The turkey, an animal so loved by Benjamin Franklin that he wanted to make it the national bird, has lost its appeal with some modern day Americans. While Thanksgiving has remained a staple holiday for the United States, the turkey remains in the center of a bitter battle between those who love it and those who don’t.
“We have ham and steak for Thanksgiving,” senior Danielle Duncan said. “My family loves steak.”
Barbecue, vegetables and even tofu have replaced turkey, and praises of thanks are shouted at the football game on TV instead of the people surrounding it. In today’s health-conscious world of exhaustive dieting, it shouldn’t be that surprising that people are skipping out on the feast.
According to the American Council on Exercise, a non-profit fitness program, the best way to avoid gaining weight during the holidays is to balance a fitness regimen and limit caloric intake.
On the American Council of Exercise Web site, Dr. Cedric Bryant said that many people snack throughout the day. Combined with the meal, the total caloric intake for one person on Thanksgiving can reach 4,500.
While some avoid the traditional meal to avoid gaining inches, others simply want to avoid the taste. SMU senior Allison Catalani feasts on take-out barbecue with her family for their Thanksgiving meal.
“My mom will order smoked turkey for herself because she’s the only one that likes it,” Catalani said. “But the rest of us eat barbecue chicken and sausage.”
Like most Americans, Catalani says her family spends quality time huddled around the TV to watch that favorite Thanksgiving pastime: football.
“We have to eat early before the [Dallas] Cowboys play,” Catalani said, “but then after the game, we have pie… pumpkin pie is probably the only thing traditional we have.”
Sure, avid turkey lovers might think that barbecue for Thanksgiving is unconventional, but what about eating tofu in the shape of a turkey?
Senior Kristen Maynard said she wouldn’t mind trying it. Many vegetarians and health conscious people consider tofu, or bean curd, a great alternative to meat.
“My dad has been having health problems, so if tofurkey is a healthier alternative, I’m all for it,” Maynard said. “I’ve never seen a tofurkey or tasted one, but I hear it’s just like chicken!”
Amidst all of the alternative food options out there for Turkey Day, the majority of Americans still love carving into that Thanksgiving bird. Six hundred seventy-five million pounds of turkey are eaten each year on Thanksgiving alone. The turkey is such a huge part of the national holiday that since 1947, the National Turkey Foundation has given three turkeys to the president; one live and two dressed. The president then pardons the live turkey and sends it to live on a historical farm.
For many people, Thanksgiving is a coveted day that allows Americans to be surrounded by family and gorge on such specialties as
pumpkin pie, sweet potatoes, cranberry jelly, stuffing and turkey.
“I got our turkey recipe out of Harper’s Bazaar,” senior Annie Byerley said. “It’s Carolina Herrera’s recipe.”
Turkey lovers know there is a lot of time and dedication put into making that succulent bird fit for a feast. For heavy cookers, the preparation of the traditional Thanksgiving meal can start many days in advance.
“I have to marinate my turkey for at least a day,” Byerley said.
Then sometime while the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade floats down the streets of New York City, the decision to put the turkey into the oven has to be made.
“Every year I think about how I have to put it in the oven earlier, but it obviously never happens,” she said.
While the Pilgrims and Indians might grimace at the thought of Americans celebrating the anniversary of abundance with bean curd and broccoli, at least Thanksgiving remains a day for family togetherness and sharing thanks.
“In the end it’s about having great food with the people you love,” Byerley said.
