Which is more popular, Turkey or Ham on Thanksgiving?

During Thanksgiving many Americans purchase Turkey or ham, or both! But which one is better? 

 

Turkey is a staple item on a Thanksgiving table, but how did it become known as the Thanksgiving bird? Well when the settlers dined for Thanksgiving with the wampanoag tribe they had different kinds of meat and sides on the table. Historians don’t know if a turkey was served but a letter from a pilgrim, Edward Winslow, stated that a turkey hunting trip was before the meal. Some historians believe that early settlers took inspiration from Queen Elizabeth I in serving turkey on the table instead of goose. Although we might never truly know the reason for picking turkey on Thanksgiving, we do know that it's a classic.

 

Another popular item to be served on Thanksgiving is ham. There isn’t a set history on why ham was chosen for Thanksgiving. Many people do not like turkey and ham is a great substitute for it. Ham also is easily available for many people to purchase and it’s a great alternative for people to mix up their holiday meal.

 

Both options are very popular to set on a dinner table. Americans consume about 46 million turkeys and 24 million pounds of ham just on Thanksgiving. A survey done by toronto news states 58% of people prefer turkey over ham on thanksgiving. Personally I like turkey more than ham and I look forward to eating it every year on Thanksgiving 

 

Sources:

https://toronto.citynews.ca/2022/10/08/turkey-or-ham-thanksgiving-debates/#:~:text=Turkey%20was%20a%20resounding%20winner,per%20cent%20of%20the%20vote

 

https://www.wonderopolis.org/wonder/why-do-we-eat-turkey-on-thanksgiving#:~:text=Some%20historians%20say%20the%20early,States%20than%20the%20bald%20eagle

 

Do you like Turkey or Ham more? 

 

What’s your favorite dish to eat on Thanksgiving? 

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Replies

  • I like to eat ham more, but I think that turkey is more popular for Thanksgiving. I am not really a big fan of Thanksgiving dishes, so I usually just eat foods like ham and potatoes. However, I really like the desserts at Thanksgiving so I eat a lot of those. 

  • We always have turkey, but I think ham would be a lot better because turkey does not taste as good as ham. Turkey on thanksgiving is nostalgic though.

  • I like ham more because it fills me up more. I think that you can cook ham so that it has more flavor and moisture. I think that ham is cheaper because it is more produced all year round compared to the strain on turkey farms when demand skyrockets.

  • I think turkey is more traditional to have on Thanksgiving, but personally, my family makes both! I think they both fit the occasion, but turkey is usually expected at any Thanksgiving dinner. My favorite food at Thanksgiving is definetly the mashed potatoes!

  • I didn't try turkey until I was bout ten years old, and, when I did try it I did not like it very much. I thought that it was a pretty dry meat and it didn't taste the best. However, I do like ham a lot, especially honey ham. I like ham a lot because I tastes less dry, and it is amazing with a ton of other foods. On Thanksgiving my favorite dish to eat would probably be Pumkin Pie. Personally, it is the best type of pie.

  • I like turkey more than ham even tho ham is delicious. I think it is becoming more popular to have ham instead of turkey nowadays because it is easy for people to get a hold of and cheaper for people to buy and it is easier to cook.

    • I totally agree. Ham is a great alternative to turkey especially in price. I agree and think turkey is better than ham. 

  • I like ham more, I will eat turkey but i will most likley go for ham. I think ive just eaten to much turkey and just got tired of it. I will eat green bean cassorole and mashed potaoes and gravy etc I will eat those with it all the time if I had to i just think it goes better for me. 

  • Personally, I love the turkey on Thanksgiving. Ham is alright, but I'd choose turkey any day over it. Plus, turkey, green bean casserole, oreo fluff, etc., they all go together. Mash potatoes gravy is also a must with turkey. Although with ham, it just isn't the same.

    • I agree with all of that. Turkey is so much better considering the fact that you only really eat it one day a year. 

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