Blogging, Morgane Eats

What’s on Your Thanksgiving Vegan Menu?

Surviving Turkey Day as a Vegan

It’s that time of year when we gather and eat together. But if you’re vegan, the presence of dead souls on a plate is extremely unpleasant.  Your family wants traditional Turkey and is not checking for the Tofurky or other roast alternatives. How do you survive your first vegan Thanksgiving but still remain true to your ethical decision? 

I’ll be the first to say it, it’s not easy. Food brings families together. A Thanksgiving vegan menu might be an oxymoron to your family, but to you, it means the world. But each family gathering should be a time for you as a vegan, to defend your ethical or health choices for being vegan. It shouldn’t be an attack on your eating habits OR your family’s eating habits. 

So what do you do to survive Thanksgiving as a vegan? I’m not saying I have all the answers like Sway did, but I have some suggestions.

Eat a small meal before 

I hate to say this tip, but sadly it is a must-have for you to not just eat a salad. My job loves to order in lunch during meetings. I’m usually stuck with a salad. Nothing wrong with a salad but to me, that’s not a meal. So I eat ahead of those lunch meetings, just to be safe. It can be an easy wrap or your favorite grain bowl. Or it can be a decent size meal.  Do try to eat a little something at your family’s home, even if it’s just a small side of fresh fruits and veggies. 

Offer to bring sides 

The keyword in that subtitle is “sides” with an s. I recommend you offer to bring at least two sides. I like to be potatoes and a vegetable side. This way you will know you have something to eat and enjoy the social aspect of the holiday.  I’ve dropped some suggestions for sides below. (But don’t scroll yet, friend we have two more tips!)

Friend, just pop up with the glass containers

Don’t be afraid to bring a scaled-down plate in a glass container. Do be sure to let the host know you will be bringing your own food. And you can still offer to bring something to share. This is my go-to honestly. I find that people will say “hey I didn’t see that up there” and I usually share whatever I made with the person. Let’s be honest ya’ll vegan food is good! It’s different to some and desirable. 

All vegan sides

Chat with the host and ask if all the sides can be made vegan. This will require you to educate the host on the easy swaps. You can even offer to bring the host over vegan butter or non-dairy milk and cheese and an alternative for collard greens and gravy before the day. This is challenging with a big group of people. It might be best with a small group of open-minded people.

plate of thanksgiving vegan food

BONUS TIP

Just host 

This is my approach for the present year. I’m going to make most of the sides vegan and outsource the two non-vegan sides to my sister. I will have a turkey available for my meat-eating friends, but my mom will bring a knife to cut, serve and take the bird home with her. At this point, I can’t have the dead souls on my cookware. If you can do this, it’s an option to allow your guests to see that Thanksgiving vegan food is just as incredible as any traditional Turkey Day.

Check out my menu:

Appetizer/Starter/Salad

Main

Sides

Dessert 

  • Apple Tartin with oat milk ice cream

Drinks

  • De Soi
  • Pomegranate Tea Lemonade

What’s on your menu this year?