How to eat plant-based during the holidays

As the holidays arrive, food becomes a big focus. As a vegetarian, one question you may ask yourself is how to eat plant-based during the holidays. Or, if you are preparing food for a family or friend that follows a plant-based lifestyle, you may be stressing about what to cook for them.

Fret not, friends. There are very easy (and delicious!) ways to enjoy these holidays without missing out on our society’s meaty traditions. This post shares how to eat plant-based during the holidays, without missing out on fun!

Like anyone else, I always looked forward to the big turkey dinners and my dad’s barbecued salmon and chicken on long weekends. Holidays were the time when my family would visit The Keg Steakhouse and I would order one of their infamous filet mignon steaks.

Becoming a vegetarian meant that I would have to make some changes to my food choices during these special occasions. Yes, I was a little disappointed because I loved these meals and what they represented so much, but at the time I knew it was so worth it if it meant that fewer animals were harmed because of me (and I still feel this way). I knew there had to be ways I could enjoy these special occasions without eating meat. I did a little research, recipe hunting and planning and found some great solutions!

For those of you concerned with FOMO (fear of missing out) like I was, I’ll be sharing the solutions I found with you now. For those of you who will be preparing a meal for a friend or family member that is vegetarian or vegan and has never done so before, this is also a great read for you. I also learned a lot along the way of my vegetarianism journey, so ideally me sharing them with you now will prevent you from having to deal with some especially problematic situations you may face as you transition into this lifestyle.

1. Make new food traditions

The easiest thing to do during the holidays is to find replacements for your traditional food items. You can make something that looks just like whatever it is you are replacing (like “fake” turkey to replace turkey) or perhaps something obviously very different but still delicious (lentil loaves are life).

For turkey-focused holidays

Many of my vegetarian friends are fans of Tofurky, an awesome brand that creates vegan replacements for many meal staples. I personally have not tried out their tofu turkeys, but I have heard good things about them. They look like a miniature turkey, and even come filled with their own stuffing! They are on the expensive side for one person’s meal which is the main reason I haven’t purchased one yet.

Usually I opt for the non-traditional route and prepare some really good marinated tofu to eat instead. You can make any marinade you like; I like curry, soy or even balsamic vinegar seasonings. It’s entirely up to you! It’s also very easy to make something like tofu into one serving since you can cook it on the stove or bake it in just a few minutes. You can even make a whole package of tofu and have it for leftovers throughout the week.

For BBQs

For barbecues, I like to get veggie burgers! They cook just like any burger would on the grill; if you’re buying pre-made ones, simply read the instructions on the packaging to know how long to cook each side. This is my favourite brand of veggie burger, and they have so many different flavours to try! These brands also make vegetarian hot dogs and sausages that you can make on the grill, too. You could also make your own veggie burgers if you have time. I love to do this, and I’m always trying new flavour combinations. You can make the base out of many different things: beans, grains, mushrooms (!), it’s entirely up to you!

One thing to keep in mind when having something vegetarian prepared on the barbecue is if there will be any meat products prepared on the grill, too. I find that this occurs a lot in restaurants where they only have one grill and don’t bother cleaning it in between items. If anything containing meat was prepared on the grill before the veggie burger, residues like grease or minuscule meat pieces could contaminate your burger. This isn’t a big deal to some people, but many vegetarians/vegans will not eat anything that has made contact with a meat product or its residues.

It’s easy to avoid this issue. You can either cook the veggie product first before the meat, designate a specific part of the grill as “no-meat” so you just cook the veggie product there, or clean the grill well after the meat has been prepared. Most veggie burgers can be microwaved as well, or you could wrap the product in tin foil and cook it on the grill that way.

2. Prepare dishes that everyone can enjoy and redesign old favourites.

If your household is hosting a party or family/friend get together with many meat eaters, you can prepare a large dish of something vegetarian that the entire party could enjoy! Not only will you be contributing to the feast, but you can show the guests how delicious vegetarian dishes can be.

This is where the Pinterest, Google and recipe books come in handy; there are so many different dishes you can prepare as a main or side that would satisfy anyone! Maybe you could do a vegetarian shepherds or pot pie, baked squash stuff with grains and cranberries or a pasta bake. I love making all of these things and they go over well with most people. The possibilities really are endless, though! You can make pretty much any dish vegetarian and vegan (as shown by tofu turkeys), and if you’re hesitant to make something up yourself then there are thousands of recipes out there for you to test out to help you gain confidence in your cooking.

If you are not confident in your cooking skills, try simple dishes first that will still taste great no matter how badly you mess them up (and trust me, I’ve messed up a lot of dishes but they still somehow end up tasting good…).

You could offer to make the gravy for turkey dinners, which can be made vegan by using simple ingredients like spices, flour and veggie broth (check out Pinterest for awesome recipes!). You could make stuffing, which is also very easy to make vegan. A lot of store-bought stuffings do contain dehydrated meat products for flavouring, so making it from scratch not only ensures it’s veg-friendly, but as with anything fresh, it will taste so much better! Plus, you can flavour it however you like. If it’s a hit, it might just become a new tradition that you recreate every holiday.

3. Check the restaurant’s menu beforehand, or make sure you can modify dishes

Holidays usually involve a lot of eating out for social gatherings. Restaurants are getting better at offering vegetarian and vegan options, but it’s still not a wide-scale practice unfortunately. Many of the options out there you will have tend to be a salad or pasta, which as great as they can be can get quite boring after a while. We like variety! If you know you’re going out somewhere, check the menu beforehand or call the restaurant to see if they will accommodate you. Most places are more than happy to switch up a menu item to make it vegetarian or vegan friendly. More and more restuarants are almost (or completely) plant-based, too.

