Thanksgiving feasts conjure up images of family and friends gathered around a table laden with a colorful bounty of side dishes strategically placed around a plump, juicy, golden-brown, 20-pound turkey - or tofu?
For vegetarians and vegans, the focus of Thanksgiving dinner shifts from the traditional turkey centerpiece, to more creative versions of a meatless feast.
"My family and I eat tofurkey, it is a soy product that looks and tastes like turkey, it is not actually tofu," said Katie Kalensky, a sophomore speech and hearing major.
Jeffrey Proehl, a senior mathematics major and president of the Buffalo Animal Rights Coalition (BARC) said he has eaten tofurkey before, but mainly sticks to vegetables on Thanksgiving.
While deviating from tradition and coming up with creative ways to enjoy a Thanksgiving meal might not prove to be easy, according to Proehl, his family uses the dinner as an opportunity to discuss his dietary choice.
Individual vegetarianism is not a topic of conversation at Kalensky's family's celebration, as the entire family is vegetarian.
"Thanksgiving is still Thanksgiving, with or without turkey," said Kalensky. "There is still the same feeling and the same smell of cooking in the house."
Like Kalensky, Lindsay Brown, a senior health and human services major who used to be a vegetarian, said Thanksgiving has very little to do with the presence of a turkey on the dinner table.
"Thanksgiving is about being with your family and eating good food, whether it is meat or not," said Brown.
Brown, who now eats meat, said she never felt deprived or unsatisfied when she did not eat turkey, because it was her choice.
"I feel more deprived that I can't eat bananas because I am allergic," said Brown.
Proehl said he and some of his friends get together to have a strictly vegetarian Thanksgiving celebration.
"I have another Thanksgiving with friends," said Proehl. "Last year before the break everyone bought their own dish, like a pot luck and we sat around and celebrated."
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
