Seeing Thanksgiving through the lens of history

Sweet or savory cornbread? Stuffing in the bird or served as a side? Mashed potatoes or no? Sweet potato casserole with marshmallow or pecan topping? Your Thanksgiving meal served at lunch or dinner?

When, what, where, and how we eat is impacted by everything about us. This social meaning and value placed upon food consumption is called “food anthropology,” and it encompasses, among other things, how available food sources dictate whether we eat livermush or lobster rolls.