"El stinky" wrote in message news:Noynb.84096$vj2.74664@fed1read06...
"Ipse dixit" wrote in message
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"googlesux" wrote in message
om...
Another question from a newbie. How do you all handle going to someone
else's house for Thanksgiving dinner (or any other meal)? Do you bring
along a microwavable container filled with your oen vegan meal and ask
to use the microwave? Or do you just eat whatever you can from the
meal that's served? If it's thanksgiving, it'd be nice to have some
mock turkey, so how do you handle it? I don't want to offend, but also
don't want to compromise.

If the host isn't already aware of your vegan diet, a quiet word
with whoever's preparing the meal in the kitchen before the meal
is served will save a lot of awkward questions during the meal
from the other guests. Most hosts will only be too pleased to
accomodate your diet, I'm sure.

Thanks. I'm sure this is a common question, so sorry to bore anyone.


I would say a quiet casual word at invitation or a couple of weeks before
the meal is prepared is adequate. We should never expect anyone to feel
compelled to accomodate our diets and surprising someone as they are
preparing a meal is just going to add to an already stressful day for the
person who opens their home to you. You should never assume that YOU are
going to be the only person there who is veg/vegan, esp in todays world. The
thanksgivings in our homes are half veg/vegan half traditional for over a
decade now. If you let the host know in advance you can even make a strategy
with other guests. Thanksgiving is more tolerable if you work with other
people to accomodate everyone.You can do any of these quietly and without
prejudice.


- Insist on bringing over a side dish. People may enjoy it even before they
ask what it is. You can eat this as your main meal.

-Offer to help cook the meal and maybe you can prepare certain items without
ingredients that compromise your diet or beliefs. Bring over some vegetable
broth and some vegan sausage type stuff for stuffing. Make alternative
versions of traditional favorites. For the last two years my vegan stuffing
was the first to go, even among the bird eaters in the family. I have to
make a bigger pile this year.

- if you dont want to explain yourself to your distant hunter-cousin just
say "oh i've been making the rounds today and i'm stuffed" and leave it at
that.

There are plenty of traditional items at thanksgiving and other holdays that
are totally vegan in nature esp in the south. Bean and potato type dishes
are as old as turkey gnawing. Read up on those items and go nuts. You'll
find that holidays wont be as scary and as long as you're not condescending
or preachy you may find people will enjoy the items you've prepared.

That covers just about everything. I did give some advice myself,
but to be totally honest, my best advice would be to arrive late and
avoid the meal completely. What happens if you're asked to help
wash the dishes? What new kind of hell would that be?