Last Updated on February 26, 2023
America’s Thanksgiving holiday was born in the early 1500s, was mythologized in the year 1621, and started to be observed during the late bleak hours during the Civil War. However, today it stands as one of the most beloved and anticipated days of the nation. It is celebrated every year on the fourth Thursday in the month of November. Probably no other non-sectarian holiday comes with more tradition than Thanksgiving. Friends, family, food, and football all symbolize this day, which makes for a rare celebratory holiday without any sort of gift-giving situation. Instead, this day makes us grateful for the things that we have in our lives.
Turkey-free Thanksgiving
Most of the people out there do not have many turkeys in their lives except for this one day in the entire year, Thanksgiving. However, many people would still not consider having turkey as an alternative. Despite straying away from this tradition, a turkey-free Thanksgiving is an amazing way in which you can celebrate this day.
History of the Turkey-free Thanksgiving
Originally, the turkey was not a part of the traditional meal of Thanksgiving. According to historians, the turkey was not even on the menu for the first Thanksgiving, dated back to November 1621 in New England.
Even though turkey was plenty in number, the birds that were usually consumed were pigeons, ducks, swans, and geese. The historians at Smithsonian believed that the venison and the wildfowl were some of the first foods that appeared on the table of Thanksgiving.
So, how was turkey accepted and loved as the primary bird to eat in the United States? Well, the turkey was introduced back in the 19th century based on the harvests of New England. The local cooks would tend to modify their recipes since they found turkey necessary and delightful.
Unlike the other birds, the turkey is a massive bird that can feed the entire family and did not serve much of a utilitarian purpose, such as laying eggs. Then, what about the idea of having the bird for free? Well, this idea came from the recent movements like vegetarians and cruelty-free advocates that noticed the number of turkey people consumed on this day.
Although turkey is a common stable on this day, there are several other options for the dinner menu, which includes prime rib, porchetta, Cornish hens, roasted duck, etc.
Celebrating a Turkey-free Thanksgiving
The best way in which you can celebrate a turkey-free thanksgiving is by not consuming turkeys. You can celebrate the day by switching to other options like hens, ducks, or goose. In case you don’t want to have a bird, you can go for beef or prime rib. If you wish to try something wild and different, you can also give turducken or even have some seafood as your dinner.
You can also celebrate the turkey-free Thanksgiving by using the hashtag #turkeyfreethanksgiving on your social media and share it with your friends and family. Let them know how delicious your meal was this year.
