Thanksgiving can be a tricky time of year for us kind lifers. How you approach holiday meals is very personal, and one single approach might not fit everyone. Here are a few tips for different scenarios you might find yourself in:
1. If possible, try to host Thanksgiving yourself and cook for your loved ones. I did this two years ago. It was delicious and tons of fun.
2. If you’re going to a non-veg house for Thanksgiving dinner, offer to bring food and help cook kind dishes. If you need inspiration, check out my Thanksgiving menu.
3. At the actual dinner, avoid talking about veganism unless someone specifically asks. I have found that people get turned off when they feel like they’re being preached at, but often they’ll be curious about what you’re eating and ask you about it. That’s when you can explain why you eat the way you do.
4. If someone criticizes your diet or is rude, simply don’t engage. Let them know you feel great eating this way and it works for you. If you’ve lost weight or experienced changes in your health, you might mention it then leave it at that.
5. When talking about your diet, remember to keep it really positive. Emphasize how your health improved when you changed your diet. Often the health benefits of a vegan diet are a gateway to getting people to try it. Then, when they learn more about the animal rights aspect of veganism, they embrace that part too.
I love to empower people to discover a kinder way of living on their own. If someone in your circle expresses interest in a plant-based diet, offer to lend them The Kind Diet, or whatever book you think would be the best fit for them.
 
Do you have questions about how to navigate the holidays?
Ask in the comments below, and I’ll try to answer as many as I can in a future post.
 
Photo source: flickr.com/hildgrim