Thanks, but no meat, no whey

Feeling for the turkey, vegetarians gather amid mounds of tofu.

By SUSAN THURSTON, Times Staff Writer
Published November 19, 2007

Ah, Thanksgiving; a time for friends, family and, of course, feasting.

For most Americans, food plays no greater role than on this day of thanks. Taking center stage: Tom Turkey.

But what happens if you don't eat meat? What if the sight of a dead bird on the table makes you sad, even sick?

It's a situation seen in dining rooms across the country.

"It's a very stressful day for most vegetarians and vegans," said Joan Zacharias, a 10-year vegan who lives in New Tampa.

You and your meatless plate of sides become the center of attention. Meat-eating relatives roll their eyes and wonder aloud why you won't eat the main attraction. You feel like a target.

"Thanksgiving is really all about the bird," said vegan Michelle LaFleur. "It becomes offensive to some people when you don't eat it."

To make the day happier for herbivores, Zacharias and La-Fleur are organizing a vegan Thanksgiving Day feast in Tampa. No meat in the gravy. No milk in the mashed potatoes. No eggs in the pumpkin pie.

"We wanted vegans to have a place to go where they didn't have to say, 'What's in this, what's in that?"' said LaFleur, of Town 'N Country.

The women, who are active in local vegetarian groups, came up with the idea last year. They thought it would be a success if even 10 people showed up (after all, most people have family obligations on Thanksgiving). Much to their surprise, 150 people came, some from as far as Orlando and Sarasota.

"I never expected it to be such a hit," said LaFleur, 36. "People were walking in with tears in their eyes."

Guests brought their favorite vegan dishes, enough to cover nine 8-foot-long tables. From the tofurkey to the (eggless) nog, everyone went home stuffed. Proceeds went to the Adopt-A-Turkey Project, which rescues turkeys from the baking pan.

"I could eat everything that was on the table," said South Tampa vegetarian Tanya Cherifi, 31, who plans to attend this week's dinner with her sister. "A lot of times (restaurants) put sausage in the stuffing, chicken broth in the vegetable soup and bacon in the baked beans."

Vegetarians and their more extreme vegan counterparts, who don't eat anything made from animals, choose the lifestyle for health and animal rights reasons.

Roger McDowell of New Port Richey, who plans to skip his family dinner to attend the potluck, stopped eating meat to lower his cholesterol after his dad had a heart attack. A few years later, he became a vegan after a having an epiphany with a cow at the state fair.

"I looked into those big cow eyes, and it hit me," he said. "I decided I don't have to take this guy's life to sustain my own. I thought, I'm going to go all the way."

Elena Galdamez, 24, of Seffner said she has noticed a big difference since she cut out animal products just a month ago. Her morning headaches disappeared and she has more energy.

"I really do feel healthier," she said during a recent monthly dinner for local vegetarians.

So does Robert Barrington. A 285-pound body builder, he says it's a myth that vegetarians can't gain muscle weight. This Thanksgiving, he's grateful for his family, friends - and the smell of a meatless kitchen.

"We're too technically advanced to be eating animals anymore," he said. "And I don't think there's anyone who eats more meat than I did."

If you go

Vegan Thanksgiving

Tampa Bay's second annual Vegan Thanksgiving Day Feast is Thursday at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Tampa, 11400 Morris Bridge Road. Social hour is from 1 to 2 p.m. followed by the potluck dinner from 2 to 5:30 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults who bring a dish to share or $15 without a dish. Children younger than 12 are free. To RSVP, call (813) 365-0317 or visit www.vegtampathanksgiving.com.

- Already have plans for Thanksgiving? Local vegetarians and vegans meet for dinner at 5 p.m. the second Saturday of every month at Trang Viet Cuisine, 1524 E Fowler Ave., Tampa.

[Last modified November 18, 2007, 21:18:22]