I’ve been vegan for just under two years now, and have learned a thing or two about eating plant-based around the holidays and family parties. Being the only person in my family who doesn’t eat animal products can be hard. But here are some tips that I’ve picked up over time to help make your plant-based Thanksgiving that much easier!
My first tip is to make a plant-based dish that you would like to share. There are hundreds of “vegan Thanksgiving” recipes available on the internet, ranging from casseroles, cheesecake, or homemade dinner rolls. Two (easy!) recipes that I choose to bring to my “Friendsgiving” this year were green bean casserole (from Hummusapien) and pumpkin bars (from What Molly Made), and they were both hits! Another great option would be to bring your own turkey or meat alternative. I like this one, from Field Roast.
Second, don’t be afraid to ask, or offer to help, to make other dishes vegan. A lot of times things like mashed potatoes, pecan and apple pies, and stuffing only take a little bit of tweaking to be plant-based, and still taste just as good. My brother has a handful of severe food allergies, so I’ve grown up with Thanksgivings that have a lot of dairy, wheat, and soy free options; therefore, my mom is really great about making sure there are plenty of vegan options available for me to eat.
It’s also really easy to be what’s known as a “junk food vegan,” someone who eats plant based, but it’s a lot of processed food. Try to load your plate up with lots of vegetables this Thanksgiving. I’m personally a sucker for sweet corn, brussel sprouts, and a good salad. My mom makes amazing salads, that are really easy: a bag of lettuce mix, green and black olives, chopped roma tomatoes, rings of red onion, slices of avocado, dried cranberries, and really whatever else is in the fridge that goes easily into a salad. Top all of that with a quick mix of balsamic vinegar and olive oil and you have an easy and delicious salad.
Bonus tip: To make your Thanksgiving dinner even more sustainable, encourage the use of cloth napkins, ceramic plates, compost your food scraps, and send people home with leftovers, so food isn’t wasted!