The American Farm Bureau Federation annually calculates the cost of a Thanksgiving meal to serve 10 people with plenty of leftovers. This year, with a traditional Thanksgiving meal, Farm Bureau estimated a meal total of $58.08 which is a slight decrease from $61.17 last year. This is a 5% decrease in last year’s cost. The turkey price is about $1.60 per pound compared to last year which is a 6% decrease from last year due to a decrease in demand. Included in the meal is a 16-lb. turkey, bread stuffing, sweet potatoes, rolls with butter, peas, cranberries, a relish tray of carrots and celery, pumpkin pie with whipped cream, and beverages of coffee and milk. While the decline in this year’s Thanksgiving meal costs offers some relief to Americans, this year’s meal is still 19% more expensive than the pre-pandemic levels of 2019.
You can thank our American farmers and ranchers who are able to provide us the bounty of safe and affordable food. Another interesting fact about Thanksgiving is that 88% of Americans are expected to be feasting on turkey for Thanksgiving this year (National Turkey Federation). The top turkey-producing states are: Minnesota, North Carolina, Arkansas, Indiana, Missouri, Virginia, Iowa, and California. The United States is the world’s largest turkey producer and largest exporter of turkey products.
Now let’s talk trivia:
Q: Why are turkeys raised? A: Because of their excellent quality of meat and eggs
Q: What is a male turkey called? A: Tom
Q: What is a female turkey called? A: A Hen
Q: What sound do turkeys make? A: Only tom turkeys gobble; the female makes a clucking sound.
Q: How many feathers does a turkey have at maturity? A: 3,500 feathers
Q: How big was the heaviest turkey ever raised? A: 86 pounds, about the size of a large dog
Q: Which gender of turkeys are usually consumed whole? A: Hens (females) are usually sold as whole birds. Toms (males) are processed into turkey sausage, turkey franks, tenderloins, cutlets and deli meats.
Q: How long does it take a turkey to reach market size? A: Hens usually grow for 16 weeks and is 8-16 lbs. when processed while tom usually takes 19 weeks to reach market weight and weighs 24 lbs. Large toms (24-40 lbs. are a few weeks older.
Regardless of what you do this Thanksgiving, remember to be thankful for what really matters.
If you need tips or resources to help you prepare a turkey or any other food for Thanksgiving, go to Nebraska Extension’s Food Website at https://food.unl.edu/article/thanksgiving-central.
Thanksgiving Food Safety
Interesting fact, the day after Thanksgiving is the biggest food borne-illness day of the year. Nebraska Extension continues to do their part to help our clientele remain heathy and have good food safety practices. The following are from Extension Educator Cindy Brison and our Food Safety Team.
One of the most frequently asked questions around Thanksgiving is “How do I thaw a frozen turkey?”…including on Thanksgiving morning! The answer to this question is an important step in meal prep for food safety. Unsafe handling and undercooking the turkey can cause foodborne illness. For information on thawing your turkey and more: https://food.unl.edu/how-thaw-turkey
Do not wash or rinse your raw turkey! Avoid washing or rinsing a turkey (or any eggs, meat or poultry products for that matter) before cooking. Juices can transfer bacteria onto kitchen surfaces, other foods and utensils. If you must wash or rinse your turkey because of brining or other marinating processes, be sure to thoroughly clean and then sanitize all kitchen surfaces to eliminate the risk of cross-contamination. For more safety tips: https://go.unl.edu/washingturkey
Views from VanDeWalle 