Thanksgiving
dinner is no longer just for turkey lovers
By Kari Schneider
On-line Forty-Niner
The
holidays are upon us once again. It is time
for families and friends to come together,
eat lots of food and watch football and
parades on television.
Leslie
Nyman, a junior public relations major,
is the only vegetarian in her family and
holidays are not catered to her being a
vegetarian. She has been an ovolactovegetarian
for the past five years and can not imagine
going back to eating meat.
“I
started cutting out meat when I was a teenager,
I was being rebellious,” Nyman said. “I
eat around the meat [at Thanksgiving], no
gravy but lots of mashed potatoes and everything
else.”
Being
a vegetarian has a variety of choices from
no animal products to some. Vegans are strictly
no animal products while the ovo and lacto
vegetarians switch between eating dairy
but not eggs and eating eggs but no dairy.
Ovolactovegetarians eat no animal products
but will eat eggs and dairy.
What
is Thanksgiving without turkey, mashed potatoes
and gravy, and stuffing? For the vegetarians
of the world, there are alternatives to
the ritual of meat for the holidays. However,
it can be quite challenging to find it.
In
Long Beach, Trader Joe’s does not carry
either type of imitation turkey.
“We
do not offer turkey alternatives,” according
to a manager who wished to remain nameless
due to company policy. “[The imitation turkey]
was not a big hit last year.”
Wild
Oats and Papa Jons Natural Market &
Café offer both types of alternatives
to turkey. Tofurky tends to be cheaper than
the Unturkey and also offers sides to go
with it. The prices range from as little
as $8.99 to as high as $32.99.
Thanks
to Turtle Island Foods Inc., vegetarians
have the option of Tofurky. Tofurky is a
pre-cooked tofu-wheat protein blend, which
has a turkey-like texture and flavor. It
has been one of the most popular turkey
alternatives available.
“Tofu
reduces cholesterol and the risk of cancer,”
said Mary Jacob, professor in the family
and consumer sciences department. “It is
also low in fat.”
Unturkey,
a close competition to Tofurky is manufactured
by Now and Zen. This turkey imitation is
made of wheat gluten covered with soy skin.
“They
[tofurky and unturkey] are popular among
vegans, said an assistant to the manager
at Papa Jons Natural Market & Café.
“We have a lot of vegan customers.”
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