Your guide to buying and cooking a heritage turkey for Thanksgiving

If you eat turkey and are interested lowering your Thanksgiving foodprint — having a meal that is better for people, animals and the environment — consider getting a heritage bird. “Heritage,” similarly to “heirloom,” refers to breeds that have remained unchanged over many generations — turkeys prized for their flavor and not necessarily their size. They’re completely different from Butterball and other commercially raised turkey breeds, which have been bred to produce the maximum amount of breast meat in as short a time as possible.

Because they are genetically similar to wild turkeys and often live on smaller farms that use more humane practices, heritage turkeys tend to live better lives than those raised in the confinement of concentrated animal feeding operations (or CAFOs), which also have a detrimental environmental impact. Industrial operations often feel the need to add salt or flavor enhancements to their final product; heritage breeds, in addition to having a much smaller foodprint, also taste better.

Top photo by kolesnikovserg /Adobe Stock.