Thanksgiving Day is only three weeks away, so it's time to look for sales on frozen turkey and plan your menu for the Thanksgiving feast. You'll probably make (or just eat) the same traditional foods your family has always enjoyed, but you can always learn more about those dishes. For example, did you know that sweet potatoes aren't even potatoes? And get this- they aren't yams, either.
True potatoes like russets are members of the nightshade botanical family, while sweet potatoes belong to the morning glory family. But that doesn’t make sweet potatoes yams either; though they aren’t actually potatoes, orange sweet potatoes are their own thing. Yams, which are often white or yellowish on the inside, are related to lilies and grasses and mostly grow in tropical environments.
Whatever you call them, it's the tradition that matters. Learn other new facts about Thanksgiving food at Mental Floss. Then we can all be thankful for a holiday centered around eating.
(Image credit: Flickr user Alexis Lamster)