What Did Pilgrims Really Eat On Thanksgiving?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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Turkey, of course, was served (and has been the main entrée for almost 400 years). However, it was wild, not domestic, that the Pilgrims and Indians consumed. They also ate

venison

from the five deer that the Indians brought to the celebration, as well as duck and geese. Fish.

What did the probably really eat at the first Thanksgiving with Pilgrims?

What They (Likely) Did Have at the First Thanksgiving. So

venison was a major ingredient

, as well as fowl, but that likely included geese and ducks. Turkeys are a possibility, but were not a common food in that time. Pilgrims grew onions and herbs.

What did the Pilgrims eat on Thanksgiving?

  • Turkey. There’s a good chance the Pilgrims and Wampanoag did in fact eat turkey as part of that very first Thanksgiving. …
  • Mashed Potatoes. Keep dreaming. …
  • Cranberry Sauce. …
  • Corn. …
  • Pumpkin Pie. …
  • Lobster.

Did the Pilgrims eat chicken on Thanksgiving?

For meat, the Wampanoag brought deer, and

the Pilgrims provided wild “fowl

.” Strictly speaking, that “fowl” could have been turkeys, which were native to the area, but historians think it was probably ducks or geese.

What kinds of food did pilgrims eat?

During the Mayflower’s voyage, the Pilgrims’ main diet would have consisted primarily of a

cracker-like biscuit (“hard tack”)

, salt pork, dried meats including cow tongue, various pickled foods, oatmeal and other cereal grains, and fish. The primary beverage for everyone, including children, was beer.

What is the menu for a traditional Thanksgiving dinner?

A traditional Thanksgiving dinner consists of

roast turkey, turkey stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, corn, dinner rolls, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie

.

What difficulties did the Pilgrims face?

The weather was much colder than what the Pilgrims had prepared for and the first winter was devastating. The Pilgrims

struggled to build homes

, and many families crowded into the few homes that were built. Food was scarce, and many Pilgrims starved to death that first winter.

What’s the real history of Thanksgiving?

In 1621, the Plymouth colonists and Wampanoag Native Americans shared an

autumn harvest feast

that is acknowledged today as one of the first Thanksgiving celebrations in the colonies. For more than two centuries, days of thanksgiving were celebrated by individual colonies and states.

What was the food at the first Thanksgiving?

There are only two surviving documents that reference the original Thanksgiving harvest meal. They describe a feast of

freshly killed deer

, assorted wildfowl, a bounty of cod and bass, and flint, a native variety of corn harvested by the Native Americans, which was eaten as corn bread and porridge.

Did the pilgrims eat fish?

The natives dried fish and smoked shellfish, as well as ate other fish, shrimp, oysters, and crabs. So, it’s very likely that

the natives present at the first Thanksgiving provided seafood for the pilgrims to

eat.

What was missing from the first Thanksgiving feast?


Fish

.

Why you shouldn’t eat turkey on Thanksgiving?

Experts warn that a

virulent new strain of bird flu could spread to humans

. Cooking a turkey can adequately kill bacteria and viruses, but even a little of what makes you ill can lurk on cutting boards and utensils and thus spread to hands or foods that won’t be cooked.

Why is turkey the Thanksgiving bird?

Some historians say the

early settlers were inspired by the queen’s actions and roasted a turkey instead of

a goose. The wild turkey is a native bird of North America. As a result, Benjamin Franklin claimed this made the turkey a more suitable national bird for the United States than the bald eagle.

What did they drink on the Mayflower?

Due to the unsafe drinking water, passengers on the Mayflower drank

beer

as a main hydration source — each person was rationed a gallon per day. They started to run out as the ship approached Plymouth Rock.

What vegetables did the Pilgrims eat?

Indian corn was part of almost every meal in Plymouth Colony. Along with Indian corn, the Pilgrims also grew some beans, pumpkins, wheat, barley, oats and peas in their fields. In the gardens near their houses, women grew many different kinds of herbs and vegetables, like

parsley, lettuce, spinach, carrots and turnips

.

What did pilgrims bring with them?

How much food did the Pilgrims take with them on the Mayflower? The passengers brought

dried meat and fish, grains and flour, dried fruit, cheese, hard biscuits, and other foods with

them. They had to eat the food they brought until they could plant and harvest a garden.

Diane Mitchell
Author
Diane Mitchell
Diane Mitchell is an animal lover and trainer with over 15 years of experience working with a variety of animals, including dogs, cats, birds, and horses. She has worked with leading animal welfare organizations. Diane is passionate about promoting responsible pet ownership and educating pet owners on the best practices for training and caring for their furry friends.