Thanksgiving Foods
What poultry company offers a "Turkey Talk-Line" where you can call or text your questions about your Thanksgiving meal?
Butterball (1-800-288-8372 calls, 844-877-3456 text)
In the past, pardoned turkeys have been given another job. What is it?
From 2005 to 2009, pardoned turkeys were sent to Walt Disney World or Disneyland to serve as the honorary grand marshals of Disney’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Which Founding Father wanted the national bird to be a turkey?
Benjamin Franklin thought the turkey was a “much more respectable bird,” thank a bald eagle and in a letter to his daughter, he wrote that the bald eagle was “a bird of bad moral character.”
True or false: There were more Native Americans at the first Thanksgiving than colonists.
There were 24 male colonists, 5 female colonists and 24 children at the first Thanksgiving. By contrast, there were at least 90 Native Americans taking part in the celebration.
What type of food which was NOT served at the first Thanksgiving? Apple pie, pumpkin or seafood?
apple pie
What amino acid found in turkey supports the production of melatonin -- and could make you feel sleepy after dinner?
Tryptophan (Although many nutritionists say it's actually tied to how much food you eat, not necessarily what you eat.)
What key has legs and can't open a door?
A Turkey
What is the most popular main dish at the Thanksgiving table?
Turkey! According to the National Turkey Federation, around 88% of Americans enjoy turkey as part of their holiday feast each year. That adds up to over 46 million turkeys, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
What department store hosts a parade in New York City every Thanksgiving?
Macy's
Breaking the wishbone is a tradition started by which ancient civilization?
Be
The Romans believed that the wishbone was a symbol of luck that could predict the future. Today, two people pull the ends of the wishbone, and the person who gets the larger piece is said to have their wish granted.
Abraham Lincoln pardoned the first turkey -- not for Thanksgiving, but for which holiday?
The presidential turkey pardon can be traced back to 1863, when Abraham Lincoln granted clemency to a live turkey intended for his family’s Christmas dinner.
Which U.S. city is the most popular destination on Thanksgiving?
Orlando, FL
Turducken, or three-bird-roast, was invented in which southern state?
Louisiana. Chef Paul Prudhomme is believed to have invented the dish and served it at his New Orleans restaurant, K-Paul’s Louisiana Kitchen.
Why did they let the turkey join the band?
Because he had his own drumsticks
What is the most popular pie on Thanksgiving tables?
Pumpkin -- over 50 million are eaten on Thanksgiving, according to Reader's Digest.
Which president made Thanksgiving a permanent national holiday?
Abraham Lincoln
Meleagris gallopavo is the American wild turkey's zoological name. What two birds are included in this rough translation?
Chicken Peacock
Approximately how many passengers were on the Mayflower? 50, 100 or 500?
100 (102 total passengers)
During the days leading up to Thanksgiving, which is the busiest for grocery stores?
It’s been estimated that ten percent of people wait until the day before Thanksgiving to get their grocery shopping done. But the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, rather than the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, is the single busiest shopping day of the year for grocery stores, according to thefactfile.org.
True or false: A town once postponed Thanksgiving because of a lack of pumpkin pie.
True!
In 1705, the townspeople of Colchester, Connecticut, elected to postpone the holiday because fowl (ha!) weather had interfered with their molasses shipment. Without molasses, they couldn’t make pumpkin pie.
What happened to the turkey that got in a fight?
He got the stuffing knocked out of him!
What animal was President Calvin Coolidge gifted to eat for his Thanksgiving meal?
A raccoon. In November 1926, Vinnie Joyce from Nitta Yuma, Mississippi, sent President Coolidge a live raccoon to serve for Thanksgiving dinner. But instead of putting it on the menu, Coolidge adopted the it and named it Rebecca!
The oldest documented turkey trot still takes place every year in which city?
Buffalo, New York
While pumpkin pie is the most consumed dessert on Thanksgiving, which type of pie is America's favorite?
Apple
How long was the Mayflower’s voyage from England to America? 40 days, 66 days or 125 days?
66 days
Approximately how many calories does the average American consume on Thanksgiving -- 2,500; 3,500 or 4,500?
According to the US Calorie Control Council (CCC), an average American may consume 4,500 calories and 229 grams of fat on Thanksgiving Day. (The recommended daily caloric intake for an average person is 2,000 per day.)
Black Friday -- the day after Thanksgiving -- is traditionally a busy day for this group of tradespeople.
Plumbers. According to Reader's Digest, enough people clog their sinks and garbage disposals on Thanksgiving to make it the busiest day of the year!
What do you call a running turkey?
Fast Food
Which state produces the most cranberries?
Wisconsin
Which two NFL teams traditionally host games on Thanksgiving Day?
Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys
What "horn of plenty" symbolizes abundance and nourishment?
Originating from Latin “cornu” (horn) and “copia” (plenty), the cornucopia is rooted in ancient Greek and Roman mythology.
Which U.S. president did not recognize Thanksgiving as a holiday?
Thomas Jefferson refused to declare a Thanksgiving proclamation. Since previous presidents had declared Thanksgiving to be a day of fasting, prayer and gratitude, Jefferson felt the holiday inappropriately crossed the boundary separating church and state.
It takes an average of 9.6 hours for a host to prepare a full Thanksgiving meal. How much time is spent eating that meal?
16 minutes
What well-known song that is usually sung around the holidays was actually written for Thanksgiving?
James Lord Pierpont reportedly wrote “Jingle Bells” so it could be performed by his father’s Sunday school class on Thanksgiving. The lyrics do not mention Christmas at all.
What did the turkey say to the computer?
Google, google.
Which Founding Father once proclaimed, “No citizen of the U.S. shall refrain from turkey on Thanksgiving Day”?
Alexander Hamilton
Which U.S. president was the first to "officially" pardon a Thanksgiving turkey making it an annual event?
George H.W. Bush. In 1989 he "presented a Presidential pardon" to a "fine tom turkey." Presidents John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan as well as First Ladies Pat Nixon and Rosalynn Carter all spared turkeys, but it was the first Bush who formalized the process.
How many American towns are named "Turkey?"
Four -- they can be found in Arizona, Louisiana, North Carolina, and Texas.
How many days did the first Thanksgiving last?
3 days
Americans purchase 77 million pounds of this protein during Thanksgiving week, making it the second most popular main dish.
Ham
What other country has citizens who also celebrate American Thanksgiving?
On Norfolk Island, Australia, they’ve been marking the holiday since the late 1800s, thanks to American ships that brought the tradition with them. However, they celebrate on the last Wednesday of November.
What kind of weather does a turkey like?
Fowl Weather