Five minutes for fun facts on this almost-Thanksgiving day in the US. Some of my favorites:
- Stuffing goes back to at least the 4th century CE.
- Potatoes are truly an American tuber; it’s grown in every 50 states.
- Corn is a flower.
- Meat pies preceded desert pies and they were called “coffins.”
- In case you need a 15th century aphrodisiac recipe: boiled peas and onions sprinkled with cinnamon, ginger, and cardamon.
- The average American eats between 3,000 and 5,000 calories at Thanksgiving dinner.
Thanks Mental Floss!
Enjoy!
Comments 4
Rachel — November 28, 2015
Corn (the part we eat) is the fruiting structure of the plant, not a flower.
Kauri — November 30, 2015
"it’s grown in every 50 states" - Where did you learn English?
Wendy calvin — January 24, 2020
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Alizea Zola — April 4, 2026
Such a fun and fascinating collection of Thanksgiving facts! I had no idea stuffing dated back that far or that meat pies were once called “coffins”—that’s wild. It’s amazing how much history and culture is tied into the foods we enjoy today. The calorie fact is definitely relatable too Thanksgiving really is all about indulging and enjoying the moment. It also got me thinking about how we track what we eat sometimes I even look up things like kfc funshots calories just to stay a bit mindful while still enjoying treats.