Thanksgiving can be a tough holiday for vegans as it’s a food related holiday that traditionally revolves around a dead bird on the table. It can be a stressful day, but it doesn’t have to be. Rather than focusing on what you don’t like about the day, it’s better to focus on what you enjoy – delicious food and the company of your loved ones. Here are some tips for surviving the day as a vegan:
- Bring a Dish or Two If you’re attending Thanksgiving dinner at someone else’s house, remind your host that you’re vegan and offer to bring a dish or two. When you do, you’ll be making sure you have something to eat, and you’ll also be able to show others how delicious vegan really is. Giving your host the gift of the cookbook your recipes came from is a nice way to say thank you for the invitation. Nut Butter Universe by Robin Robertson and The Blooming Platter Cookbook by Betsy DiJulio both have great, holiday-friendly recipes, and they both make great gifts. Practically Raw Desserts by Amber Shea Crawley has some scrumptious holiday dessert recipes, such as Deep Dish Caramel Apple and Pecan Chai Spice Bars.
- Stick with the Classics If you’re hosting Thanksgiving at your house, stick with classic dishes that your guests will recognize. Mashed potatoes, stuffing and pumpkin pie are all easy dishes to veganize.
- Be Prepared for Questions and Comments If there are omnivores at your celebration, they will no doubt have questions for you, so be prepared to answer. Stay positive and upbeat. If it looks like the conversation is taking a dark turn or becoming a debate, consider telling people that you’d prefer to discuss the subject at another time because you’d rather enjoy everyone’s company.
- Adopt a Turkey Celebrate Thanksgiving by donating to a Save a Turkey fund. Farm Sanctuary’s Adopt a Turkey campaign is one of our favorites.
- Give Thanks Don’t lose sight of what the day is about. Take time to be thankful.
