For many of us, attending dinner parties and family gatherings may seem like walking on eggshells, especially if you're the odd one out.
When you're on a certain diet or lifestyle route, especially over the holidays, it can often be difficult. You are the one that chooses not to partake in the same conventional meal as everyone else, or you unintentionally make others feel bad about their lifestyle decisions just by standing out.
Let's look at how you may uphold your morals while having a wonderful time with friends and family! Family dinners and holiday gatherings may be incredibly intimidating, especially for new vegans.
Asking a dinner host to provide vegan holiday meals for you might be tricky because it's different from solely eating plant-based foods and vegan sauces while you're cooking for yourself at home. However, if you're able to embrace the generosity and understanding of the season, it shouldn't be all that hard.
Keep reading for some of the best tips on how to survive the holiday season as a vegan.
Get Ready For Questions About Your Vegan Diet
There is frequently a never-ending barrage of inquiries, particularly if you are a new vegan. Some are utterly rational, while others can be downright absurd.
Even while you don't always need to have all the answers, it might be useful to get ready in advance for some of the inquiries you might receive.
Where do you acquire your protein, for example? Iron? Calcium? What prompted your veganism? What about "free range," "organic," or "humane"?
Even though you don't have to conduct a formal lecture, it's a good idea to be prepared with a few brief, straightforward responses to these queries.
Offer To Help Cook
Tell the cook exactly what you can and cannot eat right away. Being explicit is beneficial because many people don't understand what veganism is exactly.
Giving a helping hand in the kitchen to prepare the dinner is also a terrific suggestion. This is not only a kind act but it also allows you to aid the host by veganizing most of the dinner and ensuring that there will be plenty of delicious plant-based food for yourself.
Bring non-dairy milk, vegetable broth, and vegan butter alternatives like Earth Balance so that you can readily assist in making things vegan.
Don't Be Uptight About Meat Eaters
Even though it may not seem attractive to you, informing someone that their food is disgusting won't persuade them to become vegans. They'll probably be offended and flee in the opposite direction.
Don't forget your roots — chances are you've eaten turkey at some point in your life. If you don't want to, you don't have to ooh and aah over it, but rudeness won’t do you any favours, either. Keep it simple around the dinner table and reply " no thank you" if someone asks if you'd like some.
Be Polite About The Host's Vegan Holiday Meal
If your host took the time to make some vegan options for you, then it's in everybody's best interest that you are receptive and supportive of that. This means partaking in the vegan meal even if it may not have been executed perfectly.
Remember that they probably took the time to give you special treatment aside from every other person in attendance, and that means they probably care about you a whole lot. Don't go throwing it in their face if they didn't get everything quite right.
Bring Some Tasty Vegan Food Everyone Can Enjoy
Cooking vegan options can be difficult for someone who isn't accustomed to doing so. The host won't necessarily make everything vegan. Everyone is welcome to eat the vegan holiday recipes provided, and if all else fails, you may eat vegan by yourself and still feel full.
If you want to go the additional mile, bring vegan dessert as well. Desserts are frequently not vegan by default, but rest assured if you bring vegan pumpkin pie, gingerbread cupcakes, or salted caramel maple nut clusters, everyone will happily gobble them up.
Embrace The Holiday Season
Remember that the holidays are a time for love, family, food, and celebration. Staying silent about your veganism unless specifically asked, might be in your best interests. People need to celebrate right now, not be converted.
Keep things lighthearted, crack jokes, and if someone is persistent, change the subject or find someone else to speak with. It's not a vegan vs. a meat eater debate. It's about us all having fun together.
Be the overall vegan you — happy, healthy, charitable, courteous, and fun. If everything else fails, drink a cocktail, take in the company, volunteer to help, and be appreciative.
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