BV West Students have been anxiously awaiting Thanksgiving break, and the five-day weekend has finally arrived. Many students are traveling to visit loved ones, going on vacation, or staying home with family, but almost all are looking forward to their family’s Thanksgiving dinner. Turkey, dressing, potatoes, and pumpkin pie are all staple dishes that are sure to be seen on student’s plates, reminding many of the first Thanksgiving dinner with the Pilgrims and Native Americans. However, the real story behind the first Thanksgiving is a bit different.

Most students know that the first Thanksgiving meal was little like the extravagant dinners people enjoy today. Although there is no record of the exact foods on the menu, historians have gathered general knowledge about the main courses and highlights of the colonists’ three-day long feast.

Turkey, a staple food for Thanksgiving meals today, was likely also popular for the first meal. Various men were sent out on a hunting trip in preparation for the feast. Turkeys were among the most plentiful fowl in America at the time, so it’s almost certain that they ended up on the dinner table as well. However, various other meats were hunted and included as well. Duck, geese, and swans could be found on the land and hunted too, so although they are foods families rarely associate with Thanksgiving today, they were foods that were likely included.

Fruits and vegetables were also plentiful, including cranberries and corn that are commonly consumed today. The local harvest also included many other crops, such as lettuce, spinach, carrots, blueberries, plums, and grapes. Since the celebration occurred at the peak of the first harvest, these foods were bountiful and virtually all crops that had been grown were served at the meal.

Thanksgiving simply wouldn’t be the same without delicious pies for dessert, but this was one resource the Pilgrims did not have like Americans do today. Butter, sugar, and flour were not available on the land, and colonists had no ovens or any way to bake a pie. However, pumpkins were eaten during this time, and could be turned into a dessert by filling a hollowed pumpkin with custard for a sweet treat.

Undoubtedly, Thanksgiving today is little like it was back in 1621 when the settlers sat down for their first celebratory feast. What does remain the same though, is the Thanksgiving spirit that makes the holiday so special. Like it was for the Pilgrims, Thanksgiving is a time for families to sit down, enjoy a meal together, and reflect on the blessings of the year. Both in 1621 and 2016, there is so much to be thankful for. Happy Thanksgiving Jags!