Thanksgiving Meal Planning Made Simple … Plant-Based Style

What Plant-Based Eaters Cook For Thanksgiving

Nov 08, 2024

A few years ago, I bumped into a history lesson on Thanksgiving. And what I learned might surprise a lot of people.

The first Thanksgiving was a harvest festival shared by the pilgrims and the Wampanoag Native American Tribe. It wasn’t the fourth Thursday of November; it was most likely earlier in autumn, closer to harvest time.

While there isn’t a full record of that very first Thanksgiving meal, what is available describes a bounty of deer, wildfowl, fish, and native crops. These would have included peas, beans, squash, and corn as well as vegetables brought over from England, such as carrots and cabbage.

What wasn’t included was heaping piles of mashed potatoes or gravy. No little marshmallows included in salads. No cranberries. No refined sugar, which means no pumpkin pie.

I could get into this.

For many, many years, Thanksgiving was NOT my favorite holiday. I’ve never liked turkey, stuffing, or mashed potatoes and gravy. Pumpkin pie? Not my thing. There’s something about the consistency …

Once my daughter declared herself vegetarian, I started looking at the Thanksgiving table even more critically.

Everything - EVERYTHING - on the table was animal-based. Cranberry salad had jello and marshmallows. (My mom’s did anyway.) Green beans had bacon. Sigh.

Whether you’re like me and never a fan of Thanksgiving food, or simply looking for a change now that you’re plant-based, I have some tips for you as you plan for this year’s holiday.

Just 20 days until Thanksgiving. Just under three weeks away will find you creating one of the most celebrated meals here in the US.

Let’s do it the Gorgeous way.

Pick a theme

One of our very favorite Thanksgivings took on a sushi theme … vegan style of course. We grabbed a recipe and started having fun with the ingredients.

I’ve always been a LoveAndLemons.com fan, and she has a good recipe. Use the nori sheets and wrap up a variety of fresh ingredients. The cucumber and avocado are essential. Add in bell pepper, tofu, carrots, and more.

Enjoy dumplings? How about fresh spring rolls? Whatever suits your tastebuds is a great addition to your table. And we’ve found that we love cooking together, so we’ll divide and conquer the recipes. It’s a lot of fun.

Select a cookbook

You have seen this month’s Cookbook Club entry, haven’t you? I chose a cookbook purposefully for holiday cooking, so you could start your planning now.

Roots!

Plant-Based Living … In and out of the Kitchen

November brings the holidays front and center for me here in the US. A few weeks until Thanksgiving, and a few more to Christmas and the New Year mean I go into overdrive with planning. I keep the holidays small - just my small family, maybe a few friends. We take things easy this time of year…

8 months ago · Lori Osterberg

If you start searching online, I find that I quickly get overwhelmed by potential. Even if you limit it to a site or two, the possibilities are endless. A cookbook offers fewer choices, and makes it easier to focus on selecting recipes that work together for your meal planning.

Because the author builds the cookbook with a theme in mind, they also tend to utilize ingredients in more than one recipe. This means fewer ingredients to shop for as you’re getting ready.

Survey everyone who will be there

Chances are, if you’re hosting, your guests are already aware of your plant-based lifestyle. But it’s still a good idea to let them know your Thanksgiving meal will differ slightly from what they’re used to.

You can start the conversation by asking about dietary restrictions. Gluten-free? Allergies? Not a problem - I’m cooking a plant-based meal, and I’m happy to incorporate your ideas into the meal.

What can you cook early?

So many recipes give you options to cook some or all of it early. But even a good portion of your food will need to be cooked before serving, you can still do all the chopping and getting ready the day before.

Lay out your recipes early and decide what can be cooked when. You can use the author’s time estimates to help you plan it all out.

I always make plans to finish my shopping a day or two before the holiday. I make desserts, if possible, the night before.

If you’re the type who works best by checking off tasks or crossing out things you’ve already done, print out each recipe so you can have a physical copy to refer to.

Try a few recipes early

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve decided to try a new recipe for a holiday, only to have it fail the day I create it. We scramble putting together enough sides for a good meal. It works. But I now strive to try every recipe before the big day to eliminate this stress.

Plus trying the recipes early helps you find great meals you might add to your list of favorites. The meals you use again and again throughout the year.

What about breakfast?

When I was a kid, my mom always made cinnamon rolls for special holidays. I continued the tradition once my daughter was born.

I also followed my mom’s trend of popping open a can - yes, those little Pillsbury cinnamon rolls that exploded from the can, popped onto a tray, and frosted when they came out a few minutes later, popping hot. (What was I thinking?)

I believe plant-based doesn’t mean you have to give up the treats. You just find a healthier way to do it. How about homemade cinnamon rolls - there’s a recipe for Earl Grey, Chestnut and Cranberry Cinnamon Rolls in November’s Cookbook Club cookbook. Gaz gives you an option of making them the night before, then allowing them to slowly rise in the fridge overnight. That makes them ready for baking when you’re ready for them in the morning. (Can’t wait to try them!)

How are you getting ready for this year’s holiday meals?

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