Vegan Thanksgiving for One? Help!

[Anonymous]

Eight people, seven that eat traditionally for Thanksgiving. I ordered the Fresh Market traditional meal and plan to make extra sides and desserts, but one guest is vegan. Any ideas for good main, side, and dessert options for the one vegan? I am open to buying good stuff at Sprouts or Mom’s, etc.

[Anonymous]

Are any of the sides your ordered vegan?

Do they like tofurkey? I'm not a fan, but if they like it, the whole foods brand or trader Joe's ones come stuffed with stuffing. Otherwise, a mushroom tart? Lentil meatballs or loaf?

For sides, roasted veggies or a quinoa salad.

I make my apple pie vegan when needed. Graham crackers bottom crust made with a butter substitute. Topping is crushed graham cracker and maple syrup. Filling is just apple, flour, sugar, cinnamon.

[Anonymous]

It looks like moms has a vegan pumpkin pie. I would think pumpkin is likely to be good for everyone.

I have gotten this vegan cake at giant and it is delicious (even for those of us who eat all food): https://giantfood.com/groceries/bread-bakery/bakery-cakes-cupcakes/cakes/just-desserts-cake-chocolate-midnight-vegan-208-oz-pkg.html

For sides, you can make roasted root vegetables in a crock pot (so you have easy vegan side that everyone may like that does not take up oven space).

For entree, maybe give the -Eason a few options from moms (it looks like they have vegan thanksgiving entree options)

[Anonymous]

Trader Joe's isn't carrying the vegan roast anymore but it looks just like the Gardein one at Target and Walmart. When we make it we bake it in a big bed of roasted vegetables so that would take care of a side. If you want to put in more effort the Washington Post mushroom wellington is truly fantastic. You can get the chestnuts at Costco and Pepperidge Farm puff party is vegan. That puff could also be used for a fruit dessert, too.

[Anonymous]

Planta in Bethesda is vegan and is offering some Thanksgiving specials

[Anonymous]

Are you planning on one main, side and dessert that are vegan and everyone will eat? Or are they getting a special meal like on an airplane? There are many great vegan dishes for mains, sides and desserts that everyone would enjoy. Savory rice dish with vegetables, mushrooms, etc. Roasted squash casserole. Ratatouille. Any traditional vegetable side can be made vegan with olive oil. Any pie can be made vegan with vegan butter instead of butter. I’m sure your guest will appreciate your thoughtfulness and effort!

[Anonymous]

They should bring or make their own sides. Its a big ask for just one person.

[Anonymous]

Just ask them. They may have already planned to bring food. Besides, what if you go to the trouble and it turns out they hate mushrooms or are allergic to the onions in the side dish?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They should bring or make their own sides. Its a big ask for just one person.

Having one it two vegan sides is not asking a lot, especially since there are options that everyone can enjoy - roasted vegetables, salad. I agree that there is no need to make a ton of them. Or try to make vegan versions of everything. But how is it asking a lot to serve vegetables?

Really easy options:
- bag of ‘steam in the bag’ green beans.
- salad - buy a bag of pre chopped lettuce and some pre chopped vegetables (if you have a salad bar near you, just make a container of vegetables). Add vinaigrette.
- put potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, and other root vegetables in a crock pot, add olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic and hit cook.
- heck microwave some frozen corn. Serve plain.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They should bring or make their own sides. Its a big ask for just one person.

Having one it two vegan sides is not asking a lot, especially since there are options that everyone can enjoy - roasted vegetables, salad. I agree that there is no need to make a ton of them. Or try to make vegan versions of everything. But how is it asking a lot to serve vegetables?

Really easy options:
- bag of ‘steam in the bag’ green beans.
- salad - buy a bag of pre chopped lettuce and some pre chopped vegetables (if you have a salad bar near you, just make a container of vegetables). Add vinaigrette.
- put potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, and other root vegetables in a crock pot, add olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic and hit cook.
- heck microwave some frozen corn. Serve plain.

Very festive.

[Anonymous]

I've done this with vegan parmesan. It's delicious:
https://www.loveandlemons.com/butternut-squash-risotto/

Non vegans may enjoy it as well.

[Anonymous]

We always make sure a bunch of our sides and desserts are vegan. Roast potatoes, French bread, roasted veg, lentil and rice combo of some sort, pumpkin cookies, there's a vegan orange and cacao nib sorbet thing, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are you planning on one main, side and dessert that are vegan and everyone will eat? Or are they getting a special meal like on an airplane? There are many great vegan dishes for mains, sides and desserts that everyone would enjoy. Savory rice dish with vegetables, mushrooms, etc. Roasted squash casserole. Ratatouille. Any traditional vegetable side can be made vegan with olive oil. Any pie can be made vegan with vegan butter instead of butter. I’m sure your guest will appreciate your thoughtfulness and effort!

Absolutely not. Do not make your non vegan guests eat nasty processed fake vegan butter. It's Thanksgiving! Come up with an additional dessert that is vegan, but for goodness sake, let the pie be a real pie.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you planning on one main, side and dessert that are vegan and everyone will eat? Or are they getting a special meal like on an airplane? There are many great vegan dishes for mains, sides and desserts that everyone would enjoy. Savory rice dish with vegetables, mushrooms, etc. Roasted squash casserole. Ratatouille. Any traditional vegetable side can be made vegan with olive oil. Any pie can be made vegan with vegan butter instead of butter. I’m sure your guest will appreciate your thoughtfulness and effort!

Absolutely not. Do not make your non vegan guests eat nasty processed fake vegan butter. It's Thanksgiving! Come up with an additional dessert that is vegan, but for goodness sake, let the pie be a real pie.

This isn’t your dinner.

[Anonymous]

Can you ask the guest? I'm no longer vegan but when I was I would have gladly offered suggestions that were easy. Although honestly in these situations, I usually just brought my own main dish.