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By Heide Kennedy, Arizona Farm Bureau Communications Intern

Every Thanksgiving, most families get together and enjoy a huge meal, typically featuring turkey as the star, and all the traditional side dishes such as stuffing, cranberries, green beans, and mashed potatoes. But have you ever stopped to think about how and why turkey became the main item on a Thanksgiving dinner spread?

I decided to look it up and what I found was kind of surprising. Apparently, there are not really any historical records of turkey even being served on the first Thanksgiving in 1621 with the pilgrims and the Wampanoags. There are only records of deer being brought by the Wampanoags, and “fowl” by the pilgrims. Historians say that these “fowl” were more likely geese and ducks, not turkeys.

So then how did turkeys become the traditional Thanksgiving protein? There are a couple of theories that could all play a part. First was that around the time that Thanksgiving was actually declared a national holiday by Abraham Lincoln in 1863, turkeys were very abundant, making them an economical choice for the gathering. Turkeys were also really only raised for the purpose of meat, unlike cows which were used for milk, or chickens used for eggs. Another reason was that they are very easily prepared and are also the perfect size for a family.

At the end of the day, however, it doesn’t really matter what you serve on Thanksgiving, whether it be turkey, pork, chicken, or beef like my family serves. The whole point of the holiday is to be thankful for everything that you have and enjoy time spending with friends and family.

For more Thanksgiving articles and recipes, check out the Fill Your Plate blog!