Let’s be serious. The sides are the real stars of the Thanksgiving dinner table. Once your plate is piled high with mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, stuffing and cranberries, the bird is hardly the main event.

We've rounded up our go-to picks for each category, but tell us: What’s your favorite Thanksgiving side dish? Vote in the comments as we give thanks to our picks.

1. Mashed potatoes are comfort food royalty. Dress them up for the Thanksgiving holiday with truffles and cheese (pictured above), and you may earn VIP spud status for life.

2. Get your greens Thanksgiving-style with a classic green bean casserole. This version uses only fresh ingredients and no canned stuff, so put that onion-soup mix away.

3. Simplicity rules on Thanksgiving when there are so many flavors on one plate. Bay leaves and thyme bring out the best in oven-roasted butternut squash, with large Kosher salt crystals to add a bit of crunch.

4. Candied yams are a traditional Thanksgiving debate: sweet or savory? If you opt for sweet, try topping yours with gingersnap cookies in lieu of marshmallows.

5. If cranberry sauce conjures memories of gelatinous, can-shaped goo, we suggest  this homemade version. Undertones of vanilla and orange balance the berries' sweet-tart taste for instantly better Thanksgiving memories.

Looking for more picks? Here are other Thanksgiving side classics from friends and family:

Virtually Homemade:  Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus with Goat Cheese

Feed Me Phoebe:  Healthy Stuffed Mushrooms with Creamed Kale

The Heritage Cook:  Maple Whipped Sweet Potatoes with Candied Pecans (Gluten-Free)

Jeanette's Healthy Living:  100 Healthy Holiday Side Dish Recipes

The Lemon Bowl:  Stuffed Acorn Squash with Chorizo and Farro

The Mom 100:  Lentils and Carrots with Dried Apricots

Big Girls, Small Kitchen:  Maitake, Leek & Bacon Dressing

Swing Eats:  Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Thyme and Rosemary

Elephants and the Coconut Trees:  Baby Lima Beans Salad with Bell Pepper and Pomegranate

Domesticate Me:  12 Easy and Impressive Thanksgiving Sides

The Wimpy Vegetarian:  Scalloped Sweet Potatoes and Apples | #FallFest

FN Dish:  Colorful Thanksgiving Vegetable Sides — Fall Fest