The Ultimate Thanksgiving Menu featuring Canada’s Best Chefs

Warm up your ovens, because today is Thanksgiving!

We’re not early: we’re just on Canada’s clock. While the second Monday of October marks Indigenous Peoples Day in the U.S., for our neighbors to the north, it is Thanksgiving. 

In light of these 2 holidays, we would like to take a moment to not only give thanks with good food, but also reflect on how Thanksgiving came to be. 

The History of Thanksgiving

Despite Thanksgiving being a popular U.S. holiday, the pilgrims were not the first to celebrate. Rather,  “Indigenous peoples in Canada have a history of celebrating the fall harvest that predates the arrival of European settlers” (Canadian Encyclopedia).

“October is traditionally when some of our communities would plant the “Three Sisters” (corn, beans, & squash) for next year’s bounty,” explains Dawn Tabobondung, the CEO of First Nation Growers.

Dawn continues, “Many tribes would hold large harvest Pow Wows as a final opportunity to be together before hunkering down for the long winter, a chance for storytelling and passing down our oral tradition.”

If you choose to celebrate the fall harvest today, think about the history of the holiday. Here are some articles to help you do so, from Smithsonian Magazine and Oyate.org. Further, support Indigenous Authors with #NativeReads: Great Books from Indigenous Communities.

A Canadian Thanksgiving Menu

Without further ado, let’s get cooking. Enjoy these specialty Canadian Thanksgiving dishes, concocted by a couple of our favorite female chefs in the Great North! 🍁

Drinks

Sides

Main Courses

 

Sauce & Soup

Dessert

 

Leftovers