Why Do We Eat Turkey on Thanksgiving?
Turkey has been the meal for Thanksgiving dinners for several years now. Actually, most people will not feel at peace if the Thanksgiving dinner passes without them feasting on turkey. Have you ever asked yourself why turkey meat is often related to Thanksgiving dinner and not other sources of protein like fish and chicken? To satisfy your curiosity, below is a brief history of turkey for Thanksgiving, and a few reasons why most people consider turkey to be a must meal for Thanksgiving.
Turkey: the Classic Thanksgiving Meal
According to most American households, Thanksgiving without turkey is not Thanksgiving. Turkey has been the meal for Thanksgiving for a very long time. The tradition has been passed on from one generation to another. It is actually one of the American traditions that have refused to go away. The first ever Thanksgiving is believed to have taken place in 1621 by the pilgrims and Native Americans, with turkey as one of the meals. It was served alongside other kinds of meat like chicken, duck, and fish. However, these other meats were slowly erased from the scene, with turkey remaining as the main meal for most households during the Thanksgiving.
Numerous Recipes for Turkey
There are numerous ways to cook turkey meat. It all depends on people’s preferences and traditions passed down to them. The numerous recipes encourage people to carry on with the tradition of feeding on turkey for Thanksgiving. However, over time different families and households have evolved the recipe for preparing a turkey meal. There are over 60 recipes for preparing turkey during Thanksgiving. Whichever recipe you choose, be sure to enjoy your Thanksgiving dinner.
Turkey is (Relatively) Affordable
Most families can afford turkey meat because it is relatively cheaper than chicken. Furthermore, the large family gatherings during Thanksgiving may be very expensive to feed, especially if they opted for other sources of protein like fish or chicken which are relatively expensive. With turkey, a large number of people can be fed without necessarily breaking the bank. Besides being pocket-friendly, turkey is also readily available and also easy to hunt turkey compared to geese.
Turkey's Large Advantage
Nothing excites a family gathering than a large bird on a dinner table during Thanksgiving dinner. One turkey is enough to feed the whole family. A small family could possibly feast on turkey for several days. Turkey is also easy to prepare, just roasting for a few hours in the oven before it is ready. You really do not have to keep watching over it as it roasts. You just need to time it in the oven then continue with some other tasks.
In conclusion, the benefits that come with eating turkey and the rich tradition of sharing turkey has endured all the years and became the ideal meal for Thanksgiving Day, unlike other kinds of meat that offer the same nutritional value like turkey meat. Eating turkey on Thanksgiving will most likely carry on for many more years, perhaps until all the turkeys in the world are eaten.
