When the Pilgrims first arrived in the New World, their survival seemed unlikely at times. Disease, sicknesses and a lack of food, among other factors, contributed to the death of many of the initial settlers. After learning from and cooperating with the Wampanoag Indians, the Plymouth colonists celebrated what some people consider the first Thanksgiving; however, the tradition of giving thanks for a bountiful harvest is an old one among Indian tribes in America, and there is some evidence that other settlements held a similar celebration, but the Plymouth Thanksgiving remains the best known of any colonial celebration.
The First Thanksgiving Meal
Many people associate Thanksgiving with turkey, mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie; however, historians indicate that it is very unlikely that the settlers were eating the kind of Thanksgiving feast one would expect to see today. Their meals were much heavier in meat and game, and there were fewer vegetables. While their food would appear to be unhealthily high in fat, the amount of fat and protein eaten by the settlers would have contributed to their overall health as they attempted to survive the winter.
What the Pilgrims Ate for Thanksgiving
The only foods actually mentioned in any records of the 1621 Thanksgiving feast were venison (deer meat) and fowl. However, the settlers probably would have also had seafood such as lobster and cod; birds such as swans and ducks in addition to turkey vegetables like pumpkins, turnips, peas, onions and beans; nuts; fruits like plum and grapes; and various spices and seasonings.
Baking sweet desserts would not have been an option for the first Thanksgiving, either. The supplies of sugar brought by the Pilgrims would have been gone or nearly gone by the time the 1621 feast took place, and there were no ovens available to the settlers for baking breads or pies.
While their meal may have shared some similarities, with modern Thanksgiving menus, the celebration itself lasted for three days according to some records of the event. (Source: Plymouth Colony Archive Project)
Thanksgiving Table Manners in 1621
The Pilgrims, sharing the bounty of their harvest with the food provided by Wampanoag Indians, did not have the table etiquette that is normally expected at a large gathering. Forks were not used, and the tablecloth served as a napkin and a tool for picking up hot morsels of food, rather than keeping the table from getting dirty.
Social rank was determined by the proximity of an individual to the best food; people generally did not pass plates around the table, but instead ate what was closest to their seat. (Source: Thanksgiving History)
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