Unpacking the Feast: Why Do People Eat a Lot on Thanksgiving?

December 28, 2025 •

5 min read

Thanksgiving is the single largest eating event in the United States by retail food sales, and the reasons for the widespread overindulgence are complex. It's not just about the delicious food; a combination of tradition, psychology, and physiological responses explains why people eat a lot on Thanksgiving.

Quick Summary

This article explores the confluence of social, psychological, and physiological factors that contribute to holiday overeating. An abundance of rich food, disrupted routines, emotional triggers, and social dynamics all play a significant role in how much is consumed.

Key Points

Social Facilitation: We tend to eat more when dining in groups, as social norms influence our behavior and portion sizes.
Emotional Triggers: Thanksgiving can bring both joy and stress, and food is often used as a way to cope with or celebrate these feelings.
Physiological Response to Rich Foods: The high fat, sugar, and salt content in holiday dishes triggers our brain's reward system, making it hard to stop eating.
The 'Food Coma' Myth and Reality: While turkey isn't the main culprit, the large quantity of high-carb foods does cause a physiological response known as postprandial somnolence, or 'food coma'.
Disrupted Routines: Changing normal meal schedules and the 'last supper' mentality can lead to mindlessly consuming larger amounts of food.
Mindful Strategies: Focusing on favorite dishes, slowing down while eating, and prioritizing the social aspect can help prevent overindulgence.
Historical Tradition: The massive holiday feast is a modern tradition, mythologized over centuries and ingrained in our cultural identity.

A Perfect Storm of Food and Feelings

Thanksgiving dinner is more than just a meal; it's a cultural phenomenon that encourages and normalizes overeating. The holiday sets the stage for a perfect storm of factors that work together to push us past our normal limits. From the rich, carbohydrate-heavy foods to the social pressure and emotional associations, understanding these triggers is the first step toward a more mindful approach to the holiday.

The Physiological Factors at Play

Our bodies react predictably to the type and quantity of food we consume on Thanksgiving. The traditional holiday feast is not a typical meal, and our digestive system and brain respond accordingly.

The Power of Palatability: Thanksgiving tables are laden with a variety of highly palatable, energy-dense foods rich in a combination of fat, sugar, and salt. This specific combination is especially rewarding to the brain, stimulating pleasure centers and making it difficult to stop eating, even when physically full. The sheer variety also encourages us to keep eating, as we want to sample a little of everything.
The Tryptophan and Carb Connection: Turkey contains the amino acid tryptophan, a precursor to serotonin and melatonin, which can promote sleepiness. While the amount in turkey alone isn't enough to induce a 'food coma,' it is a popular myth. However, when combined with the enormous amount of carbohydrates in side dishes like stuffing and mashed potatoes, the overall effect is real. A large meal, particularly one high in carbs, causes a release of insulin, which can lead to fatigue or postprandial somnolence.
Stretching the Stomach: The sheer volume of food consumed in one sitting physically stretches the stomach, which can temporarily dampen the body's fullness signals. The more we eat, the more our stomach stretches, and the more we feel we can still fit in. This creates a cycle where we eat more than we normally would without feeling uncomfortable until it's far too late.

The Psychological and Social Triggers

Beyond our biology, our minds and social environment are strong drivers of holiday overeating. The specific context of Thanksgiving amplifies many psychological eating behaviors.

Social Eating and the Norm Effect: When we eat with others, we tend to consume more food. This phenomenon, known as 'social facilitation of eating,' means that the amount we eat is influenced by how much those around us are eating. At a family gathering where everyone is indulging, it feels natural and acceptable to do the same.
Emotional Connection to Food: For many, Thanksgiving brings a mix of emotions, from the stress of family dynamics and travel to the joy of connection and nostalgia. Food can be a powerful emotional tool, used to cope with stress or to celebrate happiness. The classic comfort foods of the holiday are often tied to fond memories, making them even more appealing.
The Scarcity Mindset and Routine Disruption: For many, Thanksgiving is a departure from a regular diet, often preceded by a week of 'saving up calories'. This creates a 'last supper' mentality where we feel the need to eat as much as possible, believing restriction will follow. The day also disrupts regular meal schedules, leading to delayed, large meals that can make us feel overly hungry and less likely to eat mindfully.

Overeating on Thanksgiving: Physiological vs. Psychological Drivers


Factor	Primarily Physiological	Primarily Psychological & Social
The “Food Coma”	Triggered by a large, high-carb meal, causing postprandial somnolence due to insulin spikes and nutrient distribution.	The expectation and normalization of feeling sleepy after the meal can influence behavior.
Food Composition	The combination of high fat, sugar, and salt is rewarding to the brain, overriding satiety signals.	Learned preferences for specific holiday dishes from childhood and emotional connections to certain foods drive consumption.
Stomach Expansion	The physical stretching of the stomach temporarily masks the body's natural fullness feedback loop.	The belief that we are expected to go back for second or third helpings, ignoring early signs of fullness.
Social Influence	N/A	The tendency to eat more in group settings, mirroring the behavior of those around us.
Emotional Triggers	N/A	Using food as a coping mechanism for stress or celebrating happiness.
Last Supper Mentality	N/A	Mindset of planned indulgence followed by restriction, leading to bingeing.

How to Approach the Holiday Mindfully

While overeating is a normalized part of the Thanksgiving experience, it is possible to enjoy the day without feeling uncomfortably full. Here are some strategies for a more mindful feast:

Plan Ahead: Don't skip meals throughout the day. Eating a normal, balanced breakfast and lunch will prevent you from arriving at dinner ravenous and prone to overindulgence. Light exercise before the meal can also help.
Prioritize Your Favorites: Rather than sampling everything on the table, decide which dishes you truly love and focus on those. A small portion of your absolute favorite dish is often more satisfying than a large portion of something you feel obligated to eat.
Practice Mindful Eating: Slow down and savor each bite. Take time to appreciate the textures, flavors, and aromas. Putting down your fork between bites can help you notice your body's fullness signals more effectively.
Hydrate Strategically: Drink water throughout the day and during the meal. Sometimes thirst can be mistaken for hunger. Staying hydrated also helps control appetite and avoids excess consumption of calorie-heavy drinks.
Focus on the Company, Not Just the Food: Shift your focus from the meal to the people you are sharing it with. Engage in conversation, express gratitude, and make memories that don't revolve around eating.
Move Your Body: After the meal, instead of immediately collapsing on the couch, suggest a walk or a game with family. Light physical activity can aid digestion and help manage blood sugar levels.

Conclusion

Overeating on Thanksgiving is a deeply ingrained tradition driven by a powerful mix of physiological and psychological factors. The abundance of rich food, the disruption of our routines, the social context, and our emotional connection to the holiday all contribute to our tendency to overindulge. However, by understanding these underlying reasons and implementing mindful strategies, it is possible to fully enjoy the holiday feast without the discomfort of overeating. The key is to shift focus from gluttony to gratitude, savoring the moment and the company rather than just the food. Enjoying the holiday in a healthy, balanced way ensures it remains a time for gratitude and connection, not just a day for dietary excess. For further reading on the psychological aspects of eating, the Cleveland Clinic website provides useful insights.

Frequently Asked Questions

While turkey contains tryptophan, the amount isn't enough to make a significant impact on its own. The 'food coma' is more accurately a result of a massive, carb-heavy meal that triggers a physiological response known as postprandial somnolence.

Postprandial somnolence, or 'food coma,' is the feeling of tiredness or fatigue after a large meal. This happens as the body directs extra resources towards digestion, diverting blood flow from the brain and causing a drop in alertness.

When you're eating in a group, it's common to eat more than you normally would. This is called 'social facilitation of eating' and is influenced by social norms, politeness, and the tendency to mirror the eating behaviors of those around you.

Yes, emotional eating is a significant factor. Both positive and negative emotions, like holiday stress, nostalgia, or celebration, can trigger people to use food as a coping or celebratory mechanism, leading to overindulgence.

It's generally not a good idea. Skipping meals can cause you to arrive at the holiday dinner feeling overly hungry, which makes mindful eating more difficult and can lead to binging.

While the holiday has origins in harvest celebrations, the massive feast we know today was largely a 19th-century invention. It became a national tradition to promote unity during the Civil War, and the mythologized version with large feasts was popularized by writers in the late 1800s.

You can try eating more slowly, savoring each bite, putting your fork down between bites, and focusing on conversation rather than just the food. These practices can help you recognize your body's fullness signals more effectively.