The Ultimate Holiday Menu Quiz

Estimated Completion Time
3 min
The Ultimate Holiday Menu Quiz
Image: Danita Delimont/Gallo Images/Getty Images

About This Quiz

A variety of hors d'œuvres, hearty dishes, sides and desserts makes every holiday gathering a memorable one -- regardless of where you are or what you're celebrating. Test your knowledge about your favorite holiday lineups from around the world. We promise you'll want to come back for seconds!
During Day of the Dead, or Día de Los Muertos, families often make which of the following types of bread for their deceased loved ones?
a sweet type called "bread of the dead"
sourdough
bagels
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Pan de muerto, or "bread of the dead," is often made in interesting shapes for this Mexican celebration.

Traditionally, what do people do to Christmas pudding before eating it?
They douse it with brandy liquor.
They light it on fire.
They douse it with liquor, then set it aflame.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

After pouring brandy on the pudding, people set it on fire for extra excitement. Be sure to blow the fire out before taking a bite!

What are latkes, and which holiday menu do they belong to?
homemade cakes, Yom Kippur
potato pancakes, Hanukkah
marinated artichokes, Rosh Hashanah
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Browning these potato patties in oil is a popular tradition during Hanukkah.

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Around the holidays, you're sure to hear about figgy pudding while listening to holiday carols. Are there really figs in this well-known pudding?
yes
no, figgy pudding has no fruit in it
no, but a relative to the fig -- the mulberry -- is used
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

This rich dessert got its name from the fig.

Jai is a common Chinese New Year dish. Which of the following will you NOT find in any Jai recipes?
nuts
vegetables
meat, poultry or fish
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Jai can consist of various vegetables, fruits, legumes and nuts, but not any type of meat. For religious reasons, Buddhists celebrating the Chinese New Year start it off meatless.

Relaxing and holding a cookout are popular ways to celebrate the 4th of July. Which popular cookout food may not have originated in the U.S.?
the hot dog
barbeque
the hamburger
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Good ol' barbeque and burgers are all-American, but the origin of the hot dog is still debated. Regardless, hot dogs are a prime menu item for the 4th of July.

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In Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol," which bird was the main dish on the Cratchit family's Christmas menu? (Hint: it's not the bird Scrooge bought them later).
chicken
goose
turkey
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The family feasted on a goose, which was cheaper than turkey at the time.

Sugary treats eaten for the Day of the Dead celebration are often made in what shape?
a human skull
a tombstone
a coffin
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Just as chocolate bunnies are considered a special treat during Easter, candies shaped like human skulls are popular among those celebrating the lives of the dead.

In England, what popular pies are left out for Santa, or Father Christmas?
custard pies
pecan pies
mince pies
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Mince pies, which usually contain a combination of dried and candied fruit infused with brandy and spices, are popular treats for Father Christmas in England.

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Meats are a staple of many traditional holiday meals. Which of the following is NOT a meatless holiday alternative for vegetarians?
Tofurky
Tovenison
Tofu hot dogs
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Meatless foods that taste like turkey and hot dogs are easy to find, but tofu versions of venison haven't hit the commercial market yet.

Beef stew is a well-known menu dish for which holiday?
Halloween
St. Patrick's Day
Mardi Gras
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Irish beef stew is a hearty dish often eaten for St. Patrick's Day.

Why are cooked collard greens a symbolic item on New Year's Day menus?
Their deep green color symbolizes money and a better economic future.
They symbolize good health
They have no symbolic significance.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Your mother told you to eat your vegetables for a reason -- economic prosperity is one of them for New Year's.

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Which two foods are eaten during Rosh Hashanah, or the Jewish New Year, to symbolize the beginning of a sweet year?
apples and honey
chocolate and pineapple
peaches and honey
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Though all these combinations are subtly sweet, apples and honey are a special combination for Rosh Hashanah.

Which food is the least likely to find its way on the Kwanzaa menu line up?
sweet potato fries
shrimp and grits
crème brulee
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Kwanzaa, which celebrates African-American history and culture, is unlikely to have ties to crème brulee -- a dessert from Europe.

Which of the following probably was NOT eaten at the first Thanksgiving?
potatoes
corn
venison
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Though homemade mashed potatoes are most likely a must for your Thanksgiving feast, historians think potatoes were rare to come by.

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Which country celebrates Easter by making dome-shaped cakes to symbolize the Orthodox Church?
Germany
Russia
France
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Creating these domed cakes, as well as other symbolic foods, is a holiday tradition in Russia.

Baklava is a dessert that's especially popular during which religious time period?
Hanukkah
Lent
Ramadan
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

During the holy month of Ramadan, Muslims consider baklava a tasty dessert after a day of fasting.

Dwali, or the Hindu festival of lights, is celebrated with family, friends and food. What is in the Dwali dish kheer?
a milky pudding
fudge
a vegetable and curry dish
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Kheer is a milky pudding consisting of boiled rice or wheat, and it is usually garnished with nuts or raisins.

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Turkey, stuffing and pumpkin pie are usually on most Americans' menus for which holiday?
Christmas
Thanksgiving
Easter
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

What would Thanksgiving be without a carved turkey, homemade stuffing and pumpkin pie?

In the U.S., which celebration features a cinnamon-like cake with a plastic baby hidden in the center?
Mardi Gras
Cinco de Mayo
Easter
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Originally eaten on Jan. 6 for Kings' Day to honor the three kings in the Bible, modern king cakes are a part of Mardi Gras celebrations. If you find the baby, people say you have to buy the next cake.

You Got:
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