What are my Vegan Thanksgiving Meal Plans? Thanksgiving is a time for joy and laughter. It’s a time for families to gather around food, giving thanks to the blessings they’ve received in their lives. The most common dishes surrounding this holiday are: turkey, glazed spiral-cut ham, buttery mashed potatoes, gravy (with turkey drippings), candied yams, and herb-filled dressing. Oh… and don’t forget the pumpkin pie with whipped topping!

To most people, this sounds great; it’s what many Americans have grown to love about the gluttonous holiday. But for vegans, it’s a culinary nightmare! And it often makes for some pretty awkward feelings/conversations around the dinner table. If it’s your first vegan thanksgiving, don’t worry; we can get through this “Turkey Day” together.

My “Turkey Day” Picks

As you can imagine, I receive lots of questions throughout the week regarding vegan thanksgiving plant-based foods and general nutrition. But over the past two weeks I’ve received more questions than ever, and they were mostly concerning Thanksgiving meal ideas. I understand your confusion, especially if you have a family who’s depending on you to cook. So, let’s look at some options together!

Anna, a vegan friend of mine (and triathlete) recently posted an article with 40+ Vegan Thanksgiving Meal Ideas. It’s an extensive list that offers soups/salads, main dishes, gravies, cranberry sauces, bread, and (of course) dessert. I thought I’d pick a couple of things to make, which I will be taking to my family Thanksgiving dinner this year. Check them out and let me know what you think!

Now that I’ve decided what to fix, it’s time to pick up a few ingredients. Of course these won’t be the only menu items available come “Turkey Thursday”. My family will also be cooking, and they often create side dishes that don’t contain milk, eggs, cheese, or meat. I guess you could say that they’ve learned a few things from (or because of) me. And I’m grateful to have a family that respects my dietary needs.

I’m interested to learn what you will be preparing for your family this Thanksgiving. Please leave a comment below with links back to your favorite holiday recipes.