Turkey Alternatives: Try Something Different for Thanksgiving This Year

Thanksgiving is a time of celebration. It's a time to get together with the family and enjoy the holiday season. For most people, it's also about a turkey.

Turkey, Turkey, Turkey

What's all the hullabaloo about turkey this fall for Thanksgiving? Why do we have to have a turkey? Once a year, our matriarchal or chef figure of the family has the huge burden of baking the perfect turkey, with turkey stuffing, mashed potatoes, and cranberry salad.

First, there's a trip to the local grocery store to buy a turkey. You have to try and determine how big the turkey should be, what kind is best, etc. Then, you have to cook it. For the first time housewife, or husband chef, this isn't an easy task. Have you ever been the one who burned the turkey? Or, the one who forgot to turn on the oven? Perhaps you froze the turkey ahead of time, and then forgot to thaw it in time for it to cook on Thanksgiving Day.

So, you start the process of preparing the turkey. How do you keep it moist? How do you coordinate the meal so that turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and corn all come out hot at once to serve to the guests? What a headache!

Why not try something different this year, and forget the migraine. Who ever said you have to have turkey for Thanksgiving anyway! Thanksgiving dinner is supposed to be about being thankful, so what different does it make whether turkey is served? And, if you're being thankful, why should you be killing and eating an innocent turkey?

History of the First Thanksgiving

Let's take a step back into Thanksgiving history. Did you know that turkey was not on the original Thanksgiving menu? The Thanksgiving recipe did not consist of baking and stuffing a turkey. It is believed that wild fowl and deer meat were served instead.

What this means to me is that you can really serve anything you like, and it is still a Thanksgiving dinner. All you need is the spirit of being thankful for whatever meal Thanksgiving day brings to the table. (You don't even have to spend Thanksgiving day with family. If you happen to be alone, it's okay too.)

What are some alternatives to the traditional Thanksgiving turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing and cranberry sauce?