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November 4, 2024 15 mins
Welcome to Beyond the Bird: Untold Stories of Thanks and Gathering. Last week we explored Thanksgiving's historical evolution. Today, we dive into the massive undertaking that brings this feast to American tables - from farm to kitchen to table, and increasingly, from smartphone to doorstep.

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Episode Transcript

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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to beyond the bird untold stories of thanks and gathering.
Last week, we explored Thanksgiving's historical evolution. Today we dive
into the massive undertaking that brings this feast to American tables.
From farm to kitchen to table, and increasingly, from smartphone
to doorstep, the American Thanksgiving food system represents one of

(00:21):
the largest coordinated food mobilizations in the world. According to FMI,
the Food Industry Association, the two weeks before Thanksgiving account
for twenty eight percent of all annual can pumpkin sales,
twenty three percent of all cranberry sales, and a staggering
thirty two percent of sweet potato purchases. These concentrated buying
patterns have forced retailers to develop increasingly sophisticated inventory management systems.

(00:45):
Walmart's supply chain data reveals that stores begin receiving their
first shipments of shelf stable Thanksgiving items in late August.
Fresh turkey orders are typically finalized by Midsummer, with farmers
making crucial decisions about flock sizes even early. The USDA's
Agricultural Marketing Service tracks how these early decisions ripple through

(01:05):
the entire food system. From feed corn prices to cold
storage capacity. The economics of Thanksgiving farming tell an important
story about American agriculture. The Census of Agriculture shows that
while the number of turkey farms has decreased by fifty
four percent since nineteen eighty, total production has increased by
one hundred and ten percent. This consolidation mirrors broader changes

(01:28):
in American farming, though some counter trends have emerged. The
American Pastured Poultry Producers Association reports a three hundred percent
increase in small scale heritage turkey producers since twenty ten,
responding to growing consumer interest in traditional breeds and farming methods.
The transformation of commercial food production has dramatically impacted how

(01:51):
Americans prepare their Thanksgiving meals. According to the Campbell Soup
Company's corporate archives, their cream of Mushroom soup became linked
to green bean casserole through an employee recipe in nineteen
fifty five. The dish's popularity tracks through decades of company
sales data, with November soup sales consistently doubling other months.

(02:11):
Ocean Spray's cooperative records show how cranberry sauce evolved from
a regional New England specialty to a national staple. Their
nineteen thirties marketing campaigns transformed cranberries from a fresh fruit
to a canned convenience product. Today, their data shows that
eighty seven percent of cranberry sales occur between October and December,
with sixty seven percent concentrated in the week before Thanksgiving

(02:35):
week alone. The frozen food industry has also shaped modern
Thanksgiving preparations. Butterball's introduction of frozen turkeys in the nineteen
fifties marked a crucial shift in how Americans planned their meals.
The National Frozen and Refrigerated Foods Association's records show that
frozen pie sales now exceed fresh pie sales by three
to one during Thanksgiving Week, while frozen vegetables account for

(02:57):
sixty percent of all Thanksgiving vegetablereppers. Restaurant industry data reveals
another significant shift in American Thanksgiving traditions. The National Restaurant
Association reports that restaurant Thanksgiving service has grown by one
hundred thirty five percent since two thousand. Their surveys show
that fourteen percent of Americans now dine out for Thanksgiving,

(03:18):
while another eighteen percent supplement home cooked meals with restaurant
prepared items. The rise of prepared food sections and grocery
stores has further altered Thanksgiving preparation patterns. Whole Food's Market
reports that their prepared foods department sees a four hundred
percent increase in sales during Thanksgiving week. The most popular
items pre made gravy, mashed potatoes, and stuffing, suggest that

(03:41):
even home cooks are adopting a hybrid approach to holiday
meal preparation. Kitchen technology has fundamentally altered how Americans approach
Thanksgiving cooking. Traditional oven manufacturers have adapted to changing cooking patterns.
General Electrics Research Division reports that their smart ovens record
longer continuous use on Thanksgiving than any other day, an

(04:02):
average of seven point eight hours compared to the typical
one point two hours. This data has influenced product development,
with newer models featuring specific holiday cooking modes and extended
use safety features. Temperature monitoring technology has transformed food safety practices.
Thermo Works, a leading thermometer manufacturer, reports that their sales
triple in November. The FDA's Food Safety Hotline data shows

(04:26):
that questions about internal cooking temperatures have decreased by forty
five percent since twenty fifteen, correlating with the widespread adoption
of digital thermometers and smartphone connected monitoring devices. Counter space
utilization has evolved to accommodate new cooking methods. The National
Kitchen and Bath Association's annual surveys show that kitchen remodels

