"Ryan's #1 Food" — You Betcha Radio (March 30, 2026)

Main Theme

This episode dives deep into the team’s passionate and often hilarious debate about the best side dishes—any time, any meal, any season—with a distinct Midwest flavor. The hosts swap memories, strong opinions, and a few “hot takes” while weighing the merits of coleslaw, baked beans, mashed potatoes (instant vs. homemade), and more. The signature You Betcha camaraderie and playful jabs are on full display.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Coleslaw Confession (00:00–01:18)

• Ryan’s #1 Side: Much of the first segment is a semi-serious defense of coleslaw as the top side dish.

  • “Clarification on Ryan's favorite side dish of all time is coleslaw. Seriously, number one. If not, what is the best side dish for any meal any time of the year?” – Alex [00:00]
  • “Yeah, it's number one. I'm being very clear about that.” – Chris [00:17]
  • On why: Cabbage is key, and the “soupiness” (moisture content) is crucial.
    • “I like cabbage. It's got to be like... I like soupy coleslaw as well.” – Chris [00:29; 00:42]
    • Off-dry or under-hydrated is a dealbreaker: “Dude, not soupy enough.” – Chris [01:10]

• Fun Fact: Pizza Ranch is name-dropped as a spot with good (soupy) coleslaw.

2. What Makes a Side “Good” or “Bad”? (01:05–01:18)

• The consensus: Texture and moisture are critical.
  • “Dry coleslaw is just cut up cabbage. Yeah, it's not good.” – Ben [01:12]

3. Side Dish Showdown: Personal Favorites (01:19–02:12)

• Alex: Mac and cheese gets an honorable mention, but isn’t always a true “side.”

  • “Mac and cheese, maybe. I can kind of...” – Alex [01:21]
  • “Coleslaw is never the main course.” – Ben [01:29]

• Alex & Ben: Baked beans are a classic—especially inspired by Famous Dave’s.

  • “Baked beans.” – Alex [01:34]
  • “I know that this is a crazy take by me, but I prefer baked beans cold.” – Ben [01:38]

• Ben’s “Baked Beans Cold” admission is met with group ribbing.

  • “Yeah, it's kind of a psycho,” – Chris [01:44]
  • Ben’s grandma even keeps some cold just for him at holiday meals! [01:45–02:00]

• Chris plans to “blackmail” Ben with this info for comedic effect next week. [02:07–02:19]

4. Tangent: Midwest School Rivalries (02:19–03:02)

• The side dish banter veers briefly into a playful argument about public vs. private high school sports in the Midwest.
  • Chris contends that private schools have an unfair advantage by being able to “recruit” with money and scholarships. [02:22–02:53]
  • “You just pay to get in there and better at sports.” – Chris [02:44]

5. Side Dish Runners-Up & “Hot Takes” (03:08–04:10)

• Mashed Potatoes (and Gravy):

  • “I think I'd probably pick mashed potatoes and gravy.” – Chris [03:08]
  • Hot take: Ben prefers instant mashed potatoes over homemade! [03:31–03:46]
    • “I like the shit from the bag. Add water and mix.” – Ben [03:41]
  • Chris and Ben both agree that instant is good, especially for ease at home [04:01–04:10]

• Stuffing:

  • Ben again bucks tradition: “Miss me with the homemade stuffing. Give me the shit out of the box.” [03:48]
  • Both Alex and Ben are on board with boxed “Stovetop” stuffing.

• Au Gratin Potatoes: Another love for “out of the bag” types.

  • Chris: “The au gratin bag potatoes are pretty decent.” [03:57]
  • Ben: “Chef's kiss.” [04:00]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “I'm being very clear about that. [Coleslaw is] number one.” – Chris [00:17]
• “Dude, not soupy enough.” – Chris [01:10]
• “Dry coleslaw is just cut up cabbage. Yeah, it's not good.” – Ben [01:12]
• “I know that this is a crazy take by me, but I prefer baked beans cold.” – Ben [01:38]
• “Coleslaw is never the main course.” – Ben [01:29]
• “Miss me with the homemade stuffing. Give me the shit out of the box.” – Ben [03:48]
• “The au gratin bag potatoes are pretty decent.” – Chris [03:57]
• “When I'm home by myself with my two children, we eat the instant potatoes a lot.” – Chris [04:01]

Key Segment Timestamps

• 00:00–01:18: Deep dive on coleslaw’s supremacy
• 01:19–02:12: Side dish debate (mac and cheese, baked beans, cold beans)
• 02:19–03:02: Midwest high school sports tangent
• 03:08–04:10: Instant vs. homemade (mashed potatoes, stuffing, au gratin potatoes)

Summary

In this episode, the You Betcha crew puts the coleslaw supremacy debate front and center, with Chris and Alex staunchly defending its place as the Midwest’s king of sides—especially when it’s “soupy” and nowhere near dry. Baked beans get a controversial twist thanks to Ben’s cold beans preference, and the guys collectively agree that many classics (mashed potatoes, stuffing, au gratin potatoes) are, in fact, better and more comforting from a box or bag than homemade. The tone is classic Midwest banter: nostalgic, a little self-deprecating, and uniquely specific, offering plenty of fodder for those who love (or love to rail against) Midwestern comfort food traditions.