Thanksgiving is one of the best holidays of the year! It is a time to reconnect with family, eat lots of good food, play games, and take naps! I have been a vegetarian for nearly four years and Thanksgiving is a hard time for me. Thanksgiving is a meat-centric holiday so I am not sure if I will have something to eat. I always get asked a lot of questions and sometimes people make rude comments about why I chose not to eat meat. Here’s my tips and tricks on how to survive Thanksgiving as a vegetarian!
Make your own dish
One of the best ways to ensure you will have something to eat is to bring your own dish! My favorites are
- Mac and Cheese
- Cream Corn
- Cheesy Potatoes
- Baked Ziti
These are dishes that can be enjoyed by everybody. This also gives you and opportunity to show off your wonderful cooking skills and show others that being vegetarian can be delicious!
Have thanksgiving with other Vegetarians
I have multiple vegetarians in my family, this always made Thanksgiving within my immediate-family easy. But when we went to extended-family parties it was hard for us to find things to eat and fit in. It felt nicer to not be alone in my vegetarian-ways and to have others who understood what I was going through. This takes a lot of the pressure off of being someone who has dietary restrictions.
Talk to the host ahead of time
By talking to the host before the event, you are making them aware of your dietary restriction. This will give you both time to discuss what to do and what dishes can be made. This is also a low-pressure conversation to have one-on-one rather than at the time of the party.
Stay true to yourself
People may make mean comments but, it’s best to stay true to what you believe. People may question your morals and health but just stand your ground and beliefs. Allow for those people to see your point of view but don’t fight fire with fire.
