Being a vegetarian is hard, especially during the holidays. With everyone having a turkey on their table on  Thanksgiving, or ham on Christmas or maybe another turkey (the turkeys just can’t win, can they?), there are dead animals on plates everywhere. What is a vegetarian/vegan to eat while everyone else is gobbling (get it? gobbling) down their food?

During  Thanksgiving, myself and other non-meat eaters love to feast on Tofurky. Don’t let the odd name fool you, Tofurky is delicious. Even my dad, carnivore Jeff Heine, thought so. “It’s actually not that bad, and the gravy that comes with it is pretty good, too,” he said.  That’s right, the Tofurky comes with its own veggie gravy and is already pre-stuffed with veggie stuffing.

Being a vegetarian or vegan usually means you have to shop at specialty food stores to get your meat-free goodies but have no fear, Tofurky is sold at Fred Meyer right here in Oregon City, along with a huge selection of other meat-free products. Now you don’t have to travel to that super obscure specialty foods shop in Portland to eat cruelty free.

For a meal you need more than just one item on the menu. You need side dishes and appetizers. I asked fellow vegetarian Kelly Maloney what she likes to go along with her Tofurky dinner. “Well mashed potatoes, of course. They are super easy to make, and delicious. Especially if you add garlic. Also grilled veggies with Sriracha sauce,” she said. I personally like to have my Tofurky with roasted red potatoes, carrots and mashed potatoes, but have your fake turkey any way you want it!

How about dessert? Ice cream is always good, but what about the vegans? Can’t forget about them. I did a little digging on the Internet and found Peta2’s website that is filled with every vegan and vegetarian recipe you can think of and some you didn’t. From vegan chocolate peanut butter cups, to the vegan pumpkin pie. If you are stumped on what to make yourself, check out this website and you will be pleasantly surprised.

We non-meat eaters must stand together, we will make it through the holiday season, we always do. But hopefully knowing you’re not the only one struggling during the holidays and knowing where you can find your meat free foods close to home helps you out. Hang in there fellow veggie friends!

Story By: Amber Fairbanks