Thanksgiving can be one of the most difficult holidays for vegans, especially those who are spending the occasion with non-vegan family or friends. The day revolves so much around food, and it can be uncomfortable or frustrating to have to explain your choice to abstain from animal products to people who just don’t get it—or who don’t want to hear it.
I’ve been vegan for about six years and was vegetarian since childhood, so navigating the Thanksgiving dinner discomfort has gotten easier for me over the years. Still, each year has its unique challenges.
This year, I’m traveling to spend the holiday with family members who, despite respecting my vegan lifestyle, don’t really understand it well. Dinner with these family members is going to be a little unpredictable, so I’m doing everything I can to get ahead of the day and ensure I’ll have plenty of food to eat—and to share!
Here are my tips for navigating Thanksgiving as a vegan, many of which are part of my plan for this year.
It’s my default to plan for the worst-case scenario, which means if I’m going to show up somewhere unsure of what, if any, food I’ll be able to eat, I bring my own… and lots of it. Most Thanksgivings, I’ll choose some of my favorite vegan recipes and make enough to share with the crowd, even though the majority are usually meat eaters. I’ve found that no matter how much animal-based food is available, when I tell people I brought something vegan, they get curious and want to try it—which I love. I love showing people just how delicious vegan food can be!
I tend to stay away from the mock meats, since in my experience people are more open to trying a plant-based dish with familiar components. Last year I brought a vegan Shepherd’s pie filled with lentils and vegetables (and topped with vegan mashed potatoes, of course). It got lots of compliments! The year before, I made a vegan cheese board with three different cashew cheeses, assorted fruits, nuts, crackers, and dark chocolate. I’m not exaggerating when I say the non-vegans completely devoured it.
One of my favorite websites for sourcing crowd-pleaser vegan recipes (including the cashew cheeses) is It Doesn’t Taste Like Chicken. The site has a great roundup of Thanksgiving recipes, from appetizers and sides to mains and desserts. The Easy Vegan Sweet Potato Pie is on my list to try this year!
If you aren’t much of a cook or don’t feel like cooking, there are so many New Jersey restaurants offering Thanksgiving prepared meals for takeout. I didn’t fully realize just how abundant vegan food is where we live until I tried searching for vegan Thanksgiving takeout where I’m traveling to this year. I’ll be spending Thanksgiving in Boston and really struggled to find a spot other than Whole Foods where I could preorder a vegan Thanksgiving dinner. In New Jersey, though, the options are plentiful! Here’s a short list of some NJ restaurants offering up vegan Thanksgiving goodness this year:
Freakin’ Vegan (Ridgewood)
Good Karma Cafe (Red Bank)
All Roads Vegan (Lake Hopatcong)
Crust & Crumble (Asbury Park)
Kaya’s Kitchen (Belmar)
Lady and the Shallot (Lawrence Township - Trenton Farmers Market)
Goodbeet (Haddon Township)
LesbiVeggies (Audubon)
Living on the Veg (Manahawkin)
To peruse the many more options available, your best bet might be to search “Thanksgiving” in the Vegan In NJ Facebook group. You’ll see a stream of vegan Thanksgiving menu offerings have been posted, and you can sort by most recent to make sure you’re seeing posts from this year first. Also check out the Vegan in NJ Instagram and view the “thanksliving” stories highlight, where many of the NJ Thanksgiving catering menu links have been collected for easy access!
If you happen to not have plans for Thanksgiving and want to spend it eating delicious vegan food with awesome people, you’re in luck! The Vegan in NJ meetup group is having a Friendsgiving potluck in Southampton that day. I honestly can’t think of a better way to spend Thanksgiving! All NJ vegans are welcome to join the group and sign up to attend the potluck or any of the group’s other upcoming events.
If you do have Thanksgiving plans and are feeling stressed or down about spending it with non-vegans, you might find comfort in attending a vegan event on another day where you can be surrounded by like-minded people. Ferrets and Friends Sanctuary in Columbus, NJ, is hosting a Thanks-Living Event on Friday, November 29th, and all proceeds go right back to their animal rescue efforts. Admission is $20 and gets you access to a buffet-style meal, non-alcoholic beverages, music, activities, and great company. This is a fun way to not only give back but to find a sense of community you might miss during Thanksgiving day.
Similarly, visiting or volunteering at a sanctuary during the month of November could serve as a reminder of why you’ve chosen a cruelty-free lifestyle and to help you stay strong when a family member asks, “can’t you just have one bite…?” Beware that, sadly, not all organizations that call themselves animal sanctuaries are truly cruelty-free or completely vegan. Check out our Sanctuaries page for a list of sanctuaries we recommend supporting.
Pictured above: cows and turkeys that reside at Freedom Farm Animal Sanctuary in Cedarville, NJ.
I haven’t done this myself yet, but I’d really like to host a vegan Thanksgiving dinner one day and invite all the skeptics. Depending on the people in your life, the idea might be met with some resistance. If you can’t get everyone on board for a vegan Thanksgiving, maybe consider hosting a plant-based Friendsgiving or pre-Thanksgiving gathering. I’ll take any opportunity to bring people together and show them how amazing vegan food can be!
Though this time of year can be challenging, I hope these tips have given you some ideas that might make it a little easier. If all else fails, know that you have a whole community of other NJ vegans who are ready and willing to offer you support and encouragement!
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