Thanksgiving Dinners For People Who Hate Turkey

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Thanksgiving dinner is often called the meal of the year in America. It is usually the largest meal a family eats all year, and the menu rarely changes from year to year. In fact, the Thanksgiving menu is the same in the vast majority of American households. It involves a roasted turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberries and a bread or dessert that is made with pumpkins. Most people start getting excited about Thanksgiving dinner as soon as the weather starts to change. Some people, however, see traditional Thanksgiving meals as the most overrated menu in history.

Thanksgiving dinners normally have enough food and a large enough variety of dishes that people can find a few things they enjoy at the table. Those that dislike stuffing, for instance, can still enjoy the turkey and the green bean casserole. People who do not care for potatoes can use that as an excuse to eat an extra roll or two. There is, however, little hope at a traditional meal for someone who cannot stomach the centerpiece of the entire meal, the turkey. Thankfully, there are alternative menus that do not involve the classic roasted bird. Here are some Thanksgiving dinners for people who hate turkey.

For those who like everything else…

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Even though most Americans look forward to Thanksgiving dinner, turkey as a meat can be rather hit or miss. It has a well-earned reputation for being a dry bird, and plenty of people have shamefacedly admitted that the turkey is their least favorite part of Thanksgiving. Others enjoy the turkey, but only once the mountains of leftover meat have been made into soups, stews and other dishes. In that case, there is no reason to waste time, money or food by cooking a turkey no one really wants to eat. For families who want to keep the rest of the traditional menu, simply swap out the turkey for a large chicken. The two birds taste similar enough that there will not need to be changes to stuffing or gravy recipes. A whole chicken can also feed a larger number of people than most people realize. There may be fewer leftovers at the end of the night, but Thanksgiving dinner itself will be just as pleasant as usual.

For those who want a historical alternative…

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Thanksgiving is tied up with a great deal of both actual history and patriotic mythology. The story that every American child knows is based on real events and real people, but the original celebration was likely very different than the scenes shown in paintings of smiling pilgrims. In fact, the true first Thanksgiving took place several hundred miles south of Plymouth, Massachusetts, in Chesapeake, Virginia, and it involved ham, oysters and ships rations such as hardtack.

Those who are crazy about historical accuracy could eat stale bread, salted ham and questionable oysters, but most modern Americans enjoy food a little too much to perfectly emulate our ancestors. As such, those who want a historical alternative that still tastes good could turn to foods that would have become staples once the settlers figured out how to feed themselves. Venison was abundant in the Americas as were wild birds such as ducks and geese. Wild game meats would still pair well with traditional sides or lend the table a more historical feel especially when paired with maize and cornbread instead of sweetcorn and garlic knots.

For those who want a vegetarian option…

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Living as a vegetarian in a first world country is normally not all that difficult. Meat substitutes such as tofu are plentiful, and it is easy to find plant-based sources of protein such as lentils. Unfortunately, the only vegetarian at the table tends to leave Thanksgiving dinner still feeling hungry. The turkey is the focus of the meal, and there are only so many scoops of mashed potatoes a person can eat before they start fantasizing about peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Vegans have it even harder given that most Thanksgiving vegetables and starches are cooked with copious amounts of butter.

Replacing the turkey with a vegetarian option requires making several changes to the menu. Portabella mushroom caps, smoked eggplant or chickpea patties can easily serve as a natural meat substitute, but they may not pair as well with cranberry sauce and mashed potatoes. For those who are considering a vegetarian dinner, it might be best to choose what sides are family favorites and craft the rest of the meal around the cranberry sauce or mashed potatoes rather than trying to pretend that the earthy taste of portabella mushrooms is the same as the lighter flavor of turkey.

For those who want a lighter meal…

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There are a lot of Thanksgiving traditions, almost all of them revolving around Thanksgiving dinner in some way. One of the most common and unofficial customs, however, is the expectation that everyone eats until they feel like they are about to burst. Not everyone, of course, enjoys gorging themselves, but there is often so much food at Thanksgiving dinner that overeating is practically a necessity in order to consume all of the food before it spoils. For those who would prefer not to do their best imitations of overfed pythons, the turkey can be replaced with smaller birds such as duck or Cornish game hens. Poultry could also be traded out entirely for ham, if a person wanted to still have a more traditional menu, or a meaty fish such as salmon or mahi mahi. In addition, cutting down on the number or size of side dishes would help. If no one ever eats the cranberry sauce, there is no point in continuing to make it.

For those that want a healthier option…

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Turkey itself is a healthy meat. It is high in protein and very low in fat, hence why it is often so dry. That said, Thanksgiving turkey is usually roasted with the skin on, filled with heavy stuffing and drenched in fatty gravy. Even before the sides are added to a person’s plate, Thanksgiving dinner is quite unhealthy. It does not, however, have to be. Healthier options such as limiting the amount of cream used in the mashed potatoes or removing the turkey’s skin are always popular, but for a truly healthy dinner, it might be best to simply overhaul the menu. Trade out the turkey for a meaty fish like mahi mahi and serve the vegetables raw, dry roasted or sauteed in minimal oil instead of as part of a creamy casserole or swimming with butter. Use sundried tomatoes or lightly caramelized onions for a topper instead of stuffing and either substitute whole-wheat bread for the buttery rolls or forgo the bread entirely. Thanksgiving can still be delicious, even if the menu has changed to something less artery clogging.

For those who dislike the entirety of the traditional menu…

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Some people simply do not like the traditional Thanksgiving menu. They hate turkey, think stuffing is nasty, loathe pumpkin and think cranberries are best reserved for when a person has urinary tract infections. In such cases, a complete menu overhaul is required in order to keep people thankful on Thanksgiving. For people who are having small groups on Thanksgiving, any beloved dish, from homemade curry to Chicago style pizza, would work as a substitute. Those with large families, however, still need a meal that can feed 14 people. In such circumstances, casseroles, roasts and vats of pasta are the best option. Foods like lasagna and enchiladas can be made ahead and will still feed large numbers of people. Add some salad on the side and a basket of garlic bread, and almost any Italian dish can feed a small army. Pasta dishes also tend to be recipes that can be easily doubled or tripled. Casseroles also work well since they can be made ahead and tend to be dense, filling food so a little bit will go a long way.