Ham – Luke Spencer

Thanksgiving is often referred to as “turkey day”. Turkey has been a staple of Thanksgiving for a very long time, and it is portrayed in almost every commercial, advertisement, magazine article, movie or T.V. show even remotely associated with the holiday.

But has anyone ever stopped to think: Is turkey really even that good? It’s not. Unpopular opinion I know, but turkey has to be one of the most overrated foods to ever exist. I think because of its reputation as THE food to eat on Thanksgiving, turkey is put on a pedestal as this great tasting food that everyone has to eat. But what goes unnoticed is that turkey is simply tasteless. In fact, it may be the most bland food I have ever tasted.

Now you may be wondering: If turkey is so bad and overrated, then what should I eat instead? My answer is ham. It may not have the reputation or history that turkey has as a Thanksgiving staple, but ham flies under the radar as what I believe to be a great alternative to add to a plate. It simply tastes better, there’s nothing else to it. Thanksgiving is all about getting together with family, giving thanks, and eating, so why not eat the food that tastes the best? And though some will hate to hear it, ham simply tastes better than turkey. Skeptical? Try it this year. It’ll change your life.

Turkey – Avery Stuckey

When the seasons change from summer to fall I begin to think of the many things that come with this season. The leaves change colors and the weather gets colder and before you know it, it is November. This month immediately reminds me of Thanksgiving, and the stuffing, mashed potatoes, corn, casseroles, rolls, pumpkin pies and best of all turkey.

Many families enjoy changing it up, however I think keeping the tradition of turkey is the way to go. It has been around for many years which shows that it is a dependable option. Every year, my entire family gets together and helps make the turkey and without that, Thanksgiving would not feel complete. We also break the wishbone every year and whoever wins, gets a prize. These traditions are what make this holiday feel so important even though it can be easily overlooked by Halloween and Christmas. Some traditions are ok to grow away from but some just make the holiday mean more.

I will look back, years from now and remember all the traditions my family did on Thanksgiving, and hopefully pass them along for years. This is why we should stick with making turkey on Thanksgiving opposed to straying away to alternative options because they hold less value than how the holiday began many years ago.