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Bret Bielema discusses his favorite Thanksgiving food

Cole Thompson

By Cole Thompson

Published:

Bret Bielema hates Thanksgiving.

Ok, that’s not true. He is, however, not a fan of 1 of Thanksgiving’s most well-known items.

During a recent segment on “Illinois 101,” Bielema gave his thoughts on the best food found on gobble gobble day. Naturally, the 2nd-year coach is a fan of the classics such as turkey and stuffing, but there is a food he won’t consume.

Mashed potatoes are public enemy No. 1 in the eyes of Bielema.

“I am a stuffing guy, a big turkey guy. Not a big mashed potatoes guy,” Bielema said. “Green beans, a little bacon on top and a little gravy are always live. By far, stuffing is kind of where it’s at.”

Most tables on Turkey Day are greeted with the established bird at the centerpiece, plus perhaps a holiday ham for those who aren’t a fan of poultry. After that, mashed potatoes are usually the staple side dish, followed by green bean casserole and sweet potatoes.

Bielema might not be a fan of the mashed goodness, but that doesn’t mean it won’t make an appearance on the table. Another delicacy that comes around on Thanksgiving for Bielema? Eggnog. And while that might feel like more of a Christmas beverage, Bielema is a fan of it regardless of the day.

“I just can’t figure out why egg nog can’t be used throughout the entire year, drives me nuts,” said Bielema.

The Illini will return to the gridiron Saturday to face in-state rival Northwestern at Ryan Field. For Illinois to win the B1G West, it must beat the Wildcats, and hope for losses by both Purdue and Iowa against Indiana and Nebraska, respectively.

Cole Thompson

Cole Thompson is a freelance writer for Saturday Tradition who has covered college football and the NFL for multiple websites. Thompson is currently based in Houston, Texas, and also can be heard daily on SportsMap National Radio's 'Just Sayin It' from 3am-6am.