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A Vegan's Guide to Navigating Thanksgiving with Non Vegan Friends and Family

A Vegan's Guide to Navigating Thanksgiving with Non Vegan Friends and Family

Thanksgiving is a time for coming together with loved ones to give thanks for all that we have. It's a time for feasting on delicious food and enjoying each other's company. However, for those who follow a vegan lifestyle, navigating Thanksgiving can sometimes be a bit tricky, especially when surrounded by non vegan friends or relatives.

First and foremost, it's important to remember that Thanksgiving is about gratitude and togetherness. While the focus of the holiday may be on the food, it's essential to approach the situation with openness, understanding, and patience. Keep in mind that not everyone may understand or be supportive of your vegan lifestyle, and that's okay. Educating and informing others about the benefits of a vegan diet can help to foster a more supportive and inclusive environment.

One of the most important aspects of navigating Thanksgiving as a vegan around non vegan friends or relatives is communication. It's crucial to express your dietary preferences and needs to your host or the person in charge of meal planning. This can help to ensure that there will be vegan options available and prevent any misunderstandings or last minute scrambles in the kitchen. Additionally, offering to bring a vegan dish or two to share with others can be a great way to showcase the delicious and diverse nature of vegan cuisine while also guaranteeing that you'll have something to eat.

While it's important to advocate for your dietary needs, it's also important to be flexible and willing to find common ground with non vegan friends and relatives. For example, you can suggest small adjustments to non vegan dishes to make them vegan, such as using plant based butter or milks in mashed potatoes or substituting vegetable broth for chicken broth in soups and stews.

In addition, it's essential to approach Thanksgiving with a positive and inclusive attitude. Instead of focusing solely on the restrictions and limitations of a vegan Thanksgiving meal, focus on the abundance of delicious and colorful plant based dishes that can be enjoyed by all. Emphasizing the variety and creativity of vegan cooking can help to dispel any misconceptions or reservations that non vegan friends and relatives may have about veganism.

Another important aspect of navigating Thanksgiving as a vegan around non vegan friends or relatives is to lead by example. Showcasing the delicious and satisfying nature of vegan cuisine through your own cooking and meal choices can help to dispel the notion that veganism is restrictive or boring. This can also prompt others to be more open to trying plant based dishes and ultimately lead to a more inclusive and welcoming Thanksgiving experience for all.

Finally, it's important to remember to practice self care and self compassion during Thanksgiving. It can be challenging to navigate the holiday season as a vegan, especially when surrounded by non vegan friends and relatives who may not fully understand or support your lifestyle. Take the time to prioritize your own well being and comfort, whether it's through mindful eating, engaging in meaningful conversations, or simply taking a moment to appreciate the beauty of the season.

By approaching the day with grace, understanding, and patience, it's possible to create a Thanksgiving experience that is inclusive, enjoyable, and delicious for everyone, regardless of dietary preferences and you just might plant the seeds of change for the next holiday experience.

MEET SOME OF OUR TEAM MEMBERS

In 2022 we had 100 Team Members. BE APART OF THE FAMILY AND SHARE YOUR STORY

Meet Team VPA member Renee @runtrails_eatplants . It is her second year on the team and she has been helping out behind the scenes on our IG @team_vpa and our FB pages"Life is too short to stay inside your comfort zone, reach for the sky. I’m Renee and I am an ultrarunner living outside Atlanta, Georgia. 14 years ago, I went plant based for my health and I never looked back. After a bad foot injury, I discovered I loved lifting as much as I love running the trails. So, at the age of 50 I added lifting heavy to my training plan. I am passionate about spreading the message that age is no limit and you can not only thrive on a plant-based diet, you can help end animal cruelty and have a positive impact on the environment too. So, get out there and go for it!"

Welcome to the team@monica.strattonSport: Triathlon, Cycling, Running

"I have struggled for my entire life with food. It seems everything I ate made me feel sluggish or sick. My husband and I decided to try the vegan lifestyle and we have never felt better. My digestive system is running so much better and I feel I have more sustainable energy through my workouts and life. Being vegan has helped me fuel better for all my races and training.
I am very proud to be a vegan athlete. I have seen what it has done for me and my performance in all my sports. I want to share my story of how being vegan has changed my life in terms of how I feel on a daily basis and in sport. Being a professional athlete my students look to me and how I live my life and I am very proud to tell them how much better my body feels being vegan "

Welcome back@rjsacksVeganism saved my dad's life many years ago. He had horrible blockages in his heart and faced stents and a very dangerous operation, or seeing what would happen if he went whole food no oil plant based. He reversed his heart disease and is healthy as ever and still vegan. He never needed heart surgery. He is now 61 years old and still doing distance cycling rides. I started changing what I was eating during high school when my dad switched his diet. I made the complete switch after I met my boyfriend, a collegiate vegan runner at the time. I was mostly looking at veganism through a health lens until I met him and he helped me face the ethical dilemmas of eating animal products as well. Since I went vegan, my sister went vegan, my mom went vegetarian almost plant based, and my brother (who I thought would never change) has cut a significant amount of meat and dairy from his diet. My dad, boyfriend and I are all vegan cyclists currently. My whole immediate family is very open to veganism and eats vegan at family gatherings. Being vegan has been easy with supports like mine.
I feel strongly about spreading a positive message and hopefully helping make a change. Veganism saves so many animals, it can save people like my dad, and can save our planet. I can show other athletes that vegans aren't frail and sickly, we can compete and do well without eating animal products.

Welcome to the team@prost_1969I had high cholesterol high blood pressure and was 40 lbs over weight. The doctor said statins for the rest of my life because high cholesterol was in my family so I took things into my own hands. Since then I lost the 40 lbs and reversed all the other issues . I now also realize the impact going vegan has on the animals and the environment. I love cycling and running and by joining the team I can reach more people and show them that you can’t just survive without the use of animal products but thrive!!

Meet Team VPA athlete Shari. We are glad she joined us Meet“Hi team, this is my first year with Team VPA. I'm overjoyed to have found this team. I adore the mission statement because it reflects my beliefs too. I'm 48 years young, a small business owner, yogi, group fitness instructor, and outdoor enthusiast. My primary sport is Triathlon, but running will always be my first love with more than 6 marathons under my belt. Vegan for over 15 yrs. Before that vegetarian for 3 years. My biggest vegan athlete accomplishment was completing my first Ironman last year after many years doing Triathlons. This year I'm looking forward to enjoying long cycling tours in Europe! Follow my adventures on IG @sparks_vegan”

Welcome to the team@mattd_team_vegan_athletics"My name is Matt Dellaro. This is my first year as a Team VPA member as well as my first new year as an endurance athlete. I decided last February to buy a road bike and start cycling again after not having done it since my teens...I'm 51 now. I heard about short course triathlons and decided to see what I could do. I have 3 sprints behind me now as well as a 5k and 8k trail running races, a 5k road, two 10k races and a half marathon. I'm looking forward to longer triathlons as I get more comfortable with open water swimming, and working up to a 70.3 or even a 140.6. I've been vegan for over 8 years, and am so loving this new chapter in my life. Thanks to everyone at Team VPA who has been so helpful, supportive and just plain cool."

We are so glad you joined us@barefootjei"My name is Jérémie alias@barefootjei, I'm 28 years old and I'm from Normandy in France.

I have been vegan for 3 years now. I'm vegan for the animals! I'm so happy to have joined the team and to wear our colors in my country.

In 2022 I will be running every day to raise funds that will be donated to two Vegan associations.

My goal for 2022 is a 55km in May and another probably longer race by the end of the year."

"My name is Gloria Perez and I live in sunny Southern California. This is the first year I'm on Team VPA. I have been vegan for 4.5 years. I made the switch after my son inspired me. Becoming vegan has been one of the best decisions I've made for my health and of course for the animals and for the planet we all share. I have 3 sons and 2 grandsons. I've been running for 8 years. I've ran many distances, but my favorite distance is the half marathon. I enjoy both road and trail running. I also enjoy backpacking, cycling, lifting weights, OCR and traveling. One of my goals for this year is to start racing duathalons. I'd also love to do R2R2R (Grand Canyon). I'm also currently learning to speak French. "