“Accidentally Vegan” Thanksgiving Dishes The Whole Family Will Enjoy

Thanksgiving is a little over a day away! Some of you have already started thawing the turkey, while others are finishing up the shopping for the big day. This is my first time in charge of the entire meal and I just bought the last few items I need to get the feast started. Thing is, I'm vegan. My family is not. And while I refuse to cook anything non-vegan (which my family understands and respects), I have opted for some familiar choices that are "accidentally" vegan that won't alienate the family at all.

First, let me explain that no one in my house likes turkey in the first place, so when it comes to that part of the meal I've chosen Gardein Turk'y Cutlets with gravy simply for the aesthetic of the plate. They taste good, but are not an adequate substitute for turkey if that's what you're really into. What we're going to focus on are the sides and dessert.

The mashed potato recipe I use is from chef Brian L. Patton and you can find it here. This dish is a hit every time I bring it to a gathering and I never tell anyone it's a vegan recipe until after the fact. The vegan trick is using Earth Balance "butter" and almond milk instead of tradition butter and cow's milk. There is no difference in taste, my non vegan friends and family can attest.

For the stuffing, Mrs. Cubbison's Herb Seasoned Cube Stuffing is the way to go. You can find it at Albertsons, Walmart, and WinCo among all the other stuffing. Simply use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth when you make it. Easily vegan and just as delicious.

Not sure how traditional baked beans are as a side for Thanksgiving, but we always have them. Growing up commercials taught me that Bush's Baked Beans are the best. I was happy to learn the vegetarian variety are in fact vegan as well, and no one can tell the difference unless they're hunting for bacon bits. But my husband has accidentally bought the vegetarian kind for himself and not even noticed.

No Thanksgiving meal is complete without a a hot, flaky, buttery biscuit. Pillsbury Flaky Layers Buttermilk Biscuits are vegan. That's right, the buttermilk is actually an artificial flavoring. I bet you've had these before and didn't realize. Heck, I didn't realize until I looked it up one day just to see if I could still eat them after going vegan.

Finally, the pie! Marie Callender's has an assortment of frozen ready to bake pies that are accidentally vegan. Dutch Apple, Lattice Apple, Lattice Peach, Razzleberry, and Cherry Crunch are all vegan friendly! Who needs pumpkin pie when you have all these? In my home we are have Dutch Apple and Cherry Crunch this year.

So there you have it. All these dishes you were going to eat anyway can easily be vegan and you don't have to go out of your way to some specialty store to get them. That's how I stay being a chubby vegan. I always find the options. I hope you enjoy them too!