A Step-By-Step Guide to Choosing the Perfect Thanksgiving Turkey

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What Type?

There are a ton of different varieties of turkeys to choose from, maybe more than you even realized existed. Other than the standard supermarket turkey, some of the most popular labels you might find on turkeys are the following:

Natural, which means it has been processed minimally and contains no artificial ingredients. These are best eaten within a few days of their purchase, as it's better to chill them rather than freeze them. They will likely be a bit more expensive than the standard turkey.

Organic, which by law must contain at least 95% organic products. That means the birds were not given any growth hormones or contaminated with pesticides and were fed real grains. The taste is usually better, but it's also more expensive.

Heritage are the most expensive option out there, but they can be some of the best. And since more than 99% of turkeys at stores are of one single breed, buying these rare breeds of turkeys can also help encourage more diversity in the market and support smaller farmers.