The Story Behind America’s Favorite Feast
Every year, when Thanksgiving rolls around, families all over the United States gather around the table to enjoy a big, delicious meal. There’s usually a golden-brown turkey in the center, a mountain of mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, stuffing, and of course — a sweet slice of pumpkin pie to finish it all off.
But have you ever wondered why turkey and pumpkin pie became the stars of Thanksgiving dinner? The answer takes us back hundreds of years — to the very first Thanksgiving and how traditions grew over time. So grab a fork, and let’s dig in!
1. The First Thanksgiving
The story begins in 1621, in what is now Massachusetts. The Pilgrims, a group of English settlers, had just finished their first harvest in the New World. They wanted to give thanks for their survival after a tough winter and for the help they had received from the Wampanoag people, the Native Americans who taught them how to grow food like corn, beans, and squash.
To celebrate, the Pilgrims and Wampanoag shared a big feast that lasted for three days. There were about 90 Wampanoag men and 50 Pilgrims, and everyone brought food.
But here’s the surprising part — there’s no record of turkey or pumpkin pie at that first feast! Instead, they likely ate wild game such as deer, ducks, and geese, as well as cornbread, nuts, shellfish, and vegetables from their gardens. Pumpkins were part of their crops, but they didn’t have sugar or ovens to make the kind of pies we eat today.
2. So Why Turkey?
If there was no turkey at the first Thanksgiving, how did it become the main dish?
The answer has a lot to do with tradition, practicality, and a little bit of symbolism.
By the 1700s and 1800s, roast turkey was already a popular meal for large gatherings in the American colonies. A single turkey could feed a big family, and unlike cows or chickens, it wasn’t used every day for milk or eggs. That made it the perfect special-occasion bird.
Also, wild turkeys were native to North America and easy to find. Early Americans viewed them as a symbol of abundance and the land’s natural gifts.
When families began holding their own harvest feasts each autumn, turkey naturally became the centerpiece — big enough for everyone, tasty, and proudly American.
3. The Influence of Sarah Josepha Hale
We can’t talk about Thanksgiving without mentioning Sarah Josepha Hale. She was a writer and magazine editor in the 1800s — and she’s often called the “Mother of Thanksgiving.”
Sarah loved the idea of a national day of gratitude. For 17 years, she wrote letters to politicians asking for an official holiday to celebrate Thanksgiving across the country.
In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln agreed and declared Thanksgiving a national holiday, to be celebrated every November.
Hale also helped shape the menu we still use today. In her writings and cookbooks, she described Thanksgiving dinners with roast turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie. Her influence helped turn those foods into the traditional dishes we know and love.
4. Turkey Takes Center Stage
By the time Thanksgiving became a national holiday, turkey was already a household favorite. It was large enough to serve many people, and roasting a whole turkey in the oven became a family tradition.
It didn’t hurt that turkey farms were growing in number, and recipes for cooking turkey appeared in newspapers and cookbooks everywhere. People began to associate the smell of roasting turkey with Thanksgiving Day.
Over time, turkey became almost required at the holiday table. Even today, over 45 million turkeys are eaten in the U.S. each Thanksgiving!
5. What About Pumpkin Pie?
Pumpkin pie has a story just as rich and sweet as the dessert itself.
The Native Americans were growing pumpkins and other squashes long before the Pilgrims arrived. They roasted or boiled them and even used them to make soups and stews. The Pilgrims learned to cook pumpkins from them.
Early colonists didn’t have the ingredients or equipment for pie crusts and ovens at first, but they still made pumpkin pudding or baked whole pumpkins filled with milk, honey, and spices inside hot ashes. This was the beginning of what would one day become pumpkin pie.
As time passed and kitchens improved, people began to bake pumpkin custards in crusts — and pumpkin pie became a beloved fall dessert. Its warm spices — cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves — gave it that cozy autumn flavor everyone craves.
By the 1800s, cookbooks were full of pumpkin pie recipes, and like turkey, it became an essential part of Thanksgiving dinner.
6. The Perfect Pair
Turkey and pumpkin pie go together perfectly. One is savory and filling; the other is sweet and comforting. After a long day of cooking and sharing food with family, there’s something satisfying about finishing a big meal with a smooth, spiced pumpkin pie.
Together, they represent the heart of Thanksgiving — gratitude, family, and abundance.
7. Other Traditional Foods
While turkey and pumpkin pie are the stars, they share the stage with other classic Thanksgiving dishes that each have their own story:
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Stuffing or Dressing – Made with bread, herbs, and broth, often cooked inside (or alongside) the turkey.
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Cranberry Sauce – Cranberries grow naturally in North America, and Native Americans used them in many dishes.
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Mashed Potatoes and Gravy – A hearty side that became popular in the 1800s as potatoes became a staple crop.
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Sweet Potatoes and Marshmallows – A later invention from the early 1900s, showing how the holiday meal keeps evolving.
8. The Spirit of Thanksgiving
Even though recipes and traditions have changed over the centuries, the spirit of Thanksgiving remains the same — it’s a time to gather, share food, and give thanks for what we have.
The turkey reminds us of the land and nature’s generosity, while the pumpkin pie connects us to the harvest and the hard work of the people who came before us.
Whether your family sticks to the classics or adds new dishes to the table, Thanksgiving is about connection — not just to history, but to one another.
9. Fun Facts About Thanksgiving Foods
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The average Thanksgiving turkey weighs about 15 pounds.
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Benjamin Franklin once suggested that the turkey (not the bald eagle) should be America’s national bird.
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Pumpkin pie became so iconic that canned pumpkin was first sold in the late 1800s just to make pie baking easier.
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Some early Thanksgiving menus in the 1800s also included foods like oysters, quail, or even roast goose.
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The first frozen “TV dinners” in the 1950s were modeled after Thanksgiving meals — complete with turkey and pie.
10. Thanksgiving Today
Today, Thanksgiving is one of the most celebrated holidays in the United States. While the menu might vary from home to home — some people fry their turkeys, others make vegan roasts or add mac and cheese — turkey and pumpkin pie still remain the two dishes that most people can agree on.
They connect us to centuries of history, tradition, and gratitude. Every slice of pie and every piece of turkey is a small reminder of how far the country has come since that first harvest feast in 1621.
So whether you’re carving the turkey, scooping the stuffing, or enjoying that last bite of pumpkin pie, remember — you’re not just eating dinner. You’re taking part in a story that has been told for over 400 years.
11. In the End
We eat turkey and pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving not just because they taste good, but because they represent American history, family, and thankfulness. The turkey stands for the harvest and sharing plenty, while pumpkin pie celebrates the sweetness of the season.
It’s more than a meal — it’s a tradition that connects the past and the present, reminding us to appreciate everything we have.
So this Thanksgiving, when you take that first bite of turkey or dig your fork into a slice of pumpkin pie, think about all the people who came before you — and all the reasons we still give thanks today.
