When I hear Thanksgiving, the first thing that comes to mind is turkey. After all, the turkey truly is the Thanksgiving main event! It’s a staple of the holiday, but if I’m being honest, it’s not even a part of my personal Thanksgiving. I’m a vegetarian and have been for four years, so my Thanksgiving feast looks very different from everyone else in my family. Keep reading to find out what it’s really like when you’re the only vegetarian in your family at Thanksgiving. . . because it’s definitely a wild ride.
What Does Vegetarian Mean?
In case you’re unsure or don’t know much about vegetarians, here’s a short explainer. Basically, I don’t eat meat. This includes beef, pork, chicken, turkey, fish, and any other part or piece of any living animal and creature. As I previously mentioned, I’m the only person in my immediate and extended family that practices vegetarianism, which means that I’m the odd one out at every family event.
In My Family
In regards to Thanksgiving, my family usually hosts a huge gathering of fifty people (not including this year… thanks covid!) with everyone from the family in attendance. A lot of people means a lot of turkeys and a lot of sides to go with it. For me, this means a lot of food that I can’t eat, and a lot of people there to call me out and judge me for it.
The menu at my family Thanksgiving varies very little from year-to-year, and always includes turkey, turkey gravy, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, green bean casserole, turkey stuffing, cornbread, pumpkin pie, apple pie, chocolate cream pie, and chocolate chip cookies. For everyone else in my family, this is quite the extravagant feast, and they all have to help after helping of each and every dish. For me, this means mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, and dessert. Honestly, it’s not much of a meal. There’s only so much mashed potatoes and green bean casserole that one person can eat without getting sick of them both.
The Main Attraction
Even though my main meal isn’t much to brag about, dessert makes up for it each and every year. With three different pies, cookies, and the random dessert one of my aunts brings every year to choose from, my options are wide open. Even though I get teased for being a vegetarian during dinner, my grandma always lets me get the first pick of the desserts, which more than makes up for a little teasing from the family. So, when given the choice, I do what any sane person would do and get a slice of all three pies and a handful of cookies. I’d take pie and cookies over turkey any day of the week.
Let me know in the comments below if you’re a vegetarian, and if you have any hacks for navigating Thanksgiving dinner!