Thanksgiving food in Illinois

Thanksgiving is approaching rapidly this year – meaning the delicious menu is on the horizon. Turkey, stuffing, green bean casserole, and traditional Thanksgiving foods will likely be on the table this year.

Illinois’ favorite? Mashed potatoes and salad.

Every year, Campbell releases its “State of the Sides,” which shows each state’s favorite side dishes.

The top dish in the United States is mashed potatoes. Second place went to stuffing/dressing. Third place was macaroni and cheese, and sweet potatoes and green bean casserole took the fourth and fifth place spots.

More than 65% of Americans prefer side dishes compared to the main entrée.

Indiana and Wisconsin both chose stuffing as their favorite side dish.

The average American household serves five side dishes with their holiday meals.

To read more about Campbell’s “State of the Sides”, click here.

What’s your favorite Thanksgiving food?

Illinois celebrates National Butter Day

This year, the third annual National Butter Day will be celebrated Friday, Nov. 17! For those wondering, National Butter Day came along in 2021 thanks to Associated Milk Producers Inc., which is a dairy farm cooperative that helps thousands of farm families across the nation produce quality dairy products including our beloved butter. The co-op has been around for over five decades, and the family farms associated with the co-op span the upper Midwest including parts of northwest Illinois.

Butter is a household staple for many families in Illinois and plays a large role in our state’s culture. Each year, one of the main attractions of the Illinois State Fair is the iconic Butter Cow. Back in August, the Butter Cow sculpture for 2023 was unveiled. The 800-pound sculpture was created by Sarah Pratt and honored Lorilee Schultz, an Illinois dairy farmer whose family farm goes back generations. The sculpture was proudly displayed in the Dairy Building at the state fair for everyone to enjoy.

Additionally, butter can be used to make already delicious foods even better. Illinoisans know this well. The official state snack of Illinois is popcorn. Popcorn and butter have always gone hand-in-hand and thanks to Illinois farmers, the bite-size delicacy can be found across the nation as the state is a top producer of the snack with 28,000 acres of farmland dedicated to its production.

Butter is also a top contributor to making popular foods in Illinois the best around. From beef sandwiches, to apple fritters, butter rolls and on our favorite roasted meats, we can always count on butter to elevate any food.

This holiday season, remember to keep butter stocked and ready!

Explore Illinois’ history of fast food this National Fast Food Day

Nov. 16 is National Fast Food Day. Did you know that Illinois has a rich history in the founding and incorporation of several fast food restaurants?

Ray Kroc, one of the founders of McDonald’s, opened his first restaurant in Des Plaines in April 1955. Although this is actually the ninth McDonald’s restaurant, the company refers to this as The Original McDonald’s. This location marked the beginning of Kroc’s involvement with the company, as he went on to become the CEO of McDonald’s. The headquarters of McDonald’s is located in Chicago.

Sandy’s was an American fast food chain that began in Kewanee in 1956 by founders Gus “Brick” Lundberg, Robert C. Wenger, Paul White and W.K. Davidson. The company was taken over by Hardee’s in the 1970s.

Sherb Noble opened the very first Dairy Queen in Joliet in 1940. The formula for soft-serve ice cream was first developed in 1938 by J.F. McCullough and his son Alex. They convinced their friend Sherb Noble to offer the product in his ice cream store in Kankakee, and on the first day of sales Noble sold more than 1,600 servings of ice cream. Noble and the McCulloughs then opened up the Joliet Dairy Queen.

Consider stopping for some fast food as you celebrate National Fast Food Day this week!

Visit one of Illinois’ top art museum this upcoming ‘Go to an Art Museum Day’

Illinois is home to over 280 museums, including over 25 museums dedicated to art and design. Nov. 9 is ‘Go to an Art Museum Day,’ and visiting a museum sometime soon is a perfect way to celebrate this day. Here are some of the top art museums in Illinois!

The Art Institute of Chicago – Known as Chicago’s No. 1 museum, the Art Institute of Chicago was founded in 1879, and has grown substantially over the last century and a half. It is committed to contributing to an inspired and just society as well as advancing racial justice. In addition, the Art Institute of Chicago is mindful that their museum stands on Native American land. The museum shares collections of art across time, culture, geography and identity.

Museum of Contemporary Art – Founded in 1967, the MCA’s mission is to exhibit new and experimental art and media. It has a contemporary art collection of over 2,000 pieces. It considers contemporary art to be different from the general art world because in general art, the values of the past are enshrined, but contemporary art showcases new ideas. The museum works closely with their community to create space for dialogue, growth and learning.

National Museum of Mexican Art – The National Museum of Mexican Art was founded in 1982, and represents the Mexican community from their own point of view and their own voice. Their mission is to show appreciation and knowledge of Mexican art and culture. They have one of the country’s largest Mexican art collections, including more than 18,000 seminal pieces from ancient Mexico to present day. The museum also hosts cultural programs such as theater, dance and music.

Rockford Art Museum – Comprised of more than 2,000 works of art, the RAM has modern and contemporary art from the 19^th and 20^th centuries through today, from American Impressionist paintings to African American Art from the Black south. Its focus, however, is on regional art with an emphasis on Illinois artists. Its mission is to foster creativity and build community through visual arts.

Frank Lloyd Wright designed The Dana Thomas House in 1902 for Susan Lawrence Dana, a forward-thinking socialite living in Springfield. The home is the 72 building designed by Wright, and contains the largest collection of site-specific, original Wright art glass and furniture. The house was sold to the state in 1981 and is maintained by the Historic Preservation Division of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

Contemporary Art Center of Peoria – The CAC was founded in 1996. Its mission is to advance, develop and understand contemporary art, educate diverse students, provide opportunities for viewers and artists through culturally and artistically diverse exhibitions, and enrich the community. From science fiction art to cartoons, this museum has a wide arrangement of art.

Do any of these museums sound interesting to you? If so, celebrate ‘Go to an Art Museum Day’ by popping in.