Thanksgiving: Questions, Questions and more QUESTIONS!



I have been completely M.I.A. for the last few weeks. I totally apologize. Life: Sometimes it's a pain in the ass. Fret not, I am back! And just in time for Thanksgiving!

Now, for us vegans, Thanksgiving can be a really stressful time. And not just because you have to converse with people you would never speak to in real life just because they are relatives, I mean, because there is always going to be a big, inhumanely-slaughtered, rotting turkey carcass as the centerpiece of your table. You will have to look at it, smell it, watch said relatives devour it and my favorite, answer a million questions while you are trying to enjoy your own cruelty-free (and far more delicious) meal about your veganism. Grueling, right? It doesn't have to be if you're armed with answers and a relaxed attitude. For some reason, omnivores just love to push us vegan's buttons, especially during a big, "symbolic" meal such as Thanksgiving dinner.


Some common questions are of course, where do you get your protein? I know I have addressed this question before, but get ready for like, ten people to ask you this on Thanksgiving. If you are eating a balanced, healthy vegan diet, you are getting plenty of it. Veggies, legumes and whole grains are all packed with it, so unless you are living on processed, frozen meals and Fritos, you're just fine. Even us athletes get more than enough protein, fiber, antioxidants and phytochemicals, which are NOT present in animal flesh, which technically makes plant food sources superior. Oh, and plant-based foods have no cholesterol or high saturated fat either. I guarantee some members of your family rely heavily on drugs to keep their cholesterol and blood pressure in check. Not necessary if you thrive on plant-based foods. Win!


Another common (yet ridiculous) question is, what's the difference between killing vegetables and animals? They both die? This one gets me every time. For me personally, I won't eat anything that has a face. Unless Jesus appears in a piece of toast...I would totally eat that. Animals are sentient beings. They feel the same emotions humans do. Happiness, sadness, fear, love. Even turkeys! There is a really great book called The Inner World of Farm Animals that explains how incredibly smart and social all farm animals are. Did you know that pigs are smarter than poodles or that chickens can count? It's true! I can't imagine any of your family members would be cool with roasting the family poodle and serving that for Thanksgiving. Ask them why not? Vegetables on the other hand, have no central nervous system and as far as we know (some will debate this) they do not feel pain. Also, if you're eating animals, you are killing a butt-load of plants as well considering what is fed to the animals before slaughter. Grains, vegetables, feces, unused body parts from animals already slaughtered, hormones, etc., etc., etc. Mmmmmm, mm! YUMMY!


But isn't it natural to eat meat? Let's see. Put a bunny rabbit and a carrot in front of a child and see what happens. The child will naturally pet the bunny and eat the carrot. FACT. If it were natural, we'd all be running around, sniffing out animals and eating them, not buying pre-packaged, plucked, bleached, dyed, ammonia-soaked, hormone-plumped wads of flesh from the grocery store.


Another funny thing omnivores like to say is, God, I would get SO SICK of eating salad every day!! Not that there is anything wrong with eating salad every day...who wouldn't want to eat all those colorful veggies on a daily basis?! But guess what? I don't eat salad every day. In fact, I only eat salad a couple of times a week, if that. I am far more experimental in my eating adventures as a vegan than I ever was as a carni. I always try new recipes at home, and when out I'll pretty much eat anything as long as it's plant based. Anyone who knows me can tell you I eat really well!


Some people just assume eating vegan is too expensive. Simply not true! Yes, if you buy a lot of meat and cheese substitutes, they can get pricey, but not as expensive as meat by a long shot and if you really want to save, it is pretty damn easy to make your own mock meat products such as seitan, tempeh and veggie burgers! You can also make your own milks from nuts, coconut and tofu. Even cheeses! You can make those too! Also, if you're preventing a triple-bypass surgery down the road which A) Might kill you and B) will be REALLY expensive, you're saving in the long run. Both money and your life.


So, these are some, not all of the questions you may have to deal with during Thanksgiving, but hopefully I have helped you in answering them. Remember, a lot of the time when your family or friends come off as defensive and even rude, it is because that deep down they know that there is something very wrong with the meat and dairy industry, they just don't want to hear about it.  Try to be patient and not lose your cool. Sometimes it can be really hard. I have been known to snap. But before it comes to that, take a walk, get some fresh air and just think about how lucky you are that you can live with a clean conscious and a healthy body that will likely outlive theirs.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Next up: What I will be serving and eating this Thursday! Stay tuned...

Comments

  1. I always think it's hilarious when people pull the "if I ate salad every day I'd be SO BORED" card. Well, yeah, ME TOO! I actually RARELY eat salad unless I am at a restaurant (truth: I can't stand making salads). I too have become FAR more adventurous and creative in my cooking since I stopped using animal products in it back in August. I go to the store and just recently realized how much Americans use cheese as a crutch -- its on/in EVERYTHING. Crazy! How could you possibly eat that much cheese every day? I feel so happy (most of the time) to be on a no-cheese diet these days.

    Of course I am still totally addicted to it, so when I see it right in front of me I have a really, really REALLY hard time refusing it -- but I feel so much better when I am strong enough to stay away. Our home hasn't had any cheese in it since late July! Wow.

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