(04:47):
increasingly include dedicated stations for holiday cooking. Their twenty twenty
three report indicates that thirty five percent of new kitchen
designs feature holiday cooking zones with additional electrical outlets and
specialized storage for seasonal cooking. Equipment. Storage solutions have adapted
to changing preparation patterns. Container store sales data shows that

(05:08):
Thanksgiving specific storage solutions, from brinding bags to leftover containers,
generate more revenue than any other holiday related products. Their
market research reveals that customers increasingly invest in specialized storage
systems designed for advanced preparation and leftover preservation. The democratization
of cooking knowledge has revolutionized how Americans learn to prepare

(05:29):
Thanksgiving meals. Food Network's viewership data shows their Thanksgiving programming
reaches forty five million viewers annually with their digital platforms
recording one hundred and twenty million recipe views in November alone.
Their analytics reveal that first time hosts typically access preparation
guides three weeks before the holiday, while experienced cooks search

(05:49):
for new variations on traditional dishes. YouTube's cooking channels have
created new forms of Thanksgiving education. According to their internal metrics,
Thanksgiving related cooking videos accumulate over three hundred million views
between October and November. Binging with Babish, a popular cooking channel,
reports that their turkey preparation video has garnered more comments
and questions than any other content, with viewers particularly engaged

(06:12):
in troubleshooting techniques. Recipe websites have transformed how Americans plan
their menus. All Recipes dot COM's data shows that their
Thanksgiving recipe traffic begins climbing in late September and peaks
the day before Thanksgiving, with mobile access accounting for eighty
two percent of last minute recipe checks. Their user behavior
analytics indicate that the average cook consults fourteen different recipes

(06:36):
before finalizing their menu. Social media has become a crucial
source of cooking guidance. Instagram reports that hashtag Thanksgiving prep
posts begin appearing in early October, with tutorial videos and
Instagram stories reaching peak engagement the week before the holiday.
Pinterest's annual report shows users begins saving Thanksgiving recipes as

(06:56):
early as August, with the platform recording over seven one
hundred and fifty million Thanksgiving related searches in twenty twenty three.
Professional culinary education has adapted to meet holiday cooking demands.
The International Culinary Center reports that their Holiday Cooking boot
Camp consistently sells out months in advance. The American Culinary

(07:17):
Federation's data shows that seventy eight percent of cooking schools
now offer specialized Thanksgiving preparation courses, ranging from traditional technique
workshops to classes focused on dietary modifications and international fusion approaches.
Dietary preferences have dramatically reshaped the Thanksgiving table. According to
Gallop Polling, forty one percent of Americans now report having

(07:40):
at least one dinner guest with specific dietary requirements. This
shift has spawned entirely new product categories and preparation methods,
with the Plant Based Foods Association reporting that sales of
meat alternatives spike two hundred and sixty seven percent in
November compared to other months. The gluten free movement has
transformed traditional sides and desserts. The National Coeliac Association's market

(08:02):
research shows that gluten free stuffing sales have increased four
hundred percent since twenty fifteen. Bob's Redmill, a major specialty
flour producer, reports that their gluten free pie crust mixed
sales triple during Thanksgiving season, while their alternative flour sales
increase one hundred and eighty percent between October and November.
Dairy alternatives have found their place in traditional recipes. According

(08:25):
to Spin's retail data, plant based milk sales increase eighty
five percent in the week before Thanksgiving. Oat milk leader
oatly reports that their heavy cream alternative, launched in twenty
twenty one, sells three hundred percent more units during Thanksgiving
season than any other time, with consumers specifically citing mashed
potatoes and pie preparations in their purchase surveys. Allergen awareness

(08:47):
has necessitated new approaches to traditional dishes. Food Allergy Research
and Education FAIR Data indicates that thirty two percent of
Thanksgiving hosts now prepare alternative versions of classic dishes to
accommodate allergies. Their research shows that tree nut allergies particularly
impact Thanksgiving preparations, with twenty eight percent of hosts reporting

(09:08):
they've modified stuffing recipes to eliminate nuts. The ketodiet movement
has created demand for low carb alternatives. Market research firm
IRI reports that sales of keto friendly baking alternatives increase
two hundred and twenty five percent before Thanksgiving. Manufacturers have responded.
Swerve Sweetener's sales data shows their sugar alternatives reach annual

(09:29):
peaks in November, with their brown sugar replacement selling particularly
well for sweet potato casserole preparations. Organic and non GMO
preferences have influenced purchasing patterns. The Organic Trade Association reports
that organic turkey sales have grown fifty percent since twenty eighteen,
while organic cranberry sales have doubled. Whole foods market data

(09:51):
shows that sixty five percent of their Thanksgiving pre orders
now specify organic ingredients, marking a significant shift in how
Americans prioritize food sourcing. Food waste during Thanksgiving has become
a major focus of both environmental organizations and budget conscious consumers.
The Natural Resources Defense Council's research shows that Americans throw

(10:12):
away approximately two hundred and ninety three million dollars worth
of uneaten turkey each Thanksgiving. Their waste audits reveal that
about thirty five percent of turkey meat purchased for the
holiday goes uneaten. Portion planning has evolved in response to
these concerns. The National Turkey Federation's consumer research indicates a
significant shift towards smaller birds, with sales of turkeys under

(10:35):
sixteen pounds increasing forty five percent since twenty eighteen. Their
data shows that hosts increasingly prefer multiple smaller turkeys over
one large bird, allowing for better portion control and reduced waste.
Storage technology has adapted to address preservation challenges. Tupperware's market
analysis reveals that their holiday leftover specific product line generates

(10:59):
forty percent of their fourth quarter revenue. The Container Store
reports that vacuum sealing systems see their highest sales in
the week before Thanksgiving, with customers citing leftover preservation as
their primary motivation. Composting awareness has grown significantly. Biocycle Magazine's
annual survey shows that municipal composting programs experience their highest

(11:21):
participation rates during the Thanksgiving season. Cities like Seattle and
San Francisco report forty percent increases in composting bin usage
during the holiday week, with food scraps from Thanksgiving preparation
forming the bulk of materials. Grocery stores have implemented waste
reduction strategies. Kroger's Zero Hunger, Zero Waste Initiative data shows

(11:43):
that their meat departments now offer more precise portion cutting
services during Thanksgiving season. Their Right Size program, which helps
customers calculate accurate portions based on guest count, has reduced
over purchasing by an estimated twenty two percent. Recipe websites
have responded to waste conscers. Food fifty two's analytics show
that searches for Thanksgiving leftover's recipes begin trending two weeks

(12:07):
before the holiday, indicating advanced planning for excess food. Their
most popular post Thanksgiving recipes focus on creative reuse of
traditional dishes, with their turkey soup and cranberry sauce recipes
receiving millions of views. The future of Thanksgiving food preparation
is being shaped by emerging technologies and changing social patterns.

(12:27):
According to the Smart Kitchen Summits industry forecasts, forty five
percent of American kitchens will feature at least one connected
cooking device by twenty twenty five. Companies like Juneoven report
that their AI powered cooking systems already assist with thousands
of Thanksgiving meals, using temperature sensors and machine learning to
perfect cooking times. Meal planning apps have transformed how younger

(12:49):
generations approach the holiday. Epicurious reports that their Thanksgiving planning
app users skew significantly younger than their general audience, with
sixty eight percent under thirty five. Their user data shows
that digital natives prefer highly structured, timeline based approaches to
meal preparation, with eighty two percent following step by step

(13:09):
scheduling features. Supply chain innovations are changing how American source ingredients.
Online grocery delivery service Instacart's data shows that Thanksgiving specific
delivery slots now book up to three weeks in advance.
Their analysis reveals that pre ordering of Thanksgiving ingredients has
increased three hundred percent since twenty nineteen, with customers citing

(13:30):
convenience and guaranteed availability as primary motivators. The rise of
ghost kitchens has created new possibilities for Thanksgiving preparation. Door
Dash reports that orders for partial Thanksgiving meals primarily sides
and desserts, increased four hundred percent between twenty twenty and
twenty twenty three. Cloud Kitchen's data shows that specialized Thanksgiving

(13:52):
preparation facilities now operate in major cities, preparing components for
home assembly. Climate change considerations are influencing future planning. The
World Resources Institute projects that traditional Thanksgiving ingredients may face
supply challenges due to changing growing seasons. Their research indicates
that farmers are already adapting by developing more climate resistant

(14:13):
varieties of traditional ingredients, while food scientists work on sustainable
alternatives Looking ahead. The Nielsen Consumer Research Group predicts that
Thanksgiving food preparation will become increasingly hybrid, combining home cooking
with prepared elements. Their surveys show that seventy two percent
of millennials and Gen Z respondents expect to mix traditional
home cooking with restaurant prepared dishes and tech assisted preparation methods.

(14:38):
As we conclude our exploration of Thanksgiving food ways, we
see a holiday that demonstrates remarkable resilience through adaptation from
traditional roasting to AI assisted cooking, from whole turkeys to
plant based alternatives, from family recipes to crowdsourced innovations. Thanksgiving
continues to evolve while maintaining its essential character as America's

(14:59):
great Feast of gratitude. Join us next week for our
final episode, where we'll explore how communities across America are
reshaping Thanksgiving traditions for future generations. This is beyond the bird,
untold stories of thanks and gathering, and this has been
a quiet Please production. Head over to Quiet Please dot
ai to hear what matters
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