Let’s face it, Christmas is the time when we all cave and give in to our respective vices. Be it mulled wine, chocolate or that Christmas turkey, we all have our wills tested over the holiday season. Even if you find being a vegetarian easy all year round, sometimes it can be a little bit harder at Christmas when you’re surrounded by food and well-meaning relatives who constantly tell you how deficient in protein you must be.
However, whatever your reasons for being vegetarian, you shouldn’t have to compromise over the holidays.
1. Find meat-free alternatives.
If you love the actual taste of meat but have some issues with the ethical or environmental issues surrounding it, there are loads of alternatives that you can use to substitute into a Christmas dinner without the guilt.
Quorn is perhaps the most obvious choice for vegetarian and vegan alternatives to meat – they have meat-free turkey steaks, roast chicken, sausages and even bacon. However there are lots of other options too. Linda McCartney’s line includes similar options too, and many supermarkets are now introducing their own versions of meat-free meals.
But you don’t even have to have something that looks or tastes like meat at all. Other great alternatives to meat include tofu, paneer or halloumi cheese, beans and nut roast. More supermarkets (like Marks and Spencer) are beginning to introduce vegetarian food into their Christmas lines – and it’s about time too.
2. Make an effort with vegetables!
Because you’re probably not having to spend time and money on meat, you can take this as a great opportunity to make your veg a little bit fancier. There are hundreds of vegetarian recipes on the internet, and the great thing about not relying heavily on meat to give flavour is that you can get a little bit more creative. To be honest, honey-roasting anything is a sure-fire way to make sure you’re onto winner.
3. Know that not everyone will be on board with what you’re doing.
This is the first year that I’m planning on sticking to my vegetarianism throughout the Christmas period, and not just being a vegetarian ‘during term time’. I’m fully expecting to hear some well-meaning yet misguided comments about how I’m probably not getting enough protein and how ‘it’s Christmas’ so I should just give in. And I’m going to nod and smile throughout those comments. And I’m going to stand my ground.
The dinner table probably isn’t the best time or place to start informing your relatives about the avoiding meat, but that doesn’t mean you can’t politely explain to your Aunt Hilda that you’re sure you don’t want that piece of turkey. Not everyone will agree with you, and that’s OK.
4. Don’t beat yourself up!
Caved after a few glasses of mulled wine and stole a few bites of turkey? Made an innocent mistake and ate the pork sausages instead of the vegetarian ones? Don’t beat yourself up! It happens to the best of us. The festive period should be spent winding up your siblings like you’re all ten again, eating far too many roasted potatoes and falling into a food coma at the end of the day. It shouldn’t be spent being harsh to yourself. Everyone has a slip-up every now and then. Enjoy your meat-free Christmas!