What the Pilgrims likely DIDN'T have to eat that are now our traditions

[debodun]

mashed potatoes
green bean casserole
pumpkin pie
sweet potatoes

They may have had turkey - wild ones - but were not the main animal source food which was probably more likely to be venison and seafood.

 

[RadishRose]

Jello fruit molds
Candied yams with marshmallows
Cream cheese stuffed celery
Olives
Tropical nuts

 

[Keesha]

Cranberry sauce
A fully stuffed turkey
Maple glazed ham
Honey glazed carrots
Gravy

Ice cream
Cake
Cookies
Candies

 

[RadishRose]

Since no one in my family ever made it, I can't consider green bean casserole to be traditional.

 

[Keesha]

Since no one in my family ever made it, I can't consider green bean casserole to be traditional. View attachment 82516

Nor I.
Lucky us.

 

[RadishRose]

I bet they had stuffing tho., and gravy from at least the venison, and carrots although unglazed. Maybe they did have maple syrup?

Nope, no stuffing. This is interesting about how it was...

https://newengland.com/today/food/s...giving/a-truly-traditional-thanksgiving-menu/

 

[Keesha]

I bet they had stuffing tho., and gravy from at least the venison, and carrots although unglazed. Mabe they did maple syrup?

Yeah maybe. They probably did figure out the maple syrup but didn’t the bread come much later.
I need to brush up on my caveman education.

 

[Lvstotrvl]

Since no one in my family ever made it, I can't consider green bean casserole to be traditional. View attachment 82516

Lucky you! I made it once years ago, my girls loved it n now make it every year!

 

[fmdog44]

As you can see below they ate better than most modern day spreads! Actually, with the life-span back then being around 0-30 what was there to be thankful for?

"According to what traditionally is known as "The First Thanksgiving," the 1621 feast between the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag at Plymouth Colony contained waterfowl, venison, ham, lobster, clams, berries, fruit, pumpkin, and squash."

 

[Lvstotrvl]

Stuffed mushrooms, a great cheese board n Cider Sangria, yummy!

 

[RadishRose]

Yes, lobsters once teemed on our shores. Later, prisoners revolted because that's all they ever got to eat was lobster. Lobsters were even tilled into gardens for fertilizer.

The English settlers exploited more than the Native Peoples.

 

[Keesha]

Somehow I missed the word pilgrims. I guess there would have been no thanksgiving otherwise.

 

[RadishRose]

They also had beans and corn= succotash

 

[Duster]

Tofu Turkey
Turduckin
Gluten free anything
Sugar free anything
Beyond Meat
Bet no whiny vegetarians showed up for dinner either.

 

[Catlady]

Tofu Turkey
Turduckin
Gluten free anything
Sugar free anything
Beyond Meat
Bet no whiny vegetarians showed up for dinner either.

I'm sure there were no vegetarians back then. Proof that we humans are still evolving. I'm a proud vegetarian, all the way back to 1984.

 

[GeorgiaXplant]

Yabbut...was that stuff keto-friendly?

 

[RadishRose]

Or low carb or gluten free or high protein or low sodium or paleo friendly or low cholesteral or green?

 

[Lc jones]

Lucky you! I made it once years ago, my girls loved it n now make it every year!

Same with our family, this year I thought about omitting it from the menu then my son asked for it so of course I’ll make it.

 

[Tommy]

Alka Seltzer

(Sorry, couldn't resist )

 

[GeorgiaXplant]

Surprised that cranberries weren't on the menu, especially in the Northeast. Surely they knew that cranberries were edible.

 

[debodun]

I saw a cartoon years ago called "Mouse on the Mayflower". A ridiculous plot, but really meant to entertain children. What made me laugh was when the Native Americans greeted the English settlers, one was carrying a bowl of tropical fruit, including a pineapple. Now where would natives in the northeastern U.S. get tropical fruit and in November?

 

[Aunt Bea]

Turkey wasn't center stage in my area until after WWII.

The farm families in the area where I grew up celebrated Thanksgiving by giving thanks for what they had been able to raise and not what they were able to go out and buy. The main dish was often some form of chicken including chicken pot pie or chicken and dumplings made from a couple of fat old hens that needed to be culled from the hen house. If it was cold enough to begin butchering then roast pork might be the main dish.

IMO Turkey on Thanksgiving was likely brought to us by the Pilgrims and Indians on Madison Avenue.

 

[CarolfromTX]

Pretty sure nothing on my Thanksgiving table resembles Pilgrim food. And why should it? It's nearly 3 centuries later. It's all pretty much symbolic anyway. Still grateful for blessings from above, and I appreciate the tradition and heritage. Happy Turkey Day, y'all!

 

[RadishRose]

Surprised that cranberries weren't on the menu, especially in the Northeast. Surely they knew that cranberries were edible.

Yes, and especially in MA. Since they had no sugar, maybe they were too sour?

 

[GeorgiaXplant]

Could be but betting they had maple syrup and molasses