Look, let me be frank: No one is going to your Fourth of July cookout to eat salad. No one.

The website Thrillist just ranked 30 popular cookout and barbecue sides from best to worst. It isn't not based on a survey or anything, just their staff's opinions but it's hard to argue with a lot of it.

Their picks for the five best cookout sides are:

  • Potato chips, watermelon
  • Mac and cheese
  • Elote (which is grilled corn covered in chilies, butter, and cheese),
  • And biscuits.

All great, but none are Iowa's favorite, which I'll get to in a moment. First, the five worst cookout sides are:

  • Green salad
  • Ants on a log
  • Bean salad
  • Ambrosia salad, which is fruit salad with marshmallows and whipped cream
  • And corn salad.

Ok, that's all well and good, but what is IOWA'S FAVORITE side dish for summer barbeques?

According to Food Network it's Chocolate Zucchini Cake. Regarding the dish, they say:

Iowans know a sweet way to use up all that zucchini from your garden — and sneak a few more vegetables into your kids. This chocolate-glazed cake is a popular way to cut down on food waste, of the garden and dessert variety; we're sure there won't be a crumb left behind.

I personally am ok with this choice. It's got chocolate... it pairs well with any main side. Oh, and it's a vegetable so that makes it healthy, right? 😂

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