Today’s turkey traditions, explained: How many turkeys are killed for Thanksgiving?
The United States’ fascination with the Thanksgiving turkey runs deep. The roasted, smoked or deep fried bird dons our dinner plates on the day of gratitude and appears on our TV screens during the White House’s annual pardoning tradition.
So what began America’s obsession with turkeys? And how many turkeys are killed and consumed for Thanksgiving?
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Why is turkey always eaten on Thanksgiving?
It’s common to believe that Americans eat turkey on Thanksgiving today in honor of the first Thanksgiving in 1621. That year, the pilgrims ate with Native Americans to celebrate the autumn harvest, according to History.com.
But it’s not necessarily true that turkey was served at the occasion, per The Old Farmer’s Almanac.
One journal entry from the colonist Edward Winslow referred to the party eating “wild fowl,” not specifically turkeys, per the Almanac.
Another entry from a different colonist named William Bradford does talk about wild turkeys and waterfowl being “abundant” but doesn’t say that’s what was served at the Thanksgiving Day meal, per the History of Massachusetts blog.
According to the Almanac, one thing that seemed like it was on the menu for sure that day was venison or deer, which the Native Americans brought to the feast.
Popular foods on modern Thanksgiving menus, like corn, cranberries and pumpkin, were most likely served at the first Thanksgiving, too, per History.
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How many turkeys are killed for Thanksgiving?
An estimated 46 million turkeys are eaten each year as part of Thanksgiving meals, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
That’s about 21% of the around 216.5 million turkeys produced in the U.S. each year.
What is the White House Turkey Pardon?
The White House Historical Association says that the tradition of pardoning a turkey at the White House has been happening since at least the mid-1800s, when a Rhode Island poultry dealer named Horace Vose began gifting the president a Thanksgiving turkey.
Even after Vose’s death, turkeys gifted to the president were seen as “a national symbol of good cheer,” per the association.
Now every year, the president of the United States pardons at least one Thanksgiving turkey in front of the White House.
The special turkeys for the 76th White House Turkey Pardon in 2023 come from the Minnesota-based Jennie-O Turkey Store, according to CBS News. The two turkeys will be shipped to D.C. before the ceremony around Thanksgiving time.
What happens to the pardoned turkey?
Starting in 1981 with President Ronald Reagan, it became the norm to send the pardoned turkey or turkeys to farms or zoos to live out the rest of their days, according to The White House Historical Association.
In 1989, President George H.W. Bush used the phrase “presidential pardon” while overseeing the tradition, per the association.
“But let me assure you, and this fine tom turkey, that he will not end up on anyone’s dinner table, not this guy — he’s granted a Presidential pardon as of right now — and allow him to live out his days on a children’s farm not far from here,” Bush said.
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