Nothing says Thanksgiving like gathering around a giant, roasted turkey. But did you ever stop to think why Turkey is on the menu rather than horse dog or cat? Food taboos are complicated and vary greatly by geography. There are no cultural universals when it comes to what animals are and aren't on the menu.

Today, we're uncovering food taboos around the world. How some unlucky critters ended up as diet staples and what role religion plays in shaping our dinner plates. That's what you're digging into today on impolite society.

Email us your impolite questions at [email protected] and visit our website for info about the show and your hosts Laura and Rachel.

SOURCES:
Some We Love, Some We Hate, Some We Eat: Why It's So Hard to Think Straight About Animals , Hal Herzog

Food taboos: their origins and purposes

Why These Animals? - The Gastropod

The Juicy History of Humans Eating Meat, History

What the 'meat paradox' reveals about moral decision making, BBC

Do You Eat Dog?,  Taste

A recipe for friendship: Similar food consumption promotes trust and cooperation

Evolutionary models of in-group favoritism

The Abominable Pig

New study doubles the estimate of bird species in the world

Mammals, National Wildlife Federation

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