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. Advertisement
Thanksgiving is a beloved American holiday centered around food, family, and gratitude. The most iconic part of the Thanksgiving meal is undoubtedly the turkey. But have you ever wondered just how much turkey is consumed on this food-focused holiday? The numbers are pretty staggering!
Around 46 Million Turkeys Eaten Each Thanksgiving
According to the U.S Department of Agriculture, approximately 46 million turkeys are eaten each Thanksgiving That’s a huge number of birds! To put that into perspective, 46 million turkeys would be enough to feed the entire populations of countries like Spain, Argentina, or South Korea.
With over 300 million people living in the United States, 46 million turkeys works out to about one turkey eaten for every 6-7 people celebrating Thanksgiving. Even if we adjust for vegetarians and people who opt for non-turkey main courses, that’s still a lot of birds on the holiday table.
21% of Annual U.S. Turkey Production Consumed on One Day
The 46 million Thanksgiving turkeys represent around 21% of the 216.5 million turkeys produced annually in the United States. Turkey producers ramp up production in anticipation of the holiday each year. But the fact that over one-fifth of a whole year’s turkeys are eaten on just one day is still an eye-popping statistic.
To meet the spike in demand, turkey farms and processing plants have to run at full tilt in October and November. Heavy planning, coordination, and labor go into making sure all those turkeys are raised, processed, and shipped out for Thanksgiving meals.
The Average Turkey Weight on Thanksgiving
Grocery store frozen turkeys usually range from 8 to 24 pounds. The Wall Street Journal reports that the average commercial turkey bought for Thanksgiving weighs a little over 30 pounds.
At this weight, 46 million turkeys works out to about 1.4 billion pounds of turkey meat eaten on Thanksgiving Day. That’s over 3 pounds of turkey consumed per American during the holiday.
Per Capita Turkey Consumption
Speaking of per capita turkey consumption, the National Turkey Federation estimates that 88% of Americans eat turkey on Thanksgiving. That works out to around 41 million people.
When you divide the total weight of Thanksgiving turkeys (1.4 billion pounds) by the number of turkey-eating Americans, each person consumes an average of over 4 pounds of turkey meat on Thanksgiving Day!
Of course, household turkey consumption varies widely depending on the number of guests. But any way you slice it, Americans eat a whole lot of turkey on the holiday.
Calorie Bomb: 3,000 to 4,500 Calories Consumed at Thanksgiving
All that turkey, plus mounds of side dishes and plenty of dessert, adds up to a huge calorie load on Thanksgiving. It’s estimated that the average American consumes between 3,000 and 4,500 calories over the course of the holiday meal. That’s equivalent to around 2 to 3 days’ worth of calories in one feast!
To burn off just a single plate containing turkey, stuffing, potatoes, veggies, cranberries, and pie, you’d need to walk about 8 miles. With portions this size, it’s no wonder that many Americans feel the need to loosen their belts after a Thanksgiving meal!
Pump Up the Cranberry Sauce: How Much Is Consumed?
Turkey may take center stage at Thanksgiving, but cranberry sauce is an indispensable supporting player. Approximately 80 million pounds of cranberries are eaten over the Thanksgiving holiday.
Much of this is in the form of jellied cranberry sauce. Around 5 million gallons of the jiggling, wiggling stuff are sold each Thanksgiving season – enough to fill nearly 8 Olympic swimming pools. Love it or hate it, cranberry sauce is clearly a big part of the traditional Turkey Day menu.
Mashed Potatoes for Millions
What would Thanksgiving dinner be without a hearty helping of mashed potatoes? Americans purchase 214 million pounds of potatoes to prepare mashed, roasted, and other potato dishes to accompany their holiday bird.
In addition, another 50 million pounds of sweet potatoes and 3 million pounds of ready-made mashed potatoes are sold for Thanksgiving. When you’re serving up turkey for 46 million, you better make sure you’ve got the potatoes to go along with it!
19 Million Thanksgiving Pies
No Thanksgiving meal is complete without pie for dessert! Pumpkin pie may be the hands-down favorite, but pecan, apple, and other fruit pies are also popular options. Around 19 million store-bought pies are sold in preparation for the big day.
Between 46 million turkeys and 19 million pies, you can start to comprehend the sheer scale of food that’s purchased, prepared, and consumed each Thanksgiving. It’s no wonder the holiday has become synonymous with overindulgence!
Thanksgiving Calorie Bomb Doesn’t Lead to Weight Gain
Despite the massive amount of calories consumed during the Thanksgiving feast, research shows that holiday weight gain is quite small. One study found that people gain only about 0.8 pounds over the entire winter holiday season.
This is partly because people tend to eat lighter meals before and after a big holiday feast. Our bodies also ramp up metabolism to help burn through a calorie surplus. So don’t skip Thanksgiving dinner for fear of gaining weight – just focus on getting back to healthy habits in the days that follow!
Turkey for All: A Quintessential American Holiday
However you celebrate – whether gathering with extended family or friendsgiving with close pals – Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on life’s blessings. And what better way to celebrate than by indulging in America’s favorite bird: turkey!
With 46 million turkeys fueling festive feasts each year, Thanksgiving has cemented its reputation as one of the most food-focused holidays. From turkeys to mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie, and cranberry sauce, these iconic dishes unite Americans in celebration and gratitude. So bring on the turkey – and pass the gravy!
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. Advertisement
Americans consume 80 million pounds of cranberries during Thanksgiving, including 5,062,500 gallons of jellied cranberry — enough to fill nearly eight Olympic-sized swimming pools.
Cranberry sauce might not be everybodys favorite side, but Americans still consume 80 million pounds of the fruit during the Thanksgiving holiday, according to the Agricultural Marketing Resource Center.
Much of that is in jellied form, with Thanksgiving feasters purchasing over 5 million gallons worth of jellied cranberry sauce, according to cranberry agricultural cooperative Ocean Spray. Advertisement
How much food is consumed on Thanksgiving?
FAQ
How many turkeys are eaten on Thanksgiving Day?
How much turkey is sold for Thanksgiving?
How much turkey does one person eat on Thanksgiving?
Which state consumes the most turkeys on Thanksgiving Day?
How many turkeys are eaten on Thanksgiving?
Per the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), this translates to more than 46 million turkeys eaten on Thanksgiving. That’s a lot of birds. The USDA also notes that the United States produced more than 5 billion pounds of turkey last year, with more than 4.8 billion pounds of that meat being consumed domestically.
How many turkeys do we eat a year?
All that may sound like a lot, but as it turns out, we’re a turkey-loving nation the rest of the year, too. More than 226 million turkeys were consumed in the United States in 2010; the 46 million Thanksgiving birds represent just one-fifth of that total. We also ate 22 million at Christmas and 19 million at Easter.
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.
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. All that may sound like a lot, but as it turns out, we’re a turkey-loving nation the rest of the year, too.