How to Make a Fun and Easy Paper Bag Turkey Craft for Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a time to gather with family and friends, reflect on what we’re grateful for, and feast on delicious food. For many, the centerpiece of the Thanksgiving meal is a roasted turkey But if you’re looking for a fun, easy craft to get kids involved in the Thanksgiving spirit, a paper bag turkey decoration can be a great alternative to the real thing!

In this simple kid-friendly craft, a humble brown paper bag is transformed into a cute turkey that can be decorated in many creative ways. Follow the steps below to make your own paper bag turkey.

What You’ll Need

  • Brown paper lunch bags (1 per turkey)
  • Newspaper
  • Construction paper or cardstock in fall colors
  • Googly eyes
  • Feathers
  • Glue or tape
  • Scissors
  • Gel pens, markers, crayons, etc. for decorating

Instructions

  1. Fill the paper bag Start by stuffing the paper bag about 3/4 full with crumpled newspaper This will create the fat round body of your turkey,

  2. Fold and secure the top: Once stuffed, fold over the top opening of the paper bag and secure it with tape to create the turkey’s body.

  3. Make the feathers Cut out feather shapes from construction paper in fall colors like red, orange, yellow, or brown Real turkey feathers have brown barring, so consider decorating feathers with brown marker lines

  4. Personalize the feathers: Here’s the fun part – use gel pens, markers, or crayons to write words of thanks on the feathers. Kids can write what they are thankful for or grateful messages to friends and family.

  5. Attach the feathers: Glue or tape the homemade feathers to the back of the turkey’s paper bag body. Start from the center and overlap feathers going outwards.

  6. Add the head: Cut a turkey head shape out of construction paper and glue it to the top of the body. Add googly eyes for a silly touch!

  7. Get creative with extras: Use additional craft supplies like pom poms, pipe cleaners, or fall-colored tissue paper to decorate your turkey further. Add legs, feet, a beak or wattle.

And just like that, your paper bag turkey is complete! Make a whole flock of turkeys and arrange them on your Thanksgiving table, mantel, or around the house. Kids will love seeing their handmade turkeys displayed and reading the thankful messages on the feathers.

This easy paper bag turkey craft is great for preschool and elementary age kids. But people of any age can let their creativity run wild to make their own unique turkey. Other ideas for decorating or customizing your turkeys:

  • Trace kids’ hands on construction paper and use them as feathers
  • Use magazine cutouts for a collage style turkey
  • Attach candy like M&Ms or Skittles for a sweet turkey treat
  • Use glitter, sequins, or puffy paint to make your turkey sparkle
  • Write jokes instead of thankful thoughts on the feathers for laughs
  • Make turkeys with different seasonal or holiday themes

The possibilities are endless! Making paper bag turkeys is a great way to celebrate fall, Thanksgiving and the simple things we appreciate in life. Have the whole family get involved and see the individual personalities shine through in each unique turkey creation. Display your flock of turkeys prominently so their handmade charm and heartfelt messages can be enjoyed through the whole holiday season.

Frequency of Entities:

Paper bag – 14
Turkey – 19
Feathers – 6
Construction paper – 4
Gel pens – 2
Thankful/thanks – 5
Glue – 3
Tape – 2
Scissors – 1
Crumpled newspaper – 2
Googly eyes – 1
Fall colors – 2
Fold/folded – 3
Secure/securing/secured – 3
Body – 3
Head – 2
Decorating – 3
Kids – 4
Fun – 2
Easy – 2
Handmade – 2
Celebrate – 1
Holiday – 1
Season – 1
Family – 1
Friends – 1

how to make a paper bag turkey

How to Roast Turkey in a Brown Paper Bag

When I was single and living in Dallas, I invited a group of friends over for Thanksgiving dinner. The task of roasting a turkey sounded easy enough. Buy a turkey, put it in a roasting pan and pop it in the oven til done. Right? But as the day neared, I realized there was more to it than just putting the turkey in a large pan and turning on the oven. Actually, I went into full blown PANIC! Roasting a turkey?? I no idea how to roast a turkey. Clueless!

My boss at the time suggested I talk to his wife because she always made a “perfect” turkey. Lucky for me, she was gracious enough to share what she called her “embarrassingly simple” recipe, and I’ve been using it ever since. She roasted her Turkey in a Brown Paper Bag. It’s a Southern thing, she said–truth.

Roast Turkey in a Brown Paper Bag 101

Here are the basics from my original notes, circa 1985, written like the young novice I was. I remember writing all of this down as I talked to her. My thoughts on how to roast turkey in a brown paper bag were recorded afterwards I’m guessing.

While at the grocery store, don’t get too big a turkey or it won’t fit in the bag. (Get a 10-12 pounder).

Start with a big brown grocery sack from the market (ask for a clean one) and oil it. Rub every pore of it with Wesson oil or else it might burn (any vegetable oil works but not olive). MASSAGE the oil into the paper bag/sack. (And I mean MASSAGE).

Now remove all the giblets ? (innards) from the turkey. Add “Holy Trinity” (??) to the cavity (Holy Trinity = some onion, celery and carrot).

Massage REAL mayo all over bird. You don’t need to spend $$$ (on the mayonnaise). You need the fatty kind for the oil (full-fat real mayo only). Sprinkle poultry seasoning generously. (It’s easy to find at any grocery store). And some S&P.

Put bird in the bag, seam side up. Fold the bag over and staple it shut.

Roast til done, 10-15 minutes a pound (larger turkey takes the longer time).

So now you know how to roast a turkey in a brown paper bag.

What about those plastic cooking bags? I’ve heard of many Thanksgiving cooks who swear by the Reynolds cooking bag, but that seems to steam the turkey instead of roasting (the paper bag actually breathes a little air, changing the results). The Reynolds’ method works just fine, but I like the taste of the paper bag version better.

Will the bag set on fire? No, the oil keeps that from happening, but it can get a slightly smoky toward the end of roasting so turn on the vent or open a window a crack. Remember only use vegetable oil and NOT olive oil.

Aren’t there chemicals in the paper bag that are dangerous to your health? Maybe, but I’ve been roasting the turkey this way for 30 plus years, and I’m still here. And besides, there are probably chemicals in that Reynolds cooking bag or even aluminum foil, too. We won’t even talk about hot dogs. Sometimes you just have to take a leap of faith. Happy Thanksgiving, y’all.

And now for a more clearer and detailed version of her recipe for Roast Turkey in a Brown Paper Bag.

how to make a paper bag turkey

How to Make a Paper Bag Turkey | Thanksgiving Decorations | Martha Stewart

FAQ

Can you put a paper bag in the oven?

No, paper bags are not designed to be used in the standard or microwave oven. They only serve to carry and keep foods inside and outside of the fridge.

Will a turkey brown in an oven bag?

Your turkey will brown best if the bag is coated with flour. Some folks say you can flour the bag without any adhesive, but I found I can get a better coating (and browning) if I spray the bag with cooking spray, add the flour, and then shake the bag to coat.

How do you make a paper bag Turkey?

Start by printing out our paper bag turkey craft template. You’ll find it at the end of the tutorial. Then, using colored craft paper, cut out the tail feathers, along with the turkey’s waddle, beak, and eyes. You could also use googly eyes instead if you have some you like.

What kind of paper do you use to make a Turkey bag?

Brown Paper: A large sheet of brown paper will act as both the turkey’s body and will be used to create the paper bag. If you have a brown paper lunch bag, you can use that instead. Colored Craft Paper: You can use colored construction paper or the craft paper you get from the craft store.

How long do you cook a Turkey in a paper bag?

Transfer the turkey to a roasting pan. Cover the outside of the bag with additional canola oil. Place the turkey into the oven and make sure the paper bag does not touch the heating element at the top of the oven . Roast the turkey for 3 to 3-1/2 hours or until a meat thermometer registers 165°F in the breast meat.

How do you attach a red Turkey to a brown paper bag?

Secure the turkey’s beak to the bottom of the brown paper bag’s flap with glue, so half of it is hanging off. Glue the red turkey’s snood on to the top, side of the turkey’s beak. Glue or draw on the turkey’s eyes above the beak. Arrange the turkey feathers in a fan along the back side of the brown paper bag.

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