The acceptance of Vegetarianism has become more acceptable in our society even in a traditionally conservative, rural area like Bloomsburg. Many people are cutting meat from their diets, but where does that leave them for the often meat-laden Thanksgiving dinner?
There are several options for meatless turkey on the market. Some popular brands include Tofurkey, Gardein mock turkey, and Quorn roast. These can be prepared in a similar fashion to a real turkey, and carry the same amount of protein with less saturated fat."I like Quorn the best." Says vegetarian of fifteen years Bryne Lewis. There are also several alternatives to meat gravy, most of which include mushroom as an ingredient. "It's easy to make a good gravy using store bought vegetable stock... Liquid smoke and white miso can also add nice flavour." [Lewis]
If you’re hosting a vegetarian and don’t feel like making them an entirely separate turkey, there are some steps to take to make sure that they’re as thankful as you are.
Hold off on the bacon-
While it can add flavor to a dish or an extra kick of protein, it’s not exactly vegetarian friendly. Leave at least a few sides without bacon or other meats, so they have something they know they can eat.
Use alternate proteins-
This doesn’t mean you have to get tofu or fake turkey, there are many alternate sources of protein. Some of these include beans, eggs, and other dairy products. "It's important to diversify proteins as much as possible." [Lewis]
Make sure there’s veggie-only sides-
It could be as simple as roasted carrots or green bean casserole. Having a veggie side gives both you and the vegetarian in your life something to eat, and something to make Thanksgiving dinner a little healthier.
Ask them to bring some of their own sides-
"You can ask your vegetarian guest to bring a favorite dish." Bryne suggests. "You might try something new that you end up liking."
While Thanksgiving is already past, the winter holidays are coming up- along with their own meat-related dishes. The holidays are more fun for everyone if everyone has something they can eat at the dinner table.
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