Thanksgiving is arguably the biggest food holiday of the year. But did you know these statistics about how we actually celebrate on turkey day, and why?.
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With the coronavirus pandemic still going on, things are not looking good as the country settles in for a second Thanksgiving holiday. When we go grocery shopping for one of the biggest food holidays of the year, prices are going up and we don’t know what we will find.
Thanksgiving takes place on the fourth Thursday of November, which lands on November 25 this year. The holiday includes the single busiest travel day and the two most intense shopping days of the year. Thank goodness Thanksgiving is all about family traditions, and there is safety in numbers during the holiday chaos.
Thanksgiving is a food holiday, and many of the foods on the menu are served in the U.S. even though they are said to be loved by those who attend. S. only this one day each year. The fact that whole turkeys, stuffing, green bean casserole, and canned cranberry sauce are eaten on Thanksgiving shows how closely these foods have become associated with the holiday.
Come the holiday season, homes across America are filled with the festive sights and smells of Christmas. Sparkling lights, evergreen wreaths, gingerbread cookies – and for many, the undeniable aromas of roast turkey emanating from the kitchen. But just how many U.S. households partake in the long-standing tradition of turkey on Christmas Day? What percentage of American families gather around the table to enjoy this iconic centerpiece each December 25th?
Turkey Consumption on the Rise
Statistics indicate that consuming turkey on Christmas has become more widespread over time. Surveys show that in 2015, approximately 78% of American homes served turkey as part of their Christmas feast. By 2018, that number had climbed to 88%, cementing turkey’s status as the go-to protein for the holiday.
Several factors have driven this steady increase in turkey’s popularity at Christmastime
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The per capita consumption of turkey in general has grown significantly from 8 pounds in 1970 to over 18 pounds today Americans have embraced turkey as an everyday food,
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Prices for whole turkey remain affordable compared to other special-occasion meats like beef tenderloin or rack of lamb
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Turkey provides plenty of meat for a crowd, making it well-suited to holiday gatherings with family and friends.
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Preparing the Christmas turkey is a tradition families pass down through generations, reinforcing the custom.
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The mild taste and versatility of turkey appeals to diverse palates and cooking methods.
Not Just for Christmas Anymore
While turkey consumption has gone up for Christmas, even more striking is the protein’s growth in popularity for Thanksgiving. A 2015 survey showed a mere 29% of Americans served turkey for both holidays. However, by 2021 that figure had jumped to 53% – a huge increase over a short time.
This points to turkey becoming more widely embraced as the centerpiece of both major year-end feasts. The hearty bird is now welcomed on tables for multiple special meals as opposed to being pigeonholed into a single holiday.
Regional Variations
Christmas turkey enjoys broad geographical appeal, served in over 85% of homes across all regions of the U.S. However, a few localized preferences stand out:
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In the South, succulent baked ham makes more frequent appearances as an alternative centerpiece, enjoyed by 12% of households.
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Roast beef, while rare overall, is most likely to show up in New England where 2.5% of families carry on the British tradition.
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Goose or duck maintain a tiny foothold in Midwestern households, served by 1.2% of those surveyed.
So while turkey overwhelmingly dominates coast to coast, certain areas do have higher rates of enjoying other holiday meats.
Kids Prefer White Meat
When it comes to which part of the bird ends up on people’s plates, some distinct tastes emerge:
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79% of adults go for a mix of both white and dark meat.
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12% of adults opt for dark meat only.
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9% of adults prefer white meat only.
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62% of children favor white meat compared to just 19% who like dark.
So turkey’s younger fans clearly skewer in the direction of the lean, mild breast meat. For optimal family happiness, chefs may want to carve more white meat than dark.
The Impact of COVID-19
In 2020, during the height of COVID-19 restrictions, the percentage of homes serving turkey dipped slightly to 83% as smaller gatherings became the norm. But by 2021 turkey had reclaimed its spot on 88% of Christmas dinner tables, indicating the holiday tradition proved resilient even in challenging times. People found creative ways to carry on the custom of roast turkey, if on a smaller scale.
A New Tradition in the Making?
One surprising shift over the past several years is the increase in Americans enjoying turkey for both Thanksgiving and Christmas. While once considered the domain of Thanksgiving, turkey is now increasingly embraced as a holiday staple across multiple major year-end feasts.
If current trends continue, we could see nearly 60% of households serving turkey for both holidays within the next several years. Christmas turkey may be on its way to becoming as universal as Thanksgiving turkey already is.
Turkey Still Rules the Roost
At the end of the day, among the sleighful of various holiday dishes, roast turkey remains the preferred Christmas meal for the vast majority of Americans, now even more so than in the past. Its affordability, nostalgia, and ability to feed a crowd beautifully explain its enduring status.
New traditions may arise, but turkey is poised to remain the Christmas protein of choice for generations to come. Whether basted, barbecued, or deep-fried, turkey is the festive fare that brings American families together during the most wonderful time of the year.
Other key Thanksgiving data and food statistics
Tofurky, a vegan food made of tofu, wheat, and wild rice, has been around since 1995. It is often used as a punchline in jokes about meat eaters. It sold its 6 millionth roast as shoppers prepared for Thanksgiving 2020. Tofurky’s vegan ham also experienced a 600% year-over-year sales increase for Easter 2020.
The demand for plant-based meats grew 45% in 2020 and it is now a $1. 4 billion market. The reason why sales of chilled (rather than frozen) plant-based meat grew by 2075 percent in 2020 is because of location, location, location. Products like Impossible Burgers are now stacked next to regular meats instead of being spread out in the produce section. 18% of U. S. households now purchase plant-based meat, up from 14% in 2019.
(Sources: Forbes, VegNews, Plant Based Food Association)
Of those on pie duty, 37% claim to make their Thanksgiving pies completely from scratch.
Another third of bakers say their pies are homemade, but they may use store-bought ingredients like pre-made crusts or pie filling. There are also people who buy pies from stores and don’t even try to pass them off as homemade.
In terms of region, Instacart found that people baking pies from scratch were mostly in the Northeast and Midwest. Vermont and Maine had the highest percentages of people buying the most pie ingredients compared to the national average, at 2042 and 2038 percent respectively.
The West is the most likely to buy premade pies. Hawaii is the most likely to buy premade pies versus the national average with a ratio of 32%.
(Sources: YouGovAmerica, Instacart)
Why Do We Eat……Turkey at Christmas?
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