Have you ever wondered during Thanksgiving, “Why am I eating turkey?” That is an idea that many people have pondered about before. Why not pizza or salad? Well, this article is going to help you answer that question of why the turkey became the centerpiece of Thanksgiving.
Before The Turkey
It didn’t start with turkey originally and even the Pilgrims may have not even eaten it. Historians think that the Pilgrims didn’t eat turkey. Instead, they think that they may have eaten duck or goose on Thanksgiving, even though turkeys were native to the area where it was held. When Thanksgiving became more well known, people took the centerpiece into their own hands. Some people ate deer and even seafood in the beginning.
Why Turkey
The main question is why turkey is the meal you eat on Thanksgiving. Well, here are three reasons. First, it is large enough to share with a massive group of people. Also there is a large population of turkeys in America. The last reason is that they are easy to raise and hunt, making it smoother to get dinner.
Popularity of the Turkey
The turkey slowly gained popularity over the next century. Almost every family had turkey on their plate because it was an excellent meat for families to eat during Thanksgiving. Turkey is relatively cheap compared to other foods, ranging from 0.99 to 2.79 per pound. Also turkey is pretty easy to find in grocery stores around the world, so you don’t have to worry about not finding it in time. All these things made turkey more popular with families at Thanksgiving.
Conclusion
Now because of Thanksgiving, turkey has become one of the most famous meals in history. It didn’t happen immediately, it took hundreds of years to reach the status it is now. Not everyone celebrates Thanksgiving or eats turkey. But, that’s fine. Thanksgiving is different for everyone, so enjoy it in your own way!
John M. Cunningham John M. Cunningham graduated from Kalamazoo College in 2000 with a B.A. in English. He worked at Britannica from 2004 to 2018. A student of pop culture and the arts, he wrote about popular (and semipopular)… “Why Do We Eat Turkey on Thanksgiving?” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, inc., www.britannica.com/story/why-do-we-eat-turkey-on-thanksgiving. Accessed 28 Oct. 2025.
