Native American Wampanoag was the first to introduce turkey to the new settlers. The birds were fresh, big enough to feed a crowd, and perfect for giving thanks for the pilgrim’s first successful harvest. To this day, turkey eating is a Thanksgiving tradition and most people wouldn’t be able to imagine it any other way.

The turkey is a native bird that has lived in America long before the pilgrims arrived. Although no one really knows exactly what was on the menu during the first Thanksgiving, there are some clues. Pilgrim chronicler Edward Winslow wrote in his journal that four men were sent on a fowl hunt to prepare for the feast. The hunters may have gone out for different kinds of birds such as ducks or geese, so why is turkey the main course people have stuck to all these years?

The answer is in the taste, price, and season. Turkeys were ideal for the fall season, and they are born in spring and spent around seven months eating, then grown up to about ten pounds by Thanksgiving day. Turkeys were also cheaper than geese and chicken and much easier to raise. Holiday shoppers wanted a cheap meal that could serve their entire family. The cooking process of a turkey is easy and the result is extremely delicious. The mild taste of turkey combines easily with seasoning and it’s actually a lot healthier than other meats.

Turkey is now recognized as a great substitute for red meat, it is a nutrient-rich protein that is lower in fat and calories than many other foods within this group. The consumption of the bird has nearly doubled over the past 25 years, and it’s easy to see why when you consider the many benefits of turkey.

Many American’s first thought of Thanksgiving is a turkey, today it is a symbol of the holiday. “As an American, it’s a tradition to eat turkey on Thanksgiving. I participate in it every year,” says 8th grader Brandon Qin. “Turkey is a must, there’s no way you can get away with not eating it at some point during Thanksgiving.” It all began with the pilgrim’s thankful feast, and now Thanksgiving turkey is an American custom. Somehow over the years, this symbolic bird has been recognized as a representation of Thanksgiving, and the practice of turkey eating will continue for many more decades to come.