How to Host a Vegan + Ethical Thanksgiving!
Thanksgiving is just around the corner and it’s time to start thinking about how you are going to celebrate this year (don’t stress out yet, you still have time!).
This holiday is a time to celebrate who and what we are thankful for. Unfortunately, it has consisted of staple dishes that are not ethically friendly. For generations, Americans have gathered around a turkey and now we understand that this doesn't have to be the case! There are many alternative dishes that we can all enjoy as a family. Another go-to for big gatherings is plastic everything!! So we decided to guide you step-by-step to a vegan and ethical thanksgiving!
Step 1: Who are you going to invite and how to send out the invites!
This is the first thing you need to think about. How many people do you want to invite? Make sure you are being reasonable and that your space will fit everyone comfortably. Plus, is your table big enough and do you have enough chairs? From my past Thanksgivings, I have found that 10–15 people seems to be the perfect number. (Another tip is to invite non-vegans! this is the perfect opportunity to show how delicious, simple and even BETTER a vegan thanksgiving is. )
→Sending out invites does NOT require paper! Canva.com has the most creative templates, next make a Facebook event and post your invite there! Here’s an example below:)
Step 2: Let’s talk about Food!
There are sooooo many good vegan dishes out there but that’s another blog post in itself. Thanksgiving food has it’s stapled dishes so all we have to do is create a vegan version! If you checked our Instagram lately you will find a vegan menu already created. If you haven’t already started following us this is the time:) https://www.instagram.com/vegannationofficial/
One of my favorite dishes to make is stuffing! Here is an easy and healthy version courtesy of www.runningonrealfood.com
Step 3: Sustainable Decor!
The aesthetic is EVERYTHING when hosting a dinner party but with that can be so much waste! Here are some ways to ditch the plastic and bring an eco-friendly vibe into your Thanksgiving.
- Real Dishes, Cups, and Silverware. I personally don’t have enough for everyone so what do I do?? BORROW:) my mother in law was more than happy to lend me her dishes. It’s such a waste of money to buy all new dishes when you can easily share, (isn’t that the meaning of thanksgiving?)
- Black cloth napkins. Why black? because you can re-use them for any other event you host and…. they don’t stain! (win-win)
- Leaves! My mom created the most beautiful tabletops with the leaves that already fell from our backyard! so simple, and the colors can be so pretty on a white table cloth. (Pro Tip: you can also use a thicker leaf as a name card: simply write their name on the leaf and place on each plate)
- Vegan wax candles. In my home, I always have at least one in each room. So bring them all to the table! also makes the house smell like fall:)
- Music is a must! I bet you someone on your invite list has a speaker. Get those vibes going as soon as your guests arrive, here is a good playlist I found on Spotify: Hipster Dinner Party by Caitlin Stovall.
You’re ready! I hope you found these tips helpful. There is no reason Thanksgiving shouldn’t be 100% cruelty-free from animal harm and eco-friendly! VeganNation loves getting together with food and now it’s easier with our Food Sharing platform on our web app! Head over to www.vegannation.io to sign up and start finding other vegans to share a meal with:)
