Sitting down to a big Thanksgiving dinner often includes turkey, stuffing, and some kind of potato recipe. Not to mention the many, many casseroles that have become Thanksgiving tradition over the years. Even if we try to add a few new recipes to our Thanksgiving dinner, we always seem to go back to the classic dishes we know and love. "Thanksgiving is not a time to tinker with tradition," Ree Drummond says. So, where did these traditions come from? And what exactly is the history behind our favorite Thanksgiving foods?
Well, here's a little Thanksgiving trivia for ya: The very first Thanksgiving back in 1621 was simply a celebration of a successful harvest. The meal shared by pilgrims and the Wampanoag tribe more than 400 years ago didn't have much in common with the national holiday that we celebrate today. In fact, it wasn't until 1870 that Congress declared Thanksgiving a holiday. So which foods were actually eaten during the first Thanksgiving? According to Smithsonian Magazine, there are two surviving documents which state that deer, wildfowl, and corn (in the form of cornbread and porridge) were eaten. Read on for more fun facts about the history of Thanksgiving food.
Mashed Potatoes
It might come as a surprise that a big, fluffy pile of buttery mashed potatoes weren't always on the Thanksgiving table. In fact, they were likely not a part of the first Thanksgiving meal at all. Some say, the creamy mashed potato dish we often find at holiday dinners was first written about in a cookbook from the mid-18th century, The Art of Cookery, written by an English author, Hannah Glasse.
Sweet Potatoes
Whether it's candied sweet potatoes, mashed sweet potatoes, or sweet potato casserole, there's no denying that the orange-fleshed tuber is a Thanksgiving favorite. In fact, sweet potatoes have been part of the American cuisine for generations and in the late 1800s, sweet potatoes were being candied or glazed to act as a Thanksgiving side. But it wasn't until 1917 when marshmallows entered the scene. According to Saveur, "the marketers of Angelus Marshmallows hired Janet McKenzie Hill, founder of the Boston Cooking School Magazine, to develop recipes for a booklet," which included a recipe for mashed sweet potatoes topped with marshmallows.
Corn
It isn't a coincidence that creamed corn and skillet cornbread are holiday staples. The origin of corn (or maize) is said to have begun in Mexico some 9,000 years ago. It's a complex history that's made its way to our Thanksgiving tables in the form of cornbread, which was originally just a mixture of ground cornmeal and water that's stirred together and baked over an open fire. As years went on, cornbread recipes began to change: "Cooks first added buttermilk and a little baking soda to help it rise. Later, eggs and baking powder made their way into many recipes," according to Serious Eats.
Turkey
A big, roast turkey is always the centerpiece of our Thanksgiving feast. And, back in 1621, wild turkeys were also likely part of the first Thanksgiving, but there were also other main dishes, like deer, duck, and goose.
Stuffing
The history of stuffing dates back long before the "first Thanksgiving" to ancient Rome! There's no specific date for when stuffing was first invented, but there is evidence of stuffing made from spelt, herbs, and vegetables in an ancient Roman document, according to Tasting Table. And while it's not clear whether or not stuffing was on the first Thanksgiving menu, it did become more popular in the 1800s.
Cranberry Sauce
Cranberry sauce is a classic Thanksgiving side dish that's easily customizable. Whether you like it with nuts, spice, or even straight out of the can, but the cranberry sauce we know today wasn't likely on the first Thanksgiving table. However, that's not to say that they didn't have cranberries! In fact, cranberries, which are native to the United States, were a big part of the Wampanoag tribe's diet. They may have been added to dishes but it wasn't until 50 years later that cranberry sauce would be cooked into a sweet sauce. And it wasn’t until 1941 that canned cranberry sauce hit the supermarkets.
Green Bean Casserole
This dish gets its start much later in history since it was first created in 1955. According to the Campbell's Soup Company, the green bean casserole was invented by an employee, Dorcas Reilly, who originally called it a "green bean bake."
Pumpkin Pie
No matter which homemade pie is your family's favorite, there's no denying that pumpkin pie is a traditional part of the Thanksgiving dinner. And pumpkins, along with other types of squashes, were available at the time of the first Thanksgiving. But they wouldn't have had the other ingredients necessary to bake them into pies. Instead, pumpkins may have been cooked in some other fashion.
Kara Zauberman is the Senior Editor of Content Strategy at The Pioneer Woman, covering stories ranging from food, lifestyle, news, and more. When she’s not writing and editing, you can find her seeking out new restaurants or cooking for friends and family.
