fixings
The sides, toppings, and extras that go with the main dish.
Also called fixin's.
Updated September 21, 2026
fixings pronunciation
/FIX-inz/
Meaning
Everything that rides along with the center of the plate: gravy, biscuits, greens, mayo, pickles, whatever the meal calls for. "Turkey and all the fixings" is the classic Sunday line. Can also mean the ingredients you need to put a dish together. Almost always plural, and in Southern mouths it often sounds like fixin's.
How folks use it
- “We're doing fried chicken with all the fixings this Sunday.”
- “I bought hamburger meat but forgot the fixings for the burgers.”
Origin and etymology
American English from the early 1800s, from "fix" meaning prepare or put in order. The food sense (trimmings and garnishes) shows up by the 1830s. Southern talk made "all the fixin's" a holiday and diner staple.
Frequently asked questions
Are fixings the same as fixin' to?
No. Fixings are food extras. Fixin' to means you are about to do something. Same root word, different job.