4. Don’t be afraid to speak up.

Sometimes my friends want to go somewhere that I know does not offer vegetarian options, so I politely suggest we go somewhere else more accommodating. For instance, my group wanted to go to a Korean barbecue place once, but the only veg-friendly option there was pineapple, and if you’ve been to a Korean BBQ place before you know that you cook all of your own food on the same grill, so I wasn’t too keen about that idea (and I also didn’t want to pay twenty dollars for a piece of pineapple…).

I told my friends about my concerns and they were totally understanding. In the end, we found a better place to go that everyone enjoyed. Going to restaurants with your friends is about being with your friends and making memories, not about the place you go. They will be understanding of your lifestyle and will want to see you happy. Some restaurants that offer a lot of veg and meat options alike include Thai and Vietnamese restaurants, Middle Eastern fare (HUMMUS! Sorry, just saying) and even sushi places. There are plenty of other great types of cuisine that are centred around vegetarian and vegan foods, but these are a few of my favourites.

If your friends are really adventurous, you could even take them to an all-vegetarian/vegan restaurant if you have one in your area! My favourite is Fresh, which has several locations in Toronto. Anyone who I’ve taken to Fresh (all of whom eat meat) are pleasantly surprised by the meals that they get! It’s also flat out fun to try a restaurant’s spin on a classic meat dish. And if it tastes good (which it will most likely) then that’s bonus points!

5. Be ready for questions.

I’m going to warn you that this is bound to happen, especially if you come from a meat-focused culture. I still get questions about why I’m vegetarian from my family and friends, and it’s been almost a year. I don’t mind answering them at all, but some questions are not as kind as others. I’ve also received many comments that condemn my decision to become a vegetarian, and criticism over whether or not one person makes a difference by becoming vegetarian (answer: they do! More about that in this post).

Take these comments with a grain of salt because there will always be people who put down others for believing in something that they don’t personally believe in. Especially around holidays where food is so important, you are going to encounter individuals who are very uneducated about vegetarianism and veganism (unless you’re at a vegan party, but you’re probably not if you’re reading this post). You need to practice patience with these individuals and the comments they make. For the questions from the genuinely curious, be positive and eager to answer their questions! You made the choice to become vegetarian or vegan for a reason; show them the passion that drove you to make such a big change in your life. Who knows? Your passion might just inspire someone else.

Those who I’ve discussed my views of vegetarianism with and whom I’ve offered tips for living a more plant-based lifestyle have made more conscious decisions with their food choices. For example, my mother has become very interested in vegetarian fare and happily eats anything I prepare; one of my best friends now takes all of his friends to Fresh after I introduced him to the restaurant last year. The impacts of one person may be hard to see at first, but as you can tell by my example, there is a ripple effect from your actions felt throughout your community.

6. Stay positive and stand firm with your beliefs, but don’t be the “Angry Veg.”

Don’t let people’s snide remarks turn you into that angry vegetarian/vegan that people associate with a stereotype (you know what I’m talking about, the angry vegan who wears tie dye, protests at butcher shops, and lives on a farm). I would say that 95% of vegetarians and vegans aren’t like this so I have no clue where this stereotype came from.

Anyway, it’s very easy to get irritated and upset by rude, ignorant comments that belittle your life choices. Sometimes I really, really, really want to say a thing or two to those who’ve directed these comments at me (as some of them can be quite offensive), but I just let it go over my head and say nothing. Their opinion isn’t going to change my beliefs, nor impact how I carry out my life. If someone truly cares and respects you, they will not make these comments that trivialize something you care about.

Sure, they might say something because they care about you and want to make sure you’re healthy; they may ask if you’re getting enough protein, or if it’s expensive for you to live this way. These are not the comments I’m talking about as these ones come from a sincere place. A sassy retort may just fuel the rude comments more, or turn someone off from vegetarianism/veganism.

That isn’t the goal. The goal is to help the animals and environment. Yes, be angry that animals are being treated poorly and the environment is suffering because of our dietary decisions. But don’t be angry by someone’s incompetency, and do not get angry at someone that’s trying to get a rile out of you. As you know with family or friend gatherings, one small comment someone makes can turn into a big discussion and can get way out of hand very quickly. If someone makes these comments, you can say that you don’t appreciate them or don’t acknowledge them at all, just don’t stir the pot more. This is another one of those things that are easier said than done, but it will get easier with time, trust me. How you handle yourself will strongly reflect their opinion of vegetarians and vegans on the whole.

Venice is a chain in Montreal that caters to both omnivores and vegans alike. Their cocktails, soup and falafel tacos were all great.

Final thoughts

Those are my top six tips on how to eat plant-based during the holidays. I hope this post will help you if you’re still new to vegetarians/veganism and haven’t experienced holiday meals just yet. You don’t have to miss out on these fun holidays because you want to do something good for the planet. If anything, you this as a learning experience for yourself and your friends/family.

Get inspired by the different meals you can make that are veg-friendly, and maybe make some new traditions in the process. Enjoy your food, but more importantly, enjoy your time with others. When you know how to handle meals during holidays as a vegetarian or vegan (or any meals throughout the year, for that matter), it makes it all the easier to enjoy that time you have.

Since there are different holidays spread throughout the year, I encourage you to come back to this post whenever you find yourself stuck about what to prepare for yourself/a friend who does not eat meat.

For more on vegetarianism, including my favourite recipes and plant-based restuarants, check out these posts:

Until next time!