November 23, 2022 –
I’ve always preferred Thanksgiving over Halloween. Miniature Hershey Bars, Babe Ruth, and Tootsie Rolls stuffed into a trick-or-trick bag do not compare to turkey, dressing, gravy, and cranberry sauce on the family table.
The first thanksgiving meal goes back to 1621 when the Plymouth colonists and the Wampanoag shared an autumn harvest feast that is acknowledged today as one of the first Thanksgiving celebrations in the colonies.
This year people face Thanksgiving price sticker shock with increases in the price of turkey, potatoes, stuffing, canned pumpkin, and other staples. The U.S. government estimates food prices will be up 9.5% to 10.5% this year; historically, they’ve risen only 2% annually.
We often worry about the calorie count in a thanksgiving meal, according to estimates by the Calorie Control Council. Americans take in 3,000 to 4,500 calories at their Thanksgiving celebrations.
We all need something to be thankful for, and this year, on November 24, 2022, let us be grateful for our thanksgiving meal, be it turkey, ham, chicken, or fish. You can exchange your meal for a peanut and jelly sandwich with only 300 calories if you want fewer calories. But remember, you will need to eat something else to maintain your daily calorie needs — 2,000 calories a day for women and 2,500 for men.
Prices are up, and the bird supplies are down slightly, but one meal can get our daily collection of calories. We can be thankful; we still have food, family, friends, and a primarily optimistic future, among other blessings.