What was once a Native American tradition of cooking clams and lobsters in sand pits dating back 2000 years is nowadays a popular New England dish consisting of lobsters, mussels, crabs, and clams steamed in sand pits over several layers of seaweed.

The tradition of digging up sand pits stems from the Natives, who did not own any cooking pots, so earth was used as a cooking vessel instead. As the dish evolved over the years, people have started to add vegetables such as corn, onions, and carrots into it. 

Oyster roast is a traditional event originating from the Low Country, an area along the South Carolina coast. Similar to a clambake in the Northeast, the oysters are placed into a roasting kettle, covered with a burlap sack, then placed over hot coals until fully cooked.

Once done, they are traditionally served on picnic tables lined with newspapers and pried open with special knives. The oyster roast has some standard accompaniments such as crackers, cocktail sauce, hot sauce, and sometimes horseradish. When hosting an oyster roast, it's recommended to have a few bottles of cold beer on hand, or gin and whiskey-based cocktails.

For most Americans, the Thanksgiving dinner usually includes seasonal dishes such as stuffed roasted turkey and side dishes such as mashed potatoes, a rich cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie, among others. This celebratory meal dates back to November 1621, when the Pilgrims and the Native Wampanoag Indians got together at Plymouth for an autumn harvest celebration, now considered America's first Thanksgiving.

The first feast contained turkey (debatable), venison, fish, clams, berries, lobster, pumpkin, waterfowl, and squash, and many of the foods remained a staple of modern Thanksgiving dinners. Turkey is so synonymous with the holiday that the day is sometimes colloquially called Turkey Day. 

Originating from the Santa Maria Valley in California, this barbecue style isn't a dish or a technique, but a full-on feast. It consists of grilled beef that's served with beans, garlic bread, salad, macaroni salad, and chunky salsa. This huge meal is traditionally prepared for large groups of people at events such as family reunions, church suppers, and fundraisers.

The key part of this meal is grilled beef – tri-tip or beef sirloin are rubbed with salt, pepper, and garlic powder before being grilled over local red oak. The meat is served with small pink pinquito beans, a chunky tomato salsa, garlic bread (used for soaking up the juices of other dishes), and a fresh salad that's dressed with vinaigrette, French dressing, or Blue Cheese dressing.