Thanksgiving may provide a prime opportunity to teach kids about American history and giving thanks — but don’t let what’s on your holiday table serve as a lesson for what those at the original feast dined upon.

While historians aren't sure what the Pilgrims ate at the very first Thanksgiving back in 1621, they do know that they weren’t sitting down to a meal of cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes or pumpkin pie. Many of the foods that we eat are reminiscent of those indigenous at the time, but not the actual dishes served. Case in point: Cranberries were available, but since sugar had not yet traveled to the New World, no doubt cranberry sauce didn't make an appearance until years later.

Still, the Thanksgiving meal is replete with symbolism, providing a wonderful occasion for sharing the American story of determination, survival, freedom and celebration.

So, what could have been on that 17th-century menu? While wild turkey may have been the main course, it was probably accompanied by venison and fish such as herring, shad, cod, sea bass and eel. A glazed ham wouldn’t have made an appearance, however, because the Pilgrims most likely had no pigs back then. And scratch potatoes, yams and sweet potatoes off the earliest holiday menu; they had not yet been introduced to New England.

Native to America, corn — or maize — came in wide variety, including red, yellow, white, blue and yellow. It was a new addition to the Pilgrim diet, and these early settlers might not have survived the long winter without it. Another side dish may have included peas, squashes and beans.

Pumpkins, easy to grow and able to last in the cellar during the long winter, was a favorite of the early settlers. Forget about baking it in a pie with whipped cream! The all-American apple pie wouldn’t have been served up for dessert, either. Apples aren't indigenous to the United States, first coming to this country years later. But nuts — such as walnuts, chestnuts, acorns and hickory nuts — may have made for a fine dessert, along with fruits such as raspberries, strawberries, grapes, plums cherries and blueberries (although these would have been dried, as none would have been in season).

Regardless of early dishes, today’s turkey day is creating a tradition all its own. The turkey is still the culinary symbol of the November feast — 91 percent of Americans eat the fowl on Thanksgiving. Of the 300 million turkeys raised annually, 45 million are consumed on the fourth Thursday every year.

If you decide to reenact the feast, your kids may be thrilled: Pilgrims dined with spoons, knives and their fingers — but no forks. Also interestingly, at that time, social status helped determine what would be on an individual's menu. Since diners tended to eat what was placed in front of them, the choicest foods were placed in front of the most important people.

Whether the first Thanksgiving feast featured roast turkey or baked eels, there's one thing for certain: Thanksgiving has an important place on our calendars and in American culture. Just as the Pilgrims rejoiced over a fine harvest after a cold, hard winter, we celebrate what we have reaped over the past year. On this day, we remember that what's on the table takes a second place to who is around it.