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10 Jaw-Dropping Statistics About Thanksgiving Food
The contemporary Thanksgiving menu is a far cry from what the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag tribe feasted on that historic autumn of 1621 to celebrate the colony's first successful corn harvest.
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In fact, there is only one written account of the first Thanksgiving, and turkey isn't mentioned.
And because the Pilgrims didn't have a large sugar supply, the meal probably did not include pies, cakes, and other sweet treats either.
Nearly four centuries ago, diners likely enjoyed seal, swans, venison, and duck, perhaps prepared using traditional Native American spices and cooking methods.
Eventually, however, the big meaty bird became a staple of the modern Thanksgiving dinner — along with sides dishes like mashed sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, and string beans, and desserts like pumpkin and pecan pies. And for that, we are very thankful!
The number of turkeys expected to be raised in the United States in 2010. That's down 2 percent from the number raised during 2009.
The quantity of turkey consumed by the typical American in 2007.
Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture as cited in the Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2010, Tables 212-213.
The 2010 contracted production of snap (green) beans in major snap (green) bean-producing states.
The total weight of sweet potatoes produced by major sweet-potato-producing states in 2009. North Carolina led the country (940 million pounds), followed by California (592 million pounds), and Louisiana (162 million pounds).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
The value of all pumpkins produced by major pumpkin-producing states in 2009.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
The nation's forecasted tart cherry production for 2010. That's 46 percent below 2009's forecasted total.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
The forecast for U.S. cranberry production in 2010.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Total production of pumpkins produced in major pumpkin-producing states in 2009.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
The total volume of wheat produced in the United States in 2010. North Dakota and Kansas account for 33 percent of the nation's wheat production.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
The total value of turkeys produced in the United States in 2009. Together, they weighed 7.1 billion pounds.
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