Heads up poultry lovers, today we bring you the new list about your favorite food – 11 Countries that Consume the Most Turkey. If you’ve wanted to know who tops the turkey consumption in the world, today you’ll learn about it. Like in our previous list of countries that consume the most fish, you’ll be surprised with the winner in this list too.
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Turkey meat is healthier than chicken meat, it provides less fat, and a considerable amount of protein. Turkey specialty is always on the menu on Thanksgiving, the time when the whole family gathers to have the traditional lunch. Our research about turkey consumption has shown us that many other countries love turkey, and some even more than the US. Let’s see which ones consume the most turkey in the world. We’ve ranked the countries by the turkey consumption per person per year.
11. Chile
The picturesque country located on the long and narrow strip of land between the Andes and the Pacific Ocean, Chile, is our #11. Many ethnic groups in Chile have influenced the cuisine, making it diverse and colorful. Turkey has a notable presence in Chilean cuisine. It came to the country in the 16th century and started gaining popularity in the recent years. Annual consumption of turkey meat in Chile is 4.71 lbs per person.
10. Austria
Austrians love to eat poultry, and even though chicken was the number 1 overall poultry meat in the market, turkey recently replaced it on the dining table. Austrian cuisine is influenced by Austro-Hungarian Empire and surrounding countries, since Austria houses many immigrants. You can expect a variety of dishes made with turkey in Austria. People here consume 6.94 lbs of turkey meat a year.
9. Germany
Germany, a country with rich history and tradition, diverse population, and love for the good bite, is #9 on our list. Germans are gourmands and meat lovers. Turkey found its place on the food market since Germans started following the trend of healthy eating. Occasional replacing pork and chicken with turkey is common these days. Average German eats around 7.53 lbs of turkey meat a year.
8. Canada
Full with variations, and influenced by many cultures, Canadian cuisine showcases diversity. It might be very difficult to define the Canadian cuisine, even the prime minister shares this opinion. Thanksgiving turkey is a famous dish in here, followed by turkey sandwich. Canadians consume around 8,81 lbs of turkey meat a year.
7. Tunisia
African countries love poultry too; a blend of Mediterranean and desert culinary practices make Tunisian cuisine very interesting. Many traditional meals include exotic fruit and vegetables, different wheat products, and meat. Since every region in the country favors different types of cuisine, turkey is popular in some parts of the country more than in the others. Average consumption of turkey in Tunisia is 9 lbs per person per year.
6. Portugal
Our #7 on the list of countries that consume the most turkey is in Iberian peninsula. Portuguese cuisine is strongly influenced by Mediterranean cuisine. People in Portugal were introduced to turkey in 1930, and in recent years its consumption started rising. Nowadays turkey is popular and consumed often; stuffing the turkey seems to be a popular recipe in Portugal. Average annual consumption of turkey in Portugal is 10.58 lbs per person.
5. France
Aside cheese and wine, poultry is very popular in France. Pigeons, ducks, geese, and squabs are common poultry specialties. Turkey has a place among these poultry meals, as the common diet includes a pâté, and meals with mixed poultry, and meals with turkey. A fine dinner in France can’t start without a pâté. French people consume around 12.56 lbs of turkey meat per year, earning #6 on our list of countries that consume the most turkey.
4. Ireland
Irish cuisine comes with rich farming history, as people here have been known to live from farming. Eating habits in Ireland include stews, roasted meals, and pastry. Turkey is often consumed in Ireland, mostly stuffed, brewed, roasted, or as a product of meat industry. An average Irish guy eats around 13.88 lbs of turkey meat a year.
3. United States of America
The United States are at #3 on our list of countries that consume the most turkey. Some might find this a surprise, but looking at per-capita data, it’s true. In the US, turkey is the key ingredient of soups, and sandwiches alongside being the main course. Average consumption of turkey meat in the American diet is around 16.55 lbs a year.
2. Hungary
Hungarian Goulash is a worldwide famous meal, representing the Hungarian cuisine the most. There are thousands of varieties of this meal as you can make your own combination of meat, spices and vegetables. Turkey plays important role at Christmas in Hungary, as is commonly served as a main course for dinner. Hungarians annually consume around 19.84 lbs of turkey meat per person.
1. Israel
When you look at the turkey consumption per-capita data, Israel tops our list. It’s dumbfounding, but when you see the numbers, all gets much clearer. Cuisine in Israel is influenced by many cultures and cooking styles from Jewish and Levantine cuisines. Turkey follows chicken close by as a top poultry consumed in Israel, with schnitzel and whole roasted turkey being the most popular recipes.
With over 28,66 lbs of turkey meat consumed per person a year, Israel is the definite #1 on our list of 11 countries that consume the most turkey in the world.
