Help, I just found out I'm hosting Thanksgiving dinner. I was a meat eater last year and this year I'm not. I'm having the family in and they will expect the same food from last year. They love it and they love eating the turkey. Any ideas please? I need a little bit of help here. I was hoping to avoid the whole thing but as someone pointed out to me, it comes around every year and I was fine for the last 40 years. I shouldn't be changing things now. LOL. I am.
I say make a big spread of awesome veg*n food, be sure to include any dishes that are familiar and just happen to be veg*n.
If you choose not to cook a turkey, it would be best to be upfront with them that you won't be serving it. Explain why you won't, and that you'll be cooking everything else and more.
If they want you to cook Thanksgiving dinner, they need to accept that you aren't comfortable with cooking a turkey.
Perhaps you would be ok with someone else cooking a turkey and bringing it? Or not? Whatever you decide to do, be open and honest and don't be afraid to stand up for yourself. There are lots of veg*n dishes (or easily converted to veg*n) in a typical Thanksgiving feast. The turkey is just one small part of the entire meal, they can go without it
Yes, whether or not you cook a turkey for the meateaters, you should have veg*an dishes available. I always recommend the Three Sisters Stew. Here's my post from an older Thanksgiving thread.
This is what I posted in another thread about Thanksgiving a couple months ago. I like it because it's completely vegan and works as both an entrée and a side dish. As it turns out, my sister is hosting Thanksgiving at her house this year, and she plans to make it as both (an entrée for us two and a side dish for the turkey-eaters).
Quote: Originally Posted by Amy SF
I like recommending something like the Three Sisters Stew. It's so called because the main ingredients are corn (maize), beans and squash, the three crops considered most important to Native Americans. If done right, it has a good, hearty flavor that makes it work as a main course (or even as a side dish for omnis and the main course for the veg*ans). It's perfect for Thanksgiving because of the history of the holiday, being that those who celebrated the First Thanksgiving would not have survived without the help of the Native Americans. It has plenty of vegetables to fill you up, plus it's perfect for the fall season, not only because of the ingredients, but also with its colors, texture and flavor. It looks like something the Native Americans would have brought to the First Thanksgiving.
If you google around, you'll find different versions of the recipe. The one I've had was the one my sister made for probably my first vegetarian Thanksgiving (we were both vegetarian back then; now she's a pescetarian); it came from this book: http://www.amazon.com/Moosewood-Rest...9502681&sr=8-1 (The Moosewood Restaurant Low Fat Favorites). If you make this recipe, or a similar one, be careful how much liquid you add. My sister used a little too much and it was more of a soup than a stew. It was still pretty good, though.
ETA: oops. Apparently the link in my original post doesn't work anymore. Here's the correct, current link for the cookbook. http://www.amazon.com/Moosewood-Rest...7562752&sr=1-1
Last edited by Amy SF; November 6th, 2009 at 11:00 PM.
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You should tell one of your meateaters to cook a turkey ahead of time and bring it. Or order one from a restaurant (or tell them to) tons of places do that because some people can't be bothered to cook.
And there are plenty of meat free yummy thanksgiving dishes. Potatoes, cranberry sauce, stuffing, squash.
"When you don't get what you want you suffer. When you get what you want you still suffer, because you can't hold onto it forever" - Way of the Peaceful Warrior
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I understand the tastes of anti-veg*ns. Three Sisters Stew and Tofurky won't cut it at my family gatherings.
Like others have said, be upfront. If they want a turkey that badly they'll get/make it themselves.
Are you lacto-ovo?
I cook my own vegan Thanksgiving now but this is a recipe like the one my aunt makes, and it wouldn't be Thanksgiving there without it:
http://www.recipezaar.com/Potato-Cas...n-Flakes-35989
the cream of chicken soup can be switched to mushroom or celery. There are also vegan soups you could use. I think it's Imagine that has the potato/leek puree soup-- it's AWESOME.
I disagree with everyone else, I don't think you should mention that there won't be turkey. Doing so would only give them time to make a big deal out of it. Presented with a veg*n feast and realising that there's no meat they're hardly going to throw a tantrum and not eat anything are they?
No sweat. This has always worked for my family; the omnivores bring the turkey and their version of dressing, and the vegan who happens to be hosting prepares veganized versions of the traditional side dishes along with a tofurky or choice of main dish. Thanksgiving dinner is a very easy meal to prepare without using animal products. There are tons of great recipes out there that taste identical to or much better than the "real thing". You can dazzle them with delicious food and they'll never know it's vegan. Relax, take a deep breath and start checking the web for vegan Thanksgiving food ideas. There are some very good recipes here on the boards as well.
Last edited by sallyomally; November 7th, 2009 at 12:07 PM. Reason: typo
“If you have men who will exclude any of God's creatures from the shelter of compassion and pity, you will have men who will deal likewise with their fellow men.”- St. Francis of Assisi
My family wouldn't throw "fit," but they'd be uncomfortable and unsatisfied. And there would probably be more comments made if there was no turkey at all than if they just brought it themselves. But that's my (extended) family.Originally Posted by Paradox
Last edited by cstadt; November 7th, 2009 at 01:46 PM.
Either ask somebody to bring the turkey, or order one from a supermarket. You shouldn't have to cook a turkey if you don't want to, but let the omnis have their turkey, as long as you have enough veg*an dishes for yourself. And the side dishes can all be veg*an. Nobody is going to complain about that, as long as they have their dead bird.
"People that hate cats will come back as mice in their next life." - Faith Resnick
"If you want to know what God thinks of money, just look at the people he gave it to." - Dorothy Parker
Happiness is wearing tie-dyed socks.
The best things in life are chocolate!
I only know my family's typical Thanksgiving:
Mashed potatoes
Possibly another potato dish-- scalloped, casserole etc.
Green vegetable dish or more, green beans usually
Corn
Stuffing (Stove Top, bleh)
Maybe an oven roasted veg. medley, carrots, turnips, sweet potatoes.. etc.
various jello or fruit salads (at least 3 of these, "family recipes")
olive tray
rolls
Salad, maybe
Most of these are are already meatless, and I'm sure you have your own traditional menu, but don't feel overwhelmed! Just make up a list and go over the ingredients. We can help too if you need anything
But as for the jello-type salads I have no idea how to do that without gelatine. Maybe they're not a staple in other families
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