A Newly Vegan Christmas Survival Guide
The holidays are the single hardest time for me, when it comes to being vegan. My husband and I are the only two plant-based people on either side of our families, so it’s difficult to just show up and eat whatever our family has prepared. We found out during our first Christmas, as vegans, that we should have prepped a little better. Absolutely nothing was vegan, except for the salad and grapes. Solid meal right there.
So if you are new to this whole vegan thing, I want to help a little with any anxieties you may be having about doing family meals as a vegan!
- Ask whoever is hosting if they’re cooking anything vegan or anything that could be made vegan. They probably won’t automatically ask or know what you can or cannot eat, so just check with them or whoever else is bringing food! Speaking from personal experience, they may even offer to make something vegan for you.
- Bring food for yourself. I used to find it weird and rude to bring my own food to a family or friends gathering, but I’ve realized that people don’t notice or care. They’re too concerned with their own food to notice you’re eating something different than them.
- Cook the sides! I offered to cook the mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving this year, and they were a hit with my family. Yukon gold potatoes, vegan butter, and a decent amount of coconut milk make them so creamy and buttery, no one can tell the difference.
This Christmas I will be bringing the mashed potatoes, again, along with Cajun green beans, and broccoli casserole. I’m seriously drooling over them right now. My 8 year old self would be so ashamed of me for getting this excited about my veggies.
Lastly, and possibly most importantly...bring desserts! If your vegan dessert impresses your family, (which it will), they’re so much more inclined to listen to you about vegan replacements. 1 tbsp of flax meal, mixed with 3 tbsp of water has been my most successful egg replacement for baking! Also, WHO DOESN’T WANT MORE SWEETS AT CHRISTMASTIME?
And if your uncle who does all the BBQing at family get togethers cracks a bacon joke, just laugh with him. You know why you went vegan, and that’s what matters!
Party At Your Door Staff, Tara Goetz
- Party At Your Door Staff
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