Thanksgiving Traditions: The Hidden Stories Behind Your Feast!
Thanksgiving Traditions & The Stories That Feed Us
What makes Thanksgiving more than a meal? There’s a lot more of the old and new traditions that, when combined, can make this celebration one you’ll remember for years to come.
In this episode of Family Tree Food & Stories, Nancy May and Sylvia Lovely explore how food, family, and traditions shape our sense of gratitude and belonging across the generations, tables, and even time zones from how to make that traditional turkey better than ever, to the most bizarre dishes of the past decades. This episode takes you behind the scenes of how some of our favorite Thanksgiving foods reveal where we came from (in past generations), where we’ve been (think wartime rationing), and those things that have become mainstay traditions, perhaps taught to you by an in-law.
Key Take Aways:
1. Gratitude: How The Legacy of Food and Friendship Lives On: Through stories of Gloria Hardy Rice and Denny Hamilton—two unforgettable women remembered through their cooking and hospitality—you’ll see how recipes and rituals can preserve memories far beyond the kitchen.
2. Strange but True: Mid-Century “Weird Dishes” Still Make it to The Table: Ever heard of bologna cake or ham and banana casserole? Nancy and Sylvia uncover these real mid-century recipes and explore what they reveal about America’s shift from fresh to processed foods—and why some trends are making a comeback.
3. Sweet Potatoes vs. Yams: The Real Difference: You’ll finally learn what separates these two Thanksgiving staples—and discover that the sweet potato actually comes from the morning glory family, not from traditional tuber potatoes.
4. Modern Twists on Classic Thanksgiving Traditions: From Friendsgiving gatherings to global recipe swaps and even new drinks and how to brine with apple cider, and even frog eye salad, this episode offers simple ways to freshen up your Thanksgiving platters.
5. The Sensory Secrets of Gratitude: You’re encouraged to notice the details—the scent of rosemary, the crisp sound of turkey skin, the warmth of laughter. It’s the simple things that make a Thanksgiving meal and day that much more memorable.
🎧 Join Us:
This Thanksgiving, we hope you’ll grab a seat at the Family Tree Food & Stories table. Listen to a few extra shows at Podcast.FamilyTreeFoodStories.com to rediscover the flavor, humor, and your own family history that makes Every Meal a Story, and Every Story a Feast!
Additional Links ❤️
- Book: My Family Tree, Food & Stories Journal Awarded #1 New Release on Amazon
- Instagram Story updates 📸
- Facebook Family Tree Food Stories GROUP👍
- TikTok: Family Tree Food Stories
- 👇Share Your Story With Nancy & Sylvia!: Leave us a voicemail
- You can send us a DM on Facebook.
- 🎧 Subscribe now and never miss a bite or a good story.
Listen on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite listening platform or visit us at: https://podcast.familytreefoodstories.com/
About Your Award-Winning Hosts: Nancy May and Sylvia Lovely are the powerhouse team behind Family Tree, Food & Stories, a member of The Food Stories Media Network, which celebrates the rich traditions and connections everyone has around food, friends, and family meals. Nancy, an award-winning business leader, author, and podcaster, and Sylvia, a visionary author, lawyer, and former CEO, combine their expertise to bring captivating stories rooted in history, heritage, and food. Together, they weave stories that blend history, tradition, and the love of food, where generations connect and share intriguing mealtime stories and kitchen foibles.
"Every Meal Has a Story and Every Story is a Feast." (tm) is a trademark of Family Tree Food & Stories podcast and the hosts.
#familytreefoodstories #familyfoodstories #familytree #familytreefood #kitchenwisdom #familyfoodtraditions #foodtraditions #budgetfriendlyfood #sustainableeating #heritagerecipes #nostalgicfood #homecookingtips #homemademeals #familymeals #potluck #casserole #friendsgiving #thanksgivingturkeyrecipes #butterballturkey #baccon #sweetpotatopie #mashedpotatoes #turkeygravey #turkeybrine #howtobrineaturkey #thanksgivingpodcast #heritagepodcast #applecider #midcenturyrecipes #grandmasrecipes
