BUFFALO, N.Y. — Thanksgiving Day is just a couple days away and we know you have questions. We scoured the internet looking for the most asked questions and found the answers for you.
When should be begin thawing your turkey?
The folks at Butterball say if you are thawing out your Turkey in the refrigerator that you should allow at least one day for every four pounds of turkey. Be sure to keep it in its original wrapper and on a tray to collect any juice's that may seep out. They also say you should cook your turkey within four days of thawing.
If you're thawing your turkey using the cold water thawing process, you should thaw the turkey in an unopened wrapper with cold water covering the turkey completely. They suggest changing the water every 30 minutes. They say it should take 30 minutes for every pound of turkey to thaw.
Butterball has specific instructions on how to cook your turkey and check for doneness depending on which method you use. You can find all the information here:https://www.butterball.com/how-to.
What are the top trending Thanksgiving dishes?
According to Google Trends in the past week, the most searched side dishes are:
Green bean casserole
Sweet potato casserole
Cranberry sauce
Mashed potato
Stuffing
Other top questions about Thanksgiving people are asking:
How many pounds of potatoes per person for Thanksgiving?
- The Food Network says to plan for 1/3 to 1/2 pound potatoes per person for your Thanksgiving meal.
When did Thanksgiving become a national holiday?
- Sarah Josepha Hale, the editor of Godey’s Lady’s Book, had campaigned for a national Thanksgiving Day to promote unity, according to encyclopedia Britannica. On October 3, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national day of Thanksgiving to be celebrated on Thursday, November 26. Other presidents followed, marking the day on the last Thursday of every November.
Why do we eat turkey on Thanksgiving?
- The first Thanksgiving between the Pilgrims and Wampanoag people was in late 1621. While there is no official record of what was eaten on for meal, it is noted that the Pilgrims brought some type of fowl and the Wampanoag people brought deer. So why do we eat turkey? According to Brittanica, turkey became a popular dish to serve at the turn of the 19th century. Historians say during that time, turkeys were plentiful and mainly raised for their meat.
What to watch on Thanksgiving Day
- The 97th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade will air on NBC and Channel 2 beginning at 9am EST.
- Another Thanksgiving television tradition is The National Dog Show, which airs on NBC and Channel 2 at 12pm EST.
- What's Thanksgiving without football? The San Francisco 49ers will take on Seattle Seahawks. Coverage begins at 8pm EST on NBC and Channel 2.
What stores are open on Thanksgiving Day?
- Big Lots
- CVS
- Walgreens
- Whole Foods
- Tops Friendly Markets (stores will be open until 4pm on Thanksgiving and reopen at 6am on Friday)
- Wegmans (stores will be open until 4pm on Thanksgiving and reopen at 6am on Friday)
What stores are closed on Thanksgiving?
- Aldi
- Bath & Body Works
- BJ's Wholesale Club
- Best Buy
- Costco
- Dick's Sporting Goods
- Home Depot
- JCPenney
- Kohl's
- Lowe's
- Macy's
- Michael's
- Nordstrom
- Petco
- Sam's Club
- Target
- Trader Joe's
- Walmart
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