Choosing Meat-Free Substitutions for a Memorable Vegan Christmas

Say goodbye to cliche holiday dinner tables and cook up healthy, filling and tasty meat free dishes that the whole family will love. By making vegetables and meat free alternatives the star of the show, your body will thank you.

Typical Holiday Meals

Over time Thanksgiving and Christmas have become intertwined with not only spending time with family, but also eating good food. A typical holiday table will be brimming with turkey, ham and other meat-based dishes.

However, it’s not written in any rule book that holiday meals have to follow this script.

Benefits of Meat Free Diets

Committing to becoming a vegan or a vegetarian diet has many positive effects on personal health and the broader environment. In fact, studies have shown that those who opt for a meat free diet have better heart health and are at lower odds of having certain diseases.

It’s also suggested that those who skip meat have less of a chance of becoming obese or being afflicted with problems such as heart disease, high cholesterol and high blood pressure.

How to Have a Healthier Holiday

There are plenty of ways to make the most of a meat free and vegan friendly festive occasion. It’s as much about your mindset as it is about planning ahead of your celebrations. Some top tips to consider:

• If you are hosting, suggest a pot-luck style dinner, where everyone brings a meat-free dish or side. A fun and simple way to bring together various dishes and flavours, without the stress or pressure of having to cook it all yourself.

• Experiment with spices, fruits and vegetables, legumes and nuts to create dishes that are just as filling as traditional holiday favourites and maybe even tastier. Doing your research and shopping early are keys to success.

• Skip the post-Christmas lunch food coma by choosing smaller servings. With more fibre, some meat-free dishes will fill you up faster than their meat equivalents so space out your courses appropriately too.

Top 5 Holiday Meat Dish Substitutions

Bring a healthy vegan twist to this year's Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations with these 5 recipe ideas for tasty and nutritious holiday meat dish substitutions.

Vegan Roast

This Christmas, let vegetables be the star of the show thanks to this recipe for a delicious vegan roast. The base of this recipe are hearty vegetables such as potato, parsnip and red cabbage. Opt for cooked Quorn Vegan Fillets for a delectable protein to pair your wild mushroom gravy with. All ingredients in this dish are easy to source, making this is a winning choice for first-time cooks.

Vegan Pie

When it comes to Christmas dinner, you want dishes that are pleasing to look at. Get the aesthetics right this year thanks to a vegan christmas pie. Featuring beans, cranberries, nuts and vegetables, this pie is filling and nutritious. Swap meat mince for Quorn Meat Free Mince to make this dish protein packed and you’ll have a great holiday meat dish substitution.

Roasted Cauliflower

Instead of making meat the star of the show, shine a little light on a very versatile vegetable. Aesthetically pleasing and undeniably tasty, this recipe for a whole roasted cauliflower with broccoli and walnut stuffing is sure to be a crowd pleaser. The cauliflower can be cut into smaller segments, making it the perfect substitution for traditional carving dishes such as turkey.

Vegan Wellington

Beef wellingtons often take pride of place on the Christmas dinner table. So, for a vegan christmas, there is no better recipe than a vegan wellington. Packed full of roasted and cooked vegetables like red peppers and beetroot, it’s sure to be a flavoursome crowd pleaser.

Breaded Fish Fillet with Greek Salad

Salads are often side dishes on a Christmas table, however, by incorporating a meat free protein, the final dish is substantial and fancier than your average leafy green salad. One of our favourite options is a traditional greek salad, paired with Quorn breaded fillets for protein and texture.

Celebrate the holidays with Quorn

Making a vegan Christmas or vegan Thanksgiving easy, nutritious and tasty has never been easier.

To kick this holiday season off with a bang, find your favourite Quorn products and try your hand at some vegan friendly holiday recipes that the whole family can enjoy. Don’t forget to take some time to have a very happy and healthy holiday season!