Neither New York nor Miami, this is the state where most turkeys are eaten on Thanksgiving, you will never guess
Americans consume more than 40 million turkeys during Thanksgiving. Find out which state has the highest consumption.
This November 28, millions of Americans will celebrate Thanksgiving with a traditional meal, which typically features a delicious turkey and gravy as the main dish. According to the National Turkey Federation, nearly 88 percent of Americans eat turkey for Thanksgiving, while the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) reports that about 46 million turkeys are eaten on Thanksgiving Day alone.
While it is not known for certain whether the turkey was part of the first Thanksgiving feast in 1621, when New World pilgrims celebrated the harvest from that year, over time, this bird became the star of Thanksgiving. That’s thanks in part to the fact that it was one of the most abundant and easiest to obtain at the time, as well as being the ideal option to satisfy a large group of people.
Meet the state where the most turkeys are eaten on Thanksgiving
According to CBS affiliate KRCG, California is the state that consumes the most turkeys per capita on Thanksgiving Day. The Golden State is the most populous state in the entire United States, so it’s no surprise that the number of turkeys consumed here is higher than in other regions.
Despite being the state that consumes the most turkeys for Thanksgiving, surprisingly, it is not the one that produces the most. Minnesota takes that spot as the main producer of this Thanksgiving, and year round, staple in the entire United States, with 38.5 million turkeys in 2023 according to the USDA.
The Land of 10,000 Lakes is followed by North Carolina, Arkansas, Indiana and Missouri as the top five producers. These states alone produced over 60% of all turkeys in the country in 2023.
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From the farm to your table
For the typical roast turkey to reach your table, an extensive journey involving several stages is required. Once the birds leave the farms, they are transported to a processing center. Then, they are taken to a distribution warehouse, where they are responsible for taking them to retail outlets, as explained by Forbes. It is then that consumers choose the best bird to bring to their table.
Original article written by Daniela Barrera, translated with the assistance of AI and edited by Greg Heilman
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