintessential Thanksgiving meal while those in Quebec (7%) are most likely to choose ham

Food Banks Canada Partnership:

To honour shared Canadian heritage, on behalf of the first 2,000 Canadians who voted in the Great Club House  Thanksgiving Debate, Club House will be donating two meals to Food Banks Canada (foodbankscanada.ca) to address food insecurity in Canada, expanding on the partnership that began in 2015. This initiative supports more than 4,750 food banks and agencies across the country.

 @ClubHouseSpices on Facebook and @ClubHouseCanada

What IS the difference between dressing and stuffing?

According to the Food Network (foodnetwork.com), “the words ‘stuffing’ and ‘dressing’ are used interchangeably to  reference that steamy mixture of bread, veggies and herbs that takes second seat next to the turkey at your Thanksgiving table.

Stuffing means just that – what you stuff your poultry with, whereas dressing is something you cook on the stovetop, or roast separately in the oven with the bird.

Both are served alongside the poultry, although there are many who prefer the sidekick over the star!