This week we ring in Thanksgiving—the holidays are upon us! Thanksgiving is one of my favorite times of the year. It's not the stuffed-silly feeling I am so excited for; instead, I love to use Thanksgiving as a time to celebrate what food does for our families, communities, and culture. Maybe you feel the same.
Ever the great uniter, food brings people together in a way nothing else can. The warmth it gives, from inside to out, instills a sense of community no matter what the gathering. Large or small, lavish or ordinary, gathering over a meal is one of few universal pleasures.
Personally, I see food not just as a necessity, but a journey to be shared. This will be my third turkey-less Thanksgiving as a vegetarian, and simply the meat out of the equation has made me even more grateful for the bounty beyond the turkey breast. Better yet, my odd decision to shirk the bird has been a conversation starter with my family and friends, a chance to encourage them to think about their own food choices and impact.
Since the meal is so central to this holiday in particular, I think it's important to be grateful for the ways in which our food culture sustains us. Take stock of your own food journey; look around your table and see if tastes are changing. Start the conversation with those around you about how to keep our resources strong, and encourage others to turn to local, sustainable, and ethical food choices.
And of course, be mindful of those in need and give openly to your community in any way you can.
This is the perfect time to show gratitude for our food, even in the smallest ways. How will you be celebrating this holiday around the table?
Related posts:
• Locally-Grown Turkey Directory
• Roundup: More Vegetarian Thanksgiving Ideas
• Turkey Alternatives: A Review of 4 Meatless Roasts
(Image: Amber Byfield for Re-Nest.)
Weekend DIYs: 10 Wood Molding Projects for the Home
Monica & Austin's Charming Bungalow
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
Ercol Bar Stool
True Greek Recipe: Paximadi Bread Salad with Tomatoes, Feta and Capers
True Greek Recipe: Paximadi Bread Salad with Tomatoes, Feta and Capers
This will be my first Thanksgiving as a vegetarian and your words really struck home. I have a new appreciation for food and the way it sustains us. I'm more focused on the people around me and what they mean to me. The transition has made me very health conscious and unexpectedly made me reexamine other values like the meaning of family and community. The people around me are curious about this change in my diet and though I'm a bit nervous about feeling attacked I'm also looking forward to sharing with them. Happy Thanksgiving!
I have been blessed for last almost-8 years to work at a non-profit agency that provides nutritious meals and fresh groceries to the ill and elderly in my community.
I'm so grateful to be reminded, every day, that everyone from every walk of life needs food and that meals really tie the world together.
Thank you for a lovely post.
My mother always says it's a gift that my husband and I love cooking Thanksgiving dinner for the family. But I think she misses cooking the way she did when I was young, before my Grandmother moved in after a stroke. Instead of buying and preparing ingredients, she started buying boxes that would save time. She went from making herself meals that were almost vegan to Hamburger Helper. When Grandma passed last year, my mother decided to reevaluate her life and habits. This Thanksgiving, I want to share with her the joy I feel when I prepare real food for people I love.