<P> The consumption of turkey on Thanksgiving is so ingrained in American culture that each year since 1947, the National Turkey Federation presents a live turkey to the President of the United States prior to each Thanksgiving . These turkeys were initially slaughtered and eaten for the President's Thanksgiving dinner; since 1989, the presented turkeys have typically been given a mock pardon to great fanfare and sent to a park to live out the rest of their usually short natural lives . </P> <P> Non-traditional foods other than turkey are sometimes served as the main dish for a Thanksgiving dinner . Ham is often served alongside turkey in many non-traditional households . Goose and duck, foods which were traditional European centerpieces of Christmas dinners before being displaced, are now sometimes served in place of the Thanksgiving turkey . Sometimes, fowl native to the region where the meal is taking place is used; for example, an article in Texas Monthly magazine suggested quail as the main dish for a Texan Thanksgiving feast . John Madden, who appeared on television for the NFL Thanksgiving Day game from 1981 to 2001, frequently advocated his fondness for the turducken, deboned turkey, duck and chicken nested inside each other then cooked . In a few areas of the West Coast of the United States, Dungeness crab is common as an alternate main dish, as crab season starts in early November . Similarly, Thanksgiving falls within deer hunting season in the Northeastern United States, which encourages the use of venison as a centerpiece . Vegetarians or vegans may have a tofu, wheat gluten or lentil - based substitute; or stuffed squash . In Alaskan villages, whale meat is sometimes eaten. (1) Irish immigrants have been known to have prime rib of beef as their centerpiece since beef in Ireland was once a rarity; families would save up money for this dish to signify newfound prosperity and hope . </P> <P> In the United States, a globalist approach to Thanksgiving has become common with the impact of immigration . Basic "Thanksgiving" ingredients, or the intent of the holiday, can be transformed to a variety of dishes by using flavors, techniques, and traditions from their own cuisines . Others celebrate the holiday with a variety of dishes particularly when there is a crowd to be fed, guest's tastes vary and considering the financial means available . </P> <P> Many offerings are typically served alongside the main dish--so many that, because of the amount of food, the Thanksgiving meal is sometimes served midday or early afternoon to make time for all the eating, and preparation may begin at dawn or on days prior . Copious leftovers are also common following the meal properly . </P>

Which was the main food in thanksgiving back then