Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and Americans are already preparing for elaborate dinners with family and friends.
Americans love Thanksgiving, and we show it by piling our plates high with turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, pumpkin pie, and other holiday staples. Theres a reason why its most Americans second favorite holiday, according to The Harris Poll, trailing only Christmas.
Here are seven unbelievable facts about what we eat on Thanksgiving to keep in mind as you go back for seconds.
Thanksgiving is right around the corner, which means millions of Americans are prepping their kitchens and meal plans for the big feast. The centerpiece of most Thanksgiving dinners is a juicy, roasted turkey. But have you ever wondered just how much turkey is consumed across the country on this food-focused holiday? As it turns out, the numbers are pretty mind-blowing!
Nearly 50 Million Turkeys Devoured Each Thanksgiving
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, approximately 46 million whole turkeys are cooked and eaten every Thanksgiving nationwide. To put that into perspective, that’s enough turkeys to feed the entire populations of Spain, Colombia, or South Korea with plenty of leftovers to spare!
With over 300 million people living in the United States, that works out to about one whole turkey consumed for every 6-7 people celebrating Thanksgiving Day. Even accounting for vegetarians and folks who opt for non-turkey main courses, that’s still an astronomical amount of birds being prepared each year.
20% of Annual U.S. Turkey Production Eaten in 1 Day
Those 46 million Thanksgiving turkeys represent around 20% of the 224 million total turkeys produced annually across the United States Turkey farms and processing plants have to shift into overdrive in October and November to meet the massive spike in consumer demand for fresh and frozen birds ahead of the holiday
The turkey industry starts planning their flocks and production cycles well in advance to make sure they can supply everyone roasting a turkey for their Thanksgiving gatherings. It takes incredible coordination across the supply chain to successfully harvest, process, package, and distribute so many turkeys so they are ready in grocery stores for the big Thanksgiving grocery shopping rush.
The Average Thanksgiving Turkey Weighs 30 Pounds
While the frozen turkeys you buy at the grocery store typically range from 8 to 24 pounds, the average commercially-raised bird purchased for Thanksgiving weighs in at around 30 pounds, according to data from the National Turkey Federation
So those 46 million turkeys devoured on Thanksgiving day amount to over 1.4 billion pounds of total turkey meat consumed. That’s nearly 3 pounds of turkey per person sitting down for a Thanksgiving feast.
Over 4 Pounds of Turkey Eaten Per Person
The National Turkey Federation estimates that 88% of Americans chow down on turkey as the star of their Thanksgiving meal. With around 327 million people currently living in the U.S., that’s about 288 million turkey-eating Americans on Thanksgiving Day.
When you divide the total pounds of turkey by the estimated number of turkey eaters nationwide, it comes out to over 4 pounds of turkey meat consumed per person on average during the holiday. Obviously consumption varies widely based on the number of guests and appetites around the table. But however you slice it, Americans eat a tremendous amount of turkey on Thanksgiving!
3,000 to 4,500 Calories in the Average Thanksgiving Feast
All that succulent turkey combined with heaping portions of savory stuffing, creamy mashed potatoes, veggies, tangy cranberry sauce, rich gravy, fluffy dinner rolls, and decadent pie makes for a massive calorie load on Thanksgiving Day. The typical Thanksgiving meal adds up to a whopping 3,000 to 4,500 calories per person. That’s equivalent to consuming around 2-3 days worth of calories in just one food-filled holiday sitting!
Just a single plate containing a serving of turkey, stuffing, potatoes, veggies, and pie would require a very long walk, about 8 miles, to burn off all those calories. No wonder so many Americans need to loosen their belts and top off their tryptophan-induced naps with a slice of pumpkin pie after their bountiful Thanksgiving dinner!
America Loves Cranberry Sauce
While roast turkey may take center stage on the Thanksgiving table, you can’t forget the cranberry sauce. Approximately 80 million pounds of fresh cranberries are transformed into relishes, chutneys, and sauces consumed during the Thanksgiving period, according to statistics from the cranberry agricultural cooperative Ocean Spray.
Much of this is in the familiar form of jellied cranberry sauce, eagerly sliced and shaped into quivering crimson molds by kids and picky relatives nationwide. Over 5 million gallons of jiggly canned cranberry sauce are sold each Thanksgiving season – that’s enough to fill nearly 8 Olympic-sized swimming pools! Whether you love it or hate it, cranberry sauce is clearly a huge part of the traditional Turkey Day menu for millions of households.
Don’t Forget the Potatoes and Pie!
No turkey dinner is complete without plenty of side dishes and desserts. Approximately 50 million pounds of mashed potatoes and 214 million pounds of sweet potatoes are prepared to accompany the star attraction, turkey.
And what Thanksgiving meal is complete without pie? Around 37 million pumpkin, pecan, apple, and other fruit pies are sold at grocery stores in the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving to provide the perfect sweet finale to the big feast.
Thanksgiving By the Numbers
When you break down the staggering statistics, it’s easy to comprehend why Thanksgiving has earned a reputation for heartwarming but stomach-stretching feasting. Americans pull out all the stops on food preparations to fully enjoy this beloved family tradition.
So as you plan your own Thanksgiving menu, keep in mind the millions of other home chefs roasting turkeys, whipping up cranberry sauces, mashing potatoes, and rolling out pie crusts to treat their guests on this special food-focused holiday. Even if you keep your own portions modest, you’ll be joining nearly 50 million other households nationwide giving thanks and breaking bread in celebration on Thanksgiving Day!
Around 46 million turkeys are eaten around Thanksgiving, according to the US Poultry and Egg Association. That’s around as many turkeys as the entire population of Spain.
American ate approximately 219 million turkeys in 2011, according to the association, so those 46 million turkeys represent around a fifth of all turkeys eaten for the entire year.
The average commercial turkey sold in grocery stores weighs just over 30 pounds, according to the Wall Street Journal. That means Americans are eating nearly 1.4 billion pounds of turkey during the holiday.
Campbell’s makes 40% of its total sales of cream of mushroom soup for the year leading up to Thanksgiving — and much of it goes into green bean casserole.
Super-charging sales of a staple canned good is simple — if you can engineer an iconic side dish for one of Americas major holidays.
The original green bean casserole recipe was designed by Dorcas Reilly in the Campbells test kitchen in Camden, New Jersey in 1955, according to Smithsonian Magazine. Its six simple ingredients and quick preparation — it can be assembled in just 25 minutes — made it an instant classic.
The dish drives a whopping 40% of the companys cream of mushroom soup sales for the entire year, according to the magazine.
Today, around 20 million Americans serve green bean casserole as a holiday side dish each year, according to the Washington Post. Its also the signature holiday dish of the Midwest, according to statistics blog FiveThirtyEight.
Why Do We Eat Turkey on Thanksgiving? | COLOSSAL QUESTIONS
FAQ
How much turkey is consumed at Thanksgiving?
Thanks to the US Department of Agriculture’s legion of turkey-counting nerds and statisticians, we know that an estimated 46 million turkeys are eaten every …Nov 28, 2024
How many pounds of turkey are eaten in the US?
The consumption of turkeys in the U.S. amounted to 14.8 pounds per capita in 2023.
Are over 40 million turkeys eaten on Thanksgiving?
Turkeys to meet Thanksgiving demand
According to an estimate by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) in 2017, Americans eat around 46 million turkeys on Thanksgiving alone, which is approximately 21% of the total number of birds raised each year.
How much stuffing is eaten on Thanksgiving in the US?
Per a 2021 Ipsos survey, most tables this Thanksgiving will feature a lot in common: mashed potatoes (77%), stuffing (76%), rolls (71%), and gravy (70%).
How much Turkey do Americans eat on Thanksgiving?
That means Americans are eating nearly 1.4 billion pounds of turkey during the holiday. Americans consume between 2,500 and 4,500 calories at the Thanksgiving table. That’s the equivalent of eating between four and eight Big Macs in a single sitting.
How much does a Thanksgiving turkey weigh?
Americans gobble up 46 million turkeys at Thanksgiving. That works out to almost 3 pounds of poultry per person who partakes in the feast, according to statistics from the National Turkey Federation. At an average weight of 16 pounds apiece, last year’s Thanksgiving turkeys weighed 736 million pounds altogether.
Do you eat a Turkey on Thanksgiving?
For many Americans, no Thanksgiving menu is complete without a roast turkey (even if there’s also ham or tofurky). Turkey is the top choice for Thanksgiving dinner when we cook a whopping 46 million turkeys, and nearly nine in 10 Americans consume them, according to the National Turkey Federation.
How much does a Thanksgiving turkey cost?
At an average weight of 16 pounds apiece, last year’s Thanksgiving turkeys weighed 736 million pounds altogether. And at an average cost of $1.19 per pound, Americans spent $875 million buying those birds for the big day.
How much Turkey should a Thanksgiving party eat?
How Much Turkey Per Person. The general rule is to plan for 1 1/2 pounds of turkey per guest. If you’re buying boneless meat, assume about 8 ounces per guest. To buy the right size turkey for your party, simply tally up the turkey-eating guests. Which state consumes the most turkeys on Thanksgiving Day?
What percentage of Americans eat turkey on Christmas?
What percentage of American homes consumed turkey on Christmas? 88% of Americans surveyed by the National Turkey Federation eat turkey on Thanksgiving. 46 million turkeys are eaten each Thanksgiving, 22 million on Christmas and 19 million turkeys on Easter. I’d guess that 88% * 22/46, or about 42%, of Americans eat turkey on Christmas.