Preparing Holiday Meals with Vegetarians, Vegans in Mind

Preparing a holiday meal is never an easy task, no matter who will be in attendance at the dinner.

Meats, centers and sides are all integral parts of the meal. Vegetables with butter, mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese and many more dishes are frequent options at holiday meals all over the country. Add in the omnipresent meat options and standard fare holiday meals are not friendly places for vegetarians and vegans.

Vegetarians typically do not eat meat, but are comfortable with other animal products. Some vegetarians eat fish and eggs, while some might not. Vegans are typically more definable because they do not partake in anything that has come from an animal. This ranges from literal meat to honey from bees.

These diets are growing every year; however, and if you have any family members abiding by these diets, there are ways to make sure they have something festive and appropriate to eat when they show up for dinner.

Field Roast is the first place you should look. If your guests are fans of the traditional holiday turkeys, the Field Roast Celebration Roast is the way to go for the main course. This roast looks, smells, tastes and cuts like a real turkey. Field Roast is a top-of-the-line brand in terms of quality, so your guest will surely love it.

Many common sides are possible to make in vegan-friendly ways as well. To make mashed potatoes vegan, simply replace the milk with some kind of nut-based milk, like almond, cashew or soy milk. Replace the butter with a dairy-free spread like Earth Balance and you are good to go. Similarly, many side dishes can be prepared swapping out these ingredients.

If you find yourself reaching the end of your rope, simply doing a Google search for ways to make specific dishes vegetarian and vegan can yield excellent results.

For visiting vegetarians, cooking is much easier. You might still want to go with the Celebration Roast as an easy meat alternative, but many sides will work without any modification.

When it comes time to think about desert, the substitutions I mentioned above will still work for baking. When the time comes to substitute eggs, you can make a number of changes. Applesauce, vegetable oil and flax seeds mixed with water are all viable substitutes.

Make sure to check in with your guests before they arrive for the holidays.