What Do You Do If You Can't Find A Turkey For Thanksgiving?
@danishcanadian (28953)
Canada
November 26, 2009 8:42pm CST
I'm Canadian, and my husband's American. Canadians celebrate in October, Americans celebrate in November. So tonight, Nov 26, 09, was American Thanksgiving, and not a turkey to be found in Canadian stores. I came up with the bright idea to order Festive Specials from Swiss Chalet, a really awsome restaurant here in Canada that specializes in the best chicken I've ever had. The festive special is chicken, dressing, cranberries, mashed potatoes (or another vegetable), gravy, and a bun. I thought that was a nice alternative, and surprised my American husband with that.
One Christmas in the USA when we dind't feel like cooking a turkey for two people we had Cornish game hens. They were delicious!!!
So, if you coudln't get a turkey for some reason, what would you do?
6 people like this
23 responses
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
30 Nov 09
My family Never has turkey. We prefer roasted chicken. That's when we go traditional. For the past decade we have had either pizza, fried chicken , or Chinese food for thanks givining. Thanksgiving means football games so we don't do the sut down, formal turkey dinner thing.
1 person likes this
@scarlet_woman (23463)
• United States
29 Nov 09
um..i'd probably get a ham.they're pretty interchangeable on christmas and thanksgiving,tho more likely for christmas.
never had game hens,i've heard they're not bad..
@coffeebreak (17798)
• United States
28 Nov 09
I wouldn't sweat it. Granted it it is a tradition but when it gets to be a horendous task.. maybe it is time to start your new tradition. We all prefer ham! My brother brought a huge turkey.. the white meat went, the rest didn't. My son brought a huge ham...everyone went back for seconds and asked to take some home. I made mac and cheese (mainly for the kids) and a hot potatoe salad, and no one hardly touched the mashed potatoes! So I am all for making what everyone wants.. instead of just what tradition says it should be. At least in this case!
1 person likes this
@sblossom (2168)
•
28 Nov 09
basically i don't thinkit will happen.the turkey is essential food for people during the thanksgving so the sellers already have huge load to sell.
we always buy our turkey for xmas at the last minute because it's cheapest. i don't mind if i can't have turkey because i prefer steak.
festival seems a time killer machine, i found every culture has complicated food for their festival. 1 person likes this
@TrvlArrngr (4045)
• United States
28 Nov 09
I would probably make a ham, roast beef, or tray of lasagne
1 person likes this
@Lindalinda (4111)
• Canada
27 Nov 09
Really, I am Canadian too and live not too far from the town where you live. I don't know where you looked for a turkey but if you have No Frills, President's choice, Sobeys or Loblaws in your town there are frozen turkeys to be had all year round. You can also order fresh turkeys a few days before an event if you still have a butcher shop in your town.
Cornish game hens are also delicious. I actually prefer them to turkey. Again they are avalable all year round in the freezers of the above mentioned stores.
Swiss Chalet festive special is one of my favorites at this time of the year. I make a point of going there at least once between now and the new year.
1 person likes this
@anne25penn (3305)
• Philippines
27 Nov 09
We don't really celebrate Thanksgiving but I can see turkeys in the deli/frozen section of my supermarket. My mom and I are thinking of buying a turkey for Christmas so that it will be different this year. We always have roasted chicken, by the way.
@sweetlady10 (3611)
• United States
28 Nov 09
For tow people I would always prefer to cook chicken rather than turkey, does not matter if its thanksgiving or not; because turkey is too big for tow people. But this thanksgiving we had turkey as we did the party with friends.
I am glad that you could find the alternative for your thanksgiving dinner.
1 person likes this
@ersmommy1 (12588)
• United States
27 Nov 09
Chicken sounds like a fantastic alternative. I would do something similar, or make something to that effect. We usually eat ham for the Christmas feast. Sounds like a good meal, hope your hubby enjoyed it.
1 person likes this
@nicholejade (2430)
• Canada
27 Nov 09
My family does the whole Turkey thing and they always have one too. However my fiance's family uses chickens. With usually four to six people it usually works out great since some chickens are smaller than a turkey. We have also done ham instead of turkeys.
It's quite funny to see that Canada had no Turkeys since it is American Thanksgiving. Maybe they came up and bought them all out.
@jahernandezrivas (11288)
• United States
27 Nov 09
I had chicken because I couldn't get a turkey but with all the sides as well it was okay!Happy Holidays to you!
@madteaparty (2748)
• Japan
28 Nov 09
I don't like turkey meat, and in my country we don't have that celebration, so I can't tell what "I would do". Anyways, if you can't find a shop that will sell turkey, have you tried replacing it with chicken? The taste is way better and I think it can be one of the best replacements :)
1 person likes this
@Qaeyious (2357)
• United States
27 Nov 09
Did you know that Cornish game hens are just chickens four to six weeks old that were bred from the Cornish chicken? In the US they are usually cross-bred with the Plymouth Rock chicken.
I had a totally unconventional Thanksgiving today, with a jambalaya fettuccine and a poached apple parfait for desert.
I had goose once when I was a child. I would like to try that one of these days again. But I don't recall ever seeing a goose for sale in any supermarket. I would probably have to go to some specialty store somewhere. Or go direct to a farmer.
1 person likes this
@ladym33 (10979)
• United States
27 Nov 09
I would probably do chicken if I could not get a turkey. In fact I have had chicken on Thanksgiving before. We moved in to our house on Thanksgiving Day 12 years ago. Since all of our stuff was basically packed we ended up eating Kentucky Fried chicken on paper plates on the floor that year. I think cornish hens are a perfect alternative as well, my husband really likes ham so we might have that too.
1 person likes this
@mariposaman (2959)
• Canada
27 Nov 09
You are making me hungry too. Thanksgiving is a time to give thanks for what we have, not a time to follow rigid rules.
Personally I find turkeys, while delicious, require a lot of work to cook, unless you get one of those you cook from frozen types, or a fresh turkey, but still a lot of work.
I think what you did was a good idea and might start a new tradition in your family. Swiss Chalet chicken is delicious and the only thing missing from your list for me would be a garden salad.
I am Canadian too and am sad you did not invite me.
I find a November Thanksgiving too close to Christmas, a major meal celebration, then one month later another.
I find a November Thanksgiving too close to Christmas, a major meal celebration, then one month later another. 1 person likes this
@sherry_xue (29)
• China
27 Nov 09
Thanksgiving in our country,but I still wish you a happy Thanksgiving.
1 person likes